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OT: RU grads that relocated to another state

RUinPAC10land

RUinPAC10land

All Conference
Jul 30, 2011
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La Canada Flintridge, CA
I have a question. Do you miss NJ?

I have been living in Los Angeles county for almost 10 years now. (It will be 10 in 2 weeks.) I can say that it was a great decision. I have a very good and stable job. I got married to a beautiful wife and we have 2 adorable children. We also live in a very nice house. I am thankful. However, I am really beginning to feel homesick.

Right now, my job is pretty much the only reason for not going back. It's pretty much one where once you get it, you don't give it up. I also especially miss my Taylor Ham (not pork roll), cheese and egg sandwiches.
 
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Almost 11 years for me, and nope.

NJ is cool enough with plenty to offer but was never the right fit for me ... too crowded, overpriced, humid and no mountains.

Miss family and pizza, though.
 
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FanuSanu52 said:
Almost 11 years for me, and nope.

NJ is cool enough with plenty to offer but was never the right fit for me ... too crowded, overpriced, humid and no mountains.

Miss family and pizza, though.
Click to expand...

My parents joined me in Cali once my father retired from his job. My sister then moved here as well. A bunch of second cousins are the only ones left in NJ now. NJ seems rural compared to LA county and don't even get me started about the prices here.
 
I still love Jersey, but I loved it way more as a kid in the 70's and 80's. Golden years. Left in 94 for NC due to taxes, commute, taxes, commute, crappy weather, hot and humid in summer, cold in winter. One month of spring, one month of fall. When it was between 60 and 75, it was raining. Too many people. Cost of living.

I do miss going to RU games, and real diners. I loved living in Highland Park for 11 years. Great town. Would only move back for a 7-figure salary, but that ain't happening.
 
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I've always said, growing-up in Jersey prepares you for life in the real world.........

I've never regretted moving to CA....but, there definitely are things that never seem quite like home until I get back to Jersey.
 
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I'm from Maryland and I get back enough not to miss it and get crabs shipped out so no worries. That state has gone downhill through.

I never once wished I moved back to NJ after graduating. Pizza. That's all NJ has. I would never live there.
 
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I moved to NJ in 11th grade from upstate NY and left 4 years after college. I never loved the place. I found it a hard place to live and NJ folks proud of the crap they dealt with daily.

I don't miss it. I enjoy going to Rutgers games but that's about it.
 
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Not an RU grad (worked there for 29 years and wife is an alum), but I'm guessing I have the record for furthest move away from NJ.

What I miss is going to RU games, my friends in NJ, great Italian food, and the ability to go to some of the world's greatest cultural sites if I want to (really miss Broadway). Also miss being close to my kids and grandkids, but neither of them live in Jersey.

If I moved back to the States (not likely to happen) it would probably be to Chicago (my old home town), Boston (where my daughter lives) or DC/Virginia (son and grandkids).

To me, the issue is not so much Jersey, but being in New Zealand. This is an incredibly nice place, super for raising kids, and I'm hoping, retiring in the not too distant future (although no specific plans yet).
 
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Caliknight said:
I'm from Maryland and I get back enough not to miss it and get crabs shipped out so no worries. That state has gone downhill through.

I never once wished I moved back to NJ after graduating. Pizza. That's all NJ has. I would never live there.
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Bullshit.
New Jersey has a lot more. Mountains to the west, beaches to the east and farms in between. Great large towns/small cities like Red Bank, Long Branch and Asbury Park. Great entertainment options from small theaters, large venues, and great clubs for live music, especially in and around Asbury Park. It really is much like California- congested, rife with all sorts of issues, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. The biggest negative for me with NJ is the weather. Shitty winters and hot and humid summers.

We have lived in upstate/western NY, Cincinnati, North Carolina and we spend a lot of time in Arizona. To us, they were all lacking in a lot of ways in diversity of people, foods, entertainment, etc.
 
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Now we know why most top NJ recruits leave the state. It's not an easy place but if offers opportunities. Kind of like RU football.
 
Moved to St. Petersburg, FL a little over a year ago. Miss my friends and RU games (but joined the Rutgers Club of Tampa Bay, we do different events and game watch parties). Don't miss the NJ "eat-their-own" attitude and the constant rat race - I never knew it, but it's nice to slow it down a little bit. They sell pork roll at my local Publix so we're set there. The property taxes on my 4 bed, 3 bath house are $1600 a year, that's nice. I like our beaches much better than the Jersey shore. So no, I don't regret it for a minute and couldn't imagine ever moving back.
 
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ZekeAFroid said:
Board posters about themselves = NJ sucks, I'm so glad I left...I'll never go back!!

Board posters to in-state recruits = How dare you leave NJ...traitor!!

Board posters to out-of -state recruits = NJ is amazing, best place in the world...NYC!!!
Click to expand...
I would tell a recruit Rutgers is a great place and the reality is other than the occasional trip to NYC or Philadelphia you'll never see much of the state so don't worry about it.
 
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RU85inFla said:
I would tell a recruit Rutgers is a great place and the reality is other than the occasional trip to NYC or Philadelphia you'll never see much of the state so don't worry about it.
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That depends. If you are student into fishing, the beach or surfing, you will go to the beaches in September, October and May.
If you like hiking or mountain biking, you will explore some of the great hiking and mountain biking trails.
 
ZekeAFroid said:
Board posters about themselves = NJ sucks, I'm so glad I left...I'll never go back!!

Board posters to in-state recruits = How dare you leave NJ...traitor!!

Board posters to out-of -state recruits = NJ is amazing, best place in the world...NYC!!!
Click to expand...

Honestly I love Jersey and was great for college and just after. But at this point I want solitude and it's not available in Jersey. My dream is a house in the middle of 100 wooded acres just outside a very small town. Not really possible in Jersey.
 
applesktrack said:
Honestly I love Jersey and was great for college and just after. But at this point I want solitude and it's not available in Jersey. My dream is a house in the middle of 100 wooded acres just outside a very small town. Not really possible in Jersey.
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Pine Barrens.
Sussex County.
 
Left in 1972 with my RU degree in forestry and wildlife. My love was nature and the outdoors and I never looked back. Don't miss much other than old friends. Only thing I really miss is easy access to RU football. Will especially be tough when we start beating OSU and the punks from PA!
 
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We moved to Atlanta for a year. My wife (who is from St. Pete and then Denver) and I both hated it. I did my one year minimum and we came right back. We're a couple miles west of the Delaware in Pa and I wouldn't leave here unless she makes me move to St. Pete. This area is so unique. No matter what you like, whatever your interests, it's here within a short drive. The ocean, skiing, culture, art, insane food culture from Philly, through Jersey into the city, Wall Street, theater, sports, world class golf courses, equestrian blue bloods, everything. A lot of places have one or two things way better, but are completely missing at least ten others.
 
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Left NJ in '82 for NC. Lived in Raleigh then Cary then most recently in Pinehurst for 15 years. Had a beach home near Wilmington for years, too. And now split my time between Pinehurst and a mountain top in Boone.

NC is a neat state, for sure. And I've traveled extensively for work, experiencing many places and peoples. But I wouldn't trade growing up in NJ and my years at RU for nothing. Dead serious. NJ is tremendously rich and diverse and spirited and no nonsense and real. Full of character, characters, and verve. You come from NJ and you're pretty much ready for whatever life throws at you, where ever life takes you.

I greatly look forward to visiting for a week every fall, with October as my favorite month to visit. Take a couple of days in the city. Meet up with the old gang for dinner and at least one boy's night out in NB, and then tailgating and a game the following day. It's our tradition. And, come October, if the Yanks are in the playoffs, it's still magical. I savor my time there. Always. And the memories of all things Jersey.
 
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RUinPAC10land said:
I have a question. Do you miss NJ?

I have been living in Los Angeles county for almost 10 years now. (It will be 10 in 2 weeks.) I can say that it was a great decision. I have a very good and stable job. I got married to a beautiful wife and we have 2 adorable children. We also live in a very nice house. I am thankful. However, I am really beginning to feel homesick.

Right now, my job is pretty much the only reason for not going back. It's pretty much one where once you get it, you don't give it up. I also especially miss my Taylor Ham (not pork roll), cheese and egg sandwiches.
Click to expand...


Moved out of NJ in 1968 to go to grad school in CA.

I missed NJ / RU from the beginning....and have never stopped. Before the internet, I remember calling friends (RU alum) who were living in Elizabeth at the time when I wanted to know the score of the RU- St. Bonnie game. "Not now..." I was told, the game is too close. Then as I waited on line (literally) I found out we had won.

I miss my old stomping grounds (Belleville, Bloomfield, Verona, West Orange, Montclair). I miss RU, the Ledge (used to be the student center), the Shore, friends / relatives.

I'm going back again this Sept. or early Oct. for a game / to get caught up. Hopefully see a game at the stadium / see us winning the unwinnable.

I've had chances to move back....but even if you never do you can never take Rutgers or New Jersey out of the man.

Most of all I miss NJ people... the intensity, the in your face honesty / hostility & humor.

NJ...& Rutgers: absolutely beautiful together!

MO
 
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I've been in the Atlanta area for 33 years. The second day I was here I was playing tennis outside (January 1984). I said I would never go back. Didn't matter whether it was NJ, NY or wherever. I don't miss the snow and ice (and the property taxes) Yes, I miss the food, but I get my occasional fix. Never had any desire to move back, but that was based on a lot of factors,not just the state of NJ.
 
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RUinPinehurst said:
Left NJ in '82 for NC. Lived in Raleigh then Cary then most recently in Pinehurst for 15 years. Had a beach home near Wilmington for years, too. And now split my time between Pinehurst and a mountain top in Boone.

NC is a neat state, for sure. And I've traveled extensively for work, experiencing many places and peoples. But I wouldn't trade growing up in NJ and my years at RU for nothing. Dead serious. NJ is tremendously rich and diverse and spirited and no nonsense and real. Full of character, characters, and verve. You come from NJ and you're pretty much ready for whatever life throws at you, where ever life takes you.

I greatly look forward to visiting for a week every fall, with October as my favorite month to visit. Take a couple of days in the city. Meet up with the old gang for dinner and at least one boy's night out in NB, and then tailgating and a game the following day. It's our tradition. And, come October, if the Yanks are in the playoffs, it's still magical. I savor my time there. Always. And the memories of all things Jersey.
Click to expand...

From my standpoint Pinehurst, you bit the nail right on the head with this reply! I live in wake forest. Been here since 2007, and the growth is amazing. Great place for kids to grown up, but I would not have wanted to grow up anywhere else in the country!
 
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I moved to Maine in 2001 to attend law school. During the first year of law school, I drove back EVERY SINGLE Friday after my final class let out to play in a men's roller hockey midnight league in Morristown. I'd spend all day Saturday with "my boys" and then my wife, Laura, and I would head home on Sunday. Wash, rinse and repeat the very next Friday. I was pretty homesick for a while and really missed the people and the state as I grew up in NJ until I went to law school at the age of 31. My wife and I also met at RU (she was in grad school and I was in undergrad) so I have nothing but positive memories of Rutgers and the New Brunswick area.

Fast forward 16 years later and I HATE driving down there. I don't miss much about NJ except the following (in no particular order):

1. Pizza
2. Diners
3. RU
4. Diversity of cultures/food etc.

I can't stand the traffic. Taxes are too high. Real estate is too expensive. Most of the farmland appears to have been paved over and is now ugly. Very little green space but lots of strip malls. Overall, I find it to be depressing.

I'm a HUGE skier and fly fisherman so I get the best of both worlds here in Maine. With that said, when I retire, I'm retiring to Montana or Wyoming as those are some of my favorite places on the planet. Maine's income taxes are too high and I've never been overly fond of northern New Englanders. Not a particularly warm group of people.

Bill
 
ZekeAFroid said:
Board posters about themselves = NJ sucks, I'm so glad I left...I'll never go back!!

Board posters to in-state recruits = How dare you leave NJ...traitor!!

Board posters to out-of -state recruits = NJ is amazing, best place in the world...NYC!!!
Click to expand...

Reminds me of a few years back when i started a thread asking why do NJ fans root for the Dallas Cowboys, 9ers, etc yet people expect every NJ person to root for Rutgers.

Thread got out of hand and people wanted me dead. [roll]
 
Live in NW Delaware 40 yrs. 15 miles away from all the. Jersey issues but can get there quickly if a reason to go. So. Jersey much nicer than the north for people of modest means desiring some space.
 
Left in 1989 at 29. Dayton, Ohio, Muncie, Indiana, State College, Nashville, and back to State College since 2001. Always miss NJ, always. Has everything and near everything. Attitude, accents, honesty, in ur face. Hoping to retire down the shore. Have to convince wife from Louisville. Ever since Sandy she is like no shore.
 
RUinPinehurst said:
Left NJ in '82 for NC. Lived in Raleigh then Cary then most recently in Pinehurst for 15 years. Had a beach home near Wilmington for years, too. And now split my time between Pinehurst and a mountain top in Boone.

NC is a neat state, for sure. And I've traveled extensively for work, experiencing many places and peoples. But I wouldn't trade growing up in NJ and my years at RU for nothing. Dead serious. NJ is tremendously rich and diverse and spirited and no nonsense and real. Full of character, characters, and verve. You come from NJ and you're pretty much ready for whatever life throws at you, where ever life takes you.

I greatly look forward to visiting for a week every fall, with October as my favorite month to visit. Take a couple of days in the city. Meet up with the old gang for dinner and at least one boy's night out in NB, and then tailgating and a game the following day. It's our tradition. And, come October, if the Yanks are in the playoffs, it's still magical. I savor my time there. Always. And the memories of all things Jersey.
Click to expand...
Nice post! I am born, raised, and still live in central NJ. It would be really tough to move. Sure, we have problems, but NJ offers so much it's pretty amazing. My wife is from Rockland County, NY, so she is less dead set on staying here forever. In reality, we are tied to NJ for quite a while (5 year old daughter, grandparents and family are here). Perhaps we will buy a second home and split time in retirement (not sure where, but somewhere warm for the winter, her request). Our real goal is to buy a home in Stone Harbor, but that will take a lot of dough!

For those whining about winters, I side with John Steinbeck:
"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?"

California blows, we will never live there! :)
 
I have to go wherever the military sends me. Right now that's Cali and it's a ton of fun, but I'll move again in a year or so. Eventually (post military) we'll settle down back in New Jersey. There's just so much to do and it's such a fun place to be.

To the folks saying New Jersey people are ruder than most I say meh. There are people who suck everywhere; at least New Jerseyites give you honest feedback.
 
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