You know you’re from Central Jersey if…

I've lived in Central Jersey since my family moved from Union City to Marlboro in the 70s. Believe me when I tell you it was a culture shock. I went from a city where we once counted about 50 kids all within 5 years of each other, all living within 5 blocks of each other, in a predominantly Hispanic-Italian neighborhood; to a town where everyone seemed to have moved from a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.

In Union City, we were all so close together and had everything around us regarding things to do, and places to eat. In Marlboro, it was so spread out that you needed a car or a parent to drive you if you went anywhere.

The one thing I noticed about moving to Marlboro, which is located in "Central Jersey", is that everyone I met seemed to be from somewhere else; and they took more pride in where they were from than where they are now.

So now that the powers that be say officially that "Central Jersey" does exist, I asked what separates "Central Jersey" from North Jersey or South Jersey? My first answer would be that Central Jersey people, no matter how long they've lived here, will say that they're from somewhere else. To this day if you ask me where I'm from, I'll say "Union City."

As much as I thought Central Jersey could use its own identity, I realized it already has one. It's what happens when North Jersey meets South Jersey in sort of a cultural fusion. With that in mind, I asked my social following to complete this sentence: "You know you're from Central Jersey if...."

When you go to the beach, not the shore
Judi Yaccarino

I moved to Woodbridge 23 years ago but my home will always be Union City
Gail Morrone

You might be a Giants fan, but your neighbors might be Eagles fans
Anthony Barberio

Hoagie in the south
Sub in the central
Hero in the north.
Domenick Stellato

The accents ..Philly vs New York
Anita Helene

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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