Yeah, I’m From Jersey; You Got a Problem With That?
New Jersey gets such a bad rap.
Everyone knows that New Jersey has its own exclusive culture. New Jersey is made fun of, but people are kind of obsessed with it. Look at how relevant New Jersey remains in pop culture.
We have fantastic beaches and boardwalks. We have movies and television shows written about us and many filmed in our state. We have Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Frankie Valli, and Bon Jovi, to name a few.
We have the Giants, Jets, and the Devils sports teams. Our diners are famous; they are open twenty-four hours and have been featured on television. Our pizza, bagels, and hot dogs are legendary, and let’s not forget our delicious “disco fries.” We have debates about pork roll versus Taylor ham, and we have the best tomatoes ever.
Close to twenty years ago, I left New Jersey for greener pastures. Well, not really “greener” I left for the desert of Arizona, which is brown. When I would meet people from other states and tell them I was from New Jersey, they were always intrigued and had lots of crazy questions.
I remember when I moved into my new neighborhood, and people found out I was from New Jersey. They told me that I didn’t seem like I was from there because they didn’t hear the “accent.” You know, because everyone talks like they are from the Sopranos.
They also added that the guy that lives around the corner was from New Jersey and that everyone in the neighborhood thought that he was part of the witness protection program because he was Italian. Oh, how Italians from New Jersey get a bum deal.
Shortly after I moved to Arizona, I started working in Scottsdale. My patients would say, you are so nice, are you sure you are from New Jersey? Sometimes others would laugh and ask, are you from “Joisey”? Damn you, Joe Piscopo. No one calls it Joisey! I’d have to explain that no, that is NOT how we pronounce it!
I was asked if I was Italian, and when I would say yes, they would inquire if I had family in the mafia (eye roll). They would question if New Jersey smelled like rotten eggs, if I drove “down the shore,” and what exit I lived off the parkway? Not that they had any idea what that even meant.
Non-natives imagine that New Jersey is a toxic dump where people have extra appendages growing from their bodies due to pollution. I lived in San Francisco, California, for two years and endured all the smog and pollution from the traffic and forest fires. I’m sure my lungs look like they belong to a ninety-year-old that smoked filterless cigarettes. I’m probably worse off now than when I lived in New Jersey.
Our tiny state has beaches, farmland, forests, and quaint towns. It really is very eclectic. When people from other states think of New Jersey, they only know the area around Newark airport or what they’ve seen on television and in the movies. They have no idea what a beautiful place it is. There is a reason why it’s called the Garden State.
Many believe that New Jerseyans are fast-talking, sarcastic, wise asses that flip tables and kill people, and some of that may not be entirely untrue.
When you leave New Jersey and come back, you forget that it is such a distinctive state. Nowhere in the country do people talk like they do there. The way people pronounce their words and the cadence of their speech is so specific to the area. We use our hands when we speak to get our points across. It really is uniquely New Jersey. We are also the only state that drinks “cawfee”.
The ethnic and racial diversity in New Jersey is also beyond compare. Because so many immigrants came through Ellis Island, New Jersey is a true example of the “melting pot of America.” You can find cultural exhibits and restaurants with any ethnic cuisine you can imagine. You cannot say that for the rest of the United States. When people move out of New Jersey, we always talk about the food and how much we miss it.
Growing up twenty minutes from New York City, you do get spoiled. You can cut school and head into “The City” for some action. There are sporting events, plays and concerts. You can go into New York at any time of the day or night and be able to get something to eat or go to a club. When I lived in San Francisco, I was amazed that things shut down so early.
People from New Jersey sometimes can be misunderstood because we tell it like it is, but you always know where you stand with us. We are friendlier and warmer than people envision and truly genuine.
Also, as the saying goes, “if you can’t have fun with someone from New Jersey, then it’s probably your own fault.”
I have to mention that, unfortunately, this Jersey girl pumps her own gas. If I didn’t, my car would be running on fumes. New Jersey is still the only state where you cannot pump your own gas. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing?
Being a third-generation American and New Jerseyan, I feel blessed to say that I grew up in such a great area. I’ve lived in five other states on the East and West Coasts. I have gotten to experience so many incredible locales, but a piece of me always longs to be in New Jersey.
Although I don’t live in New Jersey anymore, it is always in my heart. It’s true that “you can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can’t take Jersey out of the girl.” Hopefully, one day I will make it back to live there. You don’t realize what a special place it is until you leave and miss all the things you took for granted.
“Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.” ~ John Ed Pearce
©2022 Victoria Gregg. All rights reserved.
Here is Bruce Springsteen Singing his iconic song “Jersey Girl”:
