The Official Chris Ash Guide to New Jersey

[jmc11201]

Presumably there are several 'cultural' differences between New Jersey and Ottumwa, Iowa. Having married an Iowa girl and lived in the Midwest, I can hopefully help shed some light on little things that may ease the transition to Central Jersey.

1. When with a group of people, do not be surprised or upset when there are multiple conversations going on at once. I was shocked at my first Iowa Thanksgiving when my wife's family actually listened to each other before speaking. Likewise, her head was spinning at her first New Jersey Thanksgiving when there were multiple conversations going on at once.

2. In New Jersey, it is not rude to interrupt someone. Chalk it up to enthusiasm and a need to be heard.

3. If driving and in a situation where two lanes merge into one, feel free to drive in whichever lane allows you to move closest to the merge point. People will let you in if you show some aggressiveness. I've seen far too often in the midwest that everyone forms one single line that backs up and is actually slower than an effective merge.

4. If you are heading to the beach, you are 'Going Down The Shore'. If you go into NYC, you are 'Going into the City'.

5. People aren't necessarily more or less nice, but they are more likely to tell you how they feel. If you are not liked, you will know it, and if you are liked, you will also know it. Much less is said behind your back...it is all said to your face.

6. The Italian food and pizza is much, much, much better in New Jersey.

7. If you are craving a bit more solitude and farmland, you better head to the western and northwestern parts of the state. It is actually quite pretty out there.

8. The northeast is incredibly small vs. the midwest. My Iowa in-laws think nothing of 5 hours in the car. From the Hale Center, a 5 hour drive will get you to Boston, Philly, New York, Baltimore, and Washington DC.

Others...feel free to add.

 

[SirPerceval]

9. its called pork roll.

 

[LC-88]

Women are included in the phrase "You guys"

Pop is your Dad or Grandfather, not a carbonated beverage.

 

[Myrtleknight]

When making a left hand turn, do not cut right in front of my bumper at a 45 degree angle. Drive past my car, make a 90 degree turn, so that I can get out of the intersection at the same time.

 

[SanFranRutgers]

Ottumwa, IA?

Imma start calling Ash, "Radar."

 

[Scarlet16E]

10. When on a state highway, stay right to turn left. Jug handles help to manage an enormous amount of traffic fairly well. Embrace them.

 

[rufullerton]

Your family will become expert scuba diver, underwater swimmer, navy seal like trained members courtesy of Exit 13 thru 17 on NJ Turnpike.

 

[graystork]

While in Iowa, a car horn is used as a friendly greeting, a mechanical way to say "hello." In New Jersey a car horn is a weapon used to tell others to "get the hell out of my way."

And while you may find this hard to believe, New Jersey corn is outstanding. From sugar and butter to silver queen, our corn on the cob is the real deal. Go figure.

The state greeting is indeed "How you doin?" Respond to this with a cheerful "How YOU doin?" and you'll fit right in.

 

[knightfan7]

Bag = Sack

Won't post it here but in parts of the Midwest there's a word that has a wholeeeeee different meaning and can get you in trouble if you don't learn that fast.

 

[Plum Street]

A pie is pizza. Not apple or cherry .

 

[kennyschiano]

1. Yous is plural for you in some parts
2. Capicola is pronounced "gabigoal"
3. Seltzer is just called "seltzer" - not "seltzer water"
4. The barn is the gym on college ave, it is not an actual barn
5. Jughandles are how you get to the other side of the road - no uturns
6. Rutgers is exit 9 on the turnpike - it is not actually that close to "shore points" even though it is the same exit
7. Action Park was amazing
8. There are stores other than Walmart
9. In the north a sub is a hero, in central jersey a hero is a sub, in the south it is a hoagie
10. If you want a good bagel - you don't go to dunkin, starbucks or some other chain - we actually have bagel shops

 

[Old Bridge]

He spent a year at Princeton, and has recruited NJ since. He knows NJ.
Sarcasm only works when it has a real base to it

 

[brgossRU90]

Columbus is also quite a large city, so he's got to be used to a certain amount of crowding.

 

[RU-ROCS]

Good stuff JMC.

 

[rucoe89]

This thread is a keeper! [cheers]

 

[AreYouNUTS]

He worked and lived in Princeton, however, I digress....

 

[Caliknight]

When someone says f*ck you, the mean hello.

 

[Caliknight]

When someone says f*ck you, they mean hello.

 

[MrsScrew]

• do NOT try to pump your own gas...you can get in a lot of trouble for that
• Our band is not going to be quite as good as tOSU band (but don't get @AreYouNUTS started)
• "Have a good one" is the NJ way of saying, "thank you and have a good day"
• there are so many great restaurants you should never have to go to a chain restaurant. ever
  
• NJ people really are nice...you just have to dig down to find it

 

[brista21]

9. In the north a sub is a hero, in central jersey a hero is a sub, in the south it is a hoagie
10. If you want a good bagel - you don't go to dunkin, starbucks or some other chain - we actually have bagel shops

9) In the north sub or hero are equally acceptable, just don't say hoagie. And avoid Tastees despite what people say.
10) Yup. Bagel Base in Elmwood Park, NJ, Hot Bagels on Maple Ave in Fair Lawn, NJ and Bagels International in Bradley Beach, NJ are great recommendations.

Try the pork roll it'll change your life in terms of breakfast meats. My cousin by marriage is from Montana, he instantly became a fan.
Never eat at an Olive Garden, ever.
People here are much more friendly than you realize, they just have a gruff charm.

 

[kennyschiano]

9) In the north sub or hero are equally acceptable, just don't say hoagie. And avoid Tastees despite what people say.
10) Yup. Bagel Base in Elmwood Park, NJ, Hot Bagels on Maple Ave in Fair Lawn, NJ and Bagels International in Bradley Beach, NJ are great recommendations.

Try the pork roll it'll change your life in terms of breakfast meats. My cousin by marriage is from Montana, he instantly became a fan.
Never eat at an Olive Garden, ever.
People here are much more friendly than you realize, they just have a gruff charm.

We Hebrews didn't have pork roll. So for ash, when he gets invited to a bagel brunch at Hillel, that pink stuff is lox, not smoked salmon.

 

[RAA-1]

Have your children practice driving around Traffic Circles at a young age. If they can handle them they can drive anywhere.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

About "down the shore".. If you end up living in Monmouth or Ocean County its called going to the beach as you are already "down the shore". With a job at Rutgers, Monmouth is much more workable than Ocean... Which is largely for people who couldn't afford Monmouth (like my family).

Also..Shore people play good football and tend to like New Jersey... More likely to say yes to Rutgers.

 

[knightfan7]

He spent a year at Princeton, and has recruited NJ since. He knows NJ.
Sarcasm only works when it has a real base to it

Just for accuracy's sake it was 6 months in Princeton but point taken.

 

[brodo]

...
2. In New Jersey, it is not rude to interrupt someone. Chalk it up to enthusiasm and a need to be heard...

I've lived in Jersey for about 45 years and I still haven't mastered the art of the interruption. When most of my extended family is gathered, I probably talk much less than everyone else.

 

[coRycoRd]

About "down the shore".. If you end up living in Monmouth or Ocean County its called going to the beach as you are already "down the shore". With a job at Rutgers, Monmouth is much more workable than Ocean... Which is largely for people who couldn't afford Monmouth (like my family).

Also..Shore people play good football and tend to like New Jersey... More likely to say yes to Rutgers.

People live in Ocean county because they can't afford Monmouth? That is probably the dumbest thing I've heard. Some of the more wealthy people in the state live in Ocean county.

 

[rootgers2011]

-Don't order a cheese pizza, its a plain pizza

 

[RU-ROCS]

• do NOT try to pump your own gas...you can get in a lot of trouble for that
• Our band is not going to be quite as good as tOSU band (but don't get @AreYouNUTS started)
• "Have a good one" is the NJ way of saying, "thank you and have a good day"
• there are so many great restaurants you should never have to go to a chain restaurant. ever
  
• NJ people really are nice...you just have to dig down to find it

Love the restaurant point. It is so true and so unlike many other places in the U.S. Coach Ash should also note that many great restaurants in NJ are BYOB, which is nice too!

 

[knightfan7]

Bergen County's Blue Laws prohibit cow tipping between Midnight Saturday and Midnight Sunday.

 

[Degaz-RU]

A Fat Cat is not a large feline that roams around the neighborhood

 

[RUDave_01]

When driving on a highway, the left lane is meant for those who wish to drive faster than the speed limit and/or pass. Go an unacceptably slow speed at your own peril.

A lot of NJ produce is phenomenal (in addition to the corn)... tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, apples, eggplant, zucchini... the list goes on. There's a reason we're the Garden State.

There are three distinct regions to this state, though no one will agree where the borders actually lie. If you try to define them, this site will have a 3 page thread dedicated to correcting you.

If people don't interrupt, they might say something in the middle of someone's sentence... even if it is done to agree with the statement. We're not trying to be rude, we like to verbalize our thoughts.

People may not be as outwardly friendly as they are in the midwest (I personally found Ohio to have some of the friendliest strangers), but we're friendly once we get to know you.

 

[RUBound]

Since you received a free country club membership, join Plainfield CC and settle down near Scotch Plains area - close to Piscataway and everything else

 

[BigRnj]

Stay the hell out of the left lane on the highway if you drive slower than 80 mph

 

[BigRnj]

When some gives you directions they will tell you how long it takes to get there, not how far it is (you get the time not the distance)

 

[BigRnj]

... Oh yeah and we hate PSU even more than the folks at tOSU hate PSU

 

[mildone]

People here are much more friendly than you realize, they just have a gruff charm.

Bite me.

 

[mildone]

NJ people really are nice...you just have to dig down to find it

Bite me.

 

[Unionst]

-Don't order a cheese pizza, its a plain pizza

Correction: Plain pie. Are you new to the state?

 

[mildone]

5. People aren't necessarily more or less nice, but they are more likely to tell you how they feel. If you are not liked, you will know it, and if you are liked, you will also know it. Much less is said behind your back...it is all said to your face.

Bite me.

 

[rootgers2011]

Correction: Plain pie. Are you new to the state?

One plain pizza

Also, nobody puts ketchup on their hot dogs.