Why leaving NJ last week made me homesick

I’m never one to be subtle about my Jersey pride.

I’m a born and bred Freehold, NJ girlie. Springsteen and I are basically hometown friends.

(Not really, we’ve never met, but let me live that fantasy)

Last weekend I traveled to Massachusetts and Connecticut for a family reunion, and while it was fun to see people who I rarely get to hang out with, I definitely got a sense of “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in New Jersey anymore.”

Deagreez

First of all, we stopped to get breakfast and something that was offered to us was a “bagel.”

While it was technically dough with meat and cheese on it, I don’t think I could put my hand on the Bible and say this was a proper bagel.

The bagel was flat, flavorless, and just all around not what we’re accustomed to in the Garden State.

It was a real “bless your heart” situation, I guess they tried.

Then there was the driving.

Mario Tama, Getty Images

We get a lot of guff in New Jersey about our driving but it seemed as though the second you crossed the state border into Connecticut everyone took their hands off of the wheel and their foot onto the brakes.

Everyone was slow. Crossing into the next lane didn’t seem to require a blinker. Some people just made themselves comfortable driving in between two lanes for an extended period of time.

I felt like I was in the Wild West.

And finally, there’s the slow pace.

You can make fun of New Jerseyans for talking, walking, or driving fast, but at least we get stuff done. Trying to do any sort of task done felt like it was at half speed.

Arriving back in the Garden State truly felt like a breath of fresh air.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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