Despite being born in New York and living there for the first couple years of my life, I am forever indebted to my parents for making the unparalleled decision of moving our family to the wonderful Garden State – New Jersey. New Jersey was recently ranked as the fourth safest state in the nation with the second best school system. Without further ado, I present to you my top three personal reasons why New Jersey is the best state in our nation.
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Endless diner food, pizza, and bagels.
Craving a late-night snack? Every Jersey town has got you covered with a handful of diners to choose from. Order disco fries at one diner and get a chicken parmesan sandwich at another. Now if you’re craving pizza, take your pick because there’s a pizza place on every other corner ready to serve up a crispy slice with oozing cheese. As every true New Jerseyan knows, where there is a pizza place there is also a bagel shop that serves delectable Taylor ham, egg and cheese bagels. It’s basic Jersey logic.
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The best of both worlds.
A typical New Jersey double life isn’t quite like being Miley Stewart by day and Hannah Montana by night. However, it does allow you to experience very contrasting, but all equally exciting attractions in the same day. One of my favorite parts of growing up in northern New Jersey was having New York City in my backyard. The quick drive to Manhattan calls for endless city adventures in the Big Apple. On the other hand, the Jersey Shore is only a couple exits away, so I can easily enjoy the Atlantic Ocean waves or a stroll down the Seaside Heights Boardwalk whenever my heart desires. Even if I am in the mood to hike, there are mountains with scenic views nearby. That’s the beauty of living in New Jersey. You can get from any point to another in 20 minutes or less but only with proper Jersey driving skills, of course.
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We don’t pump our own gas.
It’s a cold, December night and you’re pushing a light 90 mph through a thunderstorm in the left lane of the New Jersey Turnpike. Your radio is blasting the iconic Jersey rock band, Bon Jovi, when suddenly your gas light turns on and now you’re really “livin’ on a prayer.” If this was any of the other 49 states, you would have quite the problem of having to pull over at a gas station, getting soaked in the rain and potentially getting sick from the cold temperatures. Thankfully, you’re not in any of the other 49 states and you can keep jamming out in your cozy car while your gas gets pumped for you!
Side Note: Shout out to my dad for teaching me how to pump gas for when we go on road trips and don’t have that Jersey luxury with us. Thanks Dad!
Besides that, Jersey is home to so many incredible things:
- The coolest MTV Show – Jersey Shore (Vinny, you were always my favorite)
- An unmatched, classic Mafia thriller – The Sopranos
- Batman – Gotham City may be a fictional place but it is portrayed as being in New Jersey, therefore, your favorite superhero is a one-of-a-kind Jersey boy!
In 2019, WalletHub conducted a study ranking the best states to live in with New Jersey landing in fourth place. Do I think WalletHub did Jersey justice? Absolutely not. Would I rank New Jersey in first place? Duh. Without a doubt, growing up in New Jersey is an experience that every Jersey native can take pride in.
Cue the Jersey club music and let’s celebrate the Garden State! With love, your Jersey girl is signing off until next week! HCXO