If you’re a true Jersey girl born and raised like me, you drive like a maniac, you haven’t the slightest idea how to pump your own gas and your memories at the Jersey Shore encapsulate the first twelve summers of your life. True New Jerseyans embrace the customs of their homie place nestled under what we refer to as “the city,” which is also the metropolis we are casually pass off as insignificant when out-of-towners arrive and fawn over the exquisiteness of New York. Bearing that in mind, it’s not a surprise that a certain cultural shock sets in when a Jersey girl realizes she is not on the East Coast anymore.

As I road tripped the farthest west my New Jersey soul has ever traveled, I picked up a few lessons on what life is like beyond the confines of the tri-state area.

1. First things first, you do NOT know the meaning of the word cold!

The farther west you venture, the more likely you are to suffer from arctic shock. The plunging temperatures will be frostier than you have ever experienced. In fact some reports indicate Chicago was actually colder than Mars this week at a brisk minus 6 degrees with a wind chill of negative twenty! It won’t be until you step out into the tundra that you will realize that “bundle up, it’s cold outside” really means “it numbing outside”. After my first walk outside left my blue face and numb fingers defrosting for an hour, I quickly realized the value in face masks. Yes, the sleeves you pull over your head and hike above your nose keep your skin from hitting the bitter Chicago air and give you a chance to add some color to your winter ensemble. (I got to try out a pink one!) So, my words of advice are to pack appropriately for Chicago in the winter because the windy city could leave you with major frostbite!

2. Stop claiming fame to the “best” pizza!

Before you get all bent out of shape about this one, let me remind you that Chicago is home to deep-dish pizza. This cheesy gooey novelty is a delicious way to label yourself a tourist in the city and eat three days’ worth of calories in one meal. If you're unfamiliar with the Chicago innovation, deep dish pizza starts with a layer of bowl shaped dough formed in a high-sided pan. This bowl allows a mountain of cheese to fill in the dish making a almost casserole-like creation finished with your favorite toppings! I got the privilege of trying the famous Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta and ordered Mark’s Special which topped the deep-dish off with fresh tomato slices, basil and garlic! After eating two slices (and too many handfuls of calamari) my tummy was stuffed in the best way after frigid day in the Windy City.

As for more traditional-style pizza I must caution you that I am a true New Jersey pizza snob and will turn my nose up to most out-of-state pizza. That is why this lesson in Chicago’s traditional pizza was truly revolutionary. I got to visit a neighborhood pizza joint on the charming streets of Lincoln Park called Homeslice. The soft, artfully seasoned dough was hot to the touch and a great cross between a traditional soft deep-dish dough and a crisper thinner-crusted pie. I ordered the “Big Teve” pizza featuring spinach, roasted red peppers, red onions, mushrooms, oregano, feta, parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, garlic and olive oil. This flavorful combination and takes a unique approach to the classic sauce and cheese pizza adding a mediterranean twist. The menu combinations allow for adventurous eaters and simple souls alike. If the veggie pizza doesn’t sound like your cup of tea check out the variety of meaty choices such as the “Knife and Forker” that features pepperoni, blackened chicken, bacon, red onions, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar & barbecue sauce. This is the FIRST “foreign” pizza I can genuinely say rivals that of New Jersey’s. Chicago pizza, you get two thumbs up!

3. Lake Michigan is NOT a ocean and it most definitely it not the “shore”

While it is easy to marvel at the beauty of Lake Michigan that sets a majestic backdrop for the city, leave the Jersey lingo at home when you and remember you are far-far away from any ocean let alone your coveted Jersey Shore. However, you will be amazed to see a body of water running right through the heart of the city! The Chicago River flows backwards from its mouth at Lake Michigan offering a gorgeous view and an array of recreational activities like kayaking and sightseeing boats in the summertime! In addition, the city’s lakefront bike path actually offers miles of beach used to walk, cycle, run and see all that Chicago has to offer! I do caution you, gazing out into Lake Michigan you will remind you of your east coast beaches as there is no end to the waters in sight! However, I promise you are almost eight hundred miles from the East Coast!

4. The Chicago “bean” is a MUST see

Who would have thought that a giant silver structure of stainless steel plates would become a tourist hotspot? Turns out, the Cloud Gate Sculpture is the perfect spot to snap your next Christmas card photo and capture the Windy City’s stunning skyline. However, do take photos at your own risk! During my visit to the bean, a fresh layer of snow topped the structure with a sheet of ice that inevitably began crashing down from above! Don't let that stop you from getting your selfies, with a giant reflective bean in the background, no one will have any doubt you indeed visited the city of Chicago.

To the Jersey girl who will be missing her Wawa coffee, you’ll be happy to know there are plethora of Starbucks scattered throughout the city and a variety of coffee shops to try if you’re really feeling adventurous.

Above all, I beg you to step outside your comfort zone located within the margins of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York! In addition to learning about a new place, you’ll also get to know yourself a little bit better by the end of touring a new place like the Windy City. After a successful adventure locating and navigating a new place, your confidence will surge with the sureness that you can trek outside of your natural habitat. Even though Jersey may be the only state graced with the gift of Taylor Ham, traveling is worth the sacrifice. I challenge all of us Jersey girls to take a journey outside the streets of Princeton, the boardwalks in Seaside and the Freehold mall. Just don’t forget to come back home and share your fabulous stories!