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25 Things People Who Grew Up Off Exit 8 On The NJ Turnpike Understand

Hometown is Where the Heart Is

Katelyn Reiss

Dec 06, 2015

Lehigh University

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25 Things People Who Grew Up Off Exit 8 On The NJ Turnpike Understand

Exit 8 on the highway, servicing Hightstown, East Windsor, and Twin Rivers New Jersey, is the place I grew up and will forever call my home. The area will always hold my favorite childhood memories, and every time I come back from college it is a breath of fresh air to be back in the town where it all started. Although it is a small town, there are a million things that only people in town will understand.

1. Hightstown, East Windsor, and Twin Rivers are all clumped together as one big town, but we all have our differences.

2. One does not walk into Target or Walmart without seeing at least three people they know.

3. You have a preferred pizza place because there's a 100 in town.

4. McDonald's was the hangout spot every Friday night after a home game.

5. We can get to the beach in 30 minutes.

6. Club 8 will always be there.

7. City Streets the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is where all graduated classes that are 21 years and older will be.

8. There will always be an argument over who has better bagels—Hightstown Bagels or Bagel Nosh.

9. Going to the movies and then Fridays was the spot in middle school on the weekends.

10. When someone says "let's go to the mall" you have to ask "which one?" because your decision depends on whether it's Quakerbridge or Freehold.

11. No one ever knows where Hightstown is until you tell them that it's near Princeton.

12. Everyone is somehow related.

13. There is a pizza place in every single strip mall.

14. We knew the Americana before it was "one of the best diners."

15. Everyone knows Assunpink.

16. River rats will always be the nickname for those who lived in Twin Rivers.

17. We hate West Windsor.

18. And Notre Dame.

19. Peddie too. Just because they're in our town.

20. The high school is "Hightstown High School" but all three "towns" go there, and it's technically in East Windsor.

21. If you're not hanging out in someone's house, you're probably hanging out in a parking lot or park.

22. A handful of your graduating class went to Rutgers, Rider, or Rowan.

23. Philly and NYC are a short ride away.

24. You probably went to the Learning Tree, Cox Preschool, YMCA, or Busy Bee Nursery School.

25. We truly are one big family and when something happens or someone passes, the entire town comes together.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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25 Things People Who Grew Up Off Exit 8 On The NJ Turnpike Understand

Hometown is Where the Heart Is

1. Hightstown, East Windsor, and Twin Rivers are all clumped together as one big town, but we all have our differences.

2. One does not walk into Target or Walmart without seeing at least three people they know.

3. You have a preferred pizza place because there's a 100 in town.

4. McDonald's was the hangout spot every Friday night after a home game.

5. We can get to the beach in 30 minutes.

6. Club 8 will always be there.

7. City Streets the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is where all graduated classes that are 21 years and older will be.

8. There will always be an argument over who has better bagels—Hightstown Bagels or Bagel Nosh.

9. Going to the movies and then Fridays was the spot in middle school on the weekends.

10. When someone says "let's go to the mall" you have to ask "which one?" because your decision depends on whether it's Quakerbridge or Freehold.

11. No one ever knows where Hightstown is until you tell them that it's near Princeton.

12. Everyone is somehow related.

13. There is a pizza place in every single strip mall.

14. We knew the Americana before it was "one of the best diners."

15. Everyone knows Assunpink.

16. River rats will always be the nickname for those who lived in Twin Rivers.

17. We hate West Windsor.

18. And Notre Dame.

19. Peddie too. Just because they're in our town.

20. The high school is "Hightstown High School" but all three "towns" go there, and it's technically in East Windsor.

21. If you're not hanging out in someone's house, you're probably hanging out in a parking lot or park.

22. A handful of your graduating class went to Rutgers, Rider, or Rowan.

23. Philly and NYC are a short ride away.

24. You probably went to the Learning Tree, Cox Preschool, YMCA, or Busy Bee Nursery School.

25. We truly are one big family and when something happens or someone passes, the entire town comes together.

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10 things that most incoming college freshmen have no idea about.

Your Schedule

The Library

Time Management

Registration

Housing

The Dining Hall

Teachers

Clubs

High School Friends

Finals

It's not all morning coffees and singing along to the radio.

You can't just go to your room to take a nap in the middle of your classes.

Having to spend all your extra cash on gas for your car.

Speaking of money, you probably don't have a meal plan so you're forced to scrounge up some change or mooch off of your friends.

It can be harder to maintain the friendships you make with people from class.

Finding a parking spot.

It can be harder to be involved on campus because between your one, two, or three jobs and school you don't have much free time.

When you try to be super involved on campus, it can kill your sleep schedule.

It's impossible to do homework at home, but staying on campus isn't an option sometimes.

There are surveys and events that you can't participate in because you're a commuter.

Group projects are the bane of your existence.

Traffic.

Your backpack rivals that of a survivalist trekking in the woods.

Driving all the way to campus to find a note on the door of your classroom saying class was cancelled.

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

1. When he just wanted bacon from his George Foreman grill

2. When he had money (and Jan) issues

3. When he got upstaged at Phyllis' wedding

4. When he unintentionally saved Meredith from rabies

5. When he wore a "bisexual" suit

6. When he had to apologize to Jesus

7. When his GPS drove him into a lake

8. When he had to deal with Ryan as his boss

9. When he couldn't fulfill his most generous empty promise

10. When this happened

11. When he struggled with a X-Mas break up

12. When he had to defend his generosity

13. When he threw a classy Christmas party for Holly but she had a boyfriend

14. When he had to stand up to peer pressure

15. When Toby was "Toby-ish"

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

Run Around Clanging Pots and Pans in Everyone's Face

Eat the Last Few Pigs in a Blanket

Pop Twelve White Grapes

Burn Something

Smash Things Against a Wall

Spontaneously Begin an Irish Jig

Call Your Mother

Throw a Coffee Table Out a Window

Sing "Auld Lang Syne" at the Top of Your Lungs

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