By Lexi Lepold
When I transferred to the University of Vermont entering my sophomore year, I had anticipated that most people I would meet would be native Vermonters. While that assumption wasn’t entirely wrong, I did not expect to make so many connections that would lead back to my home state of New Jersey. This summer, I had the honor of interning with a really great, creative magazine. During my time there, I was asked to write a practice piece about anything I wished using their style of language. With that, my persuasion piece about New Jersey came to life.
This one is for all my Jersey natives, NJ lovers, and for all those at UVM and nationwide who underestimate the power and beauty that Jersey holds:
New Yorker’s love to claim New Jersey as the dirty neighbor with wanna-be city goers. From the birds-eye view of the Newark airport, Jersey is a factory land contributing to the world’s death sentence and smells like nothing but burning plastic. But, we need to step back and ask ourselves, is that really much worse than the subway? No matter the perspective some may have on New York’s neighbor, the most densely populated state tends to be a hub for connections that make people say, “What a small world!”
Some of the most renowned artists, musicians, athletes, and inventors were born and raised in, and by, New Jersey. From Springsteen (which Jersey natives simply refer to as “Bruce”), to Bon Jovi, to Travolta, to Sinatra, the state has produced some of the world’s most talented and acclaimed individuals. I mean, we’re talking Danny DeVito, Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Halsey, the Jonas Brothers… I could keep going, but I think you get the point.
It seems as though anyone living in the United States is either from New Jersey, knows someone from Jersey, or has a family member that lives in the state. Think about it… Yeah, exactly.
To add a little perspective to what it’s like to live in the state: Imagine you go to school with someone whose father is a famous rockstar and NJ native (hint, initials are JBJ) and your school sings Living on a Prayer at football games to get his father’s attention in the stands. Yes, this is a personal story, and I can absolutely confirm it has happened (on multiple occasions).
The airport perspective of New Jersey is almost as bad as the stereotypical view based on the reality TV show, Jersey Shore. Snooki and Pauly D aren’t even from New Jersey, to set the record straight. The state has much more to offer beyond the view from your aircraft window and MTV. Mountains. Beach. Farmland. City. You name it, Jersey has it. Blueberries. Corn. Tomatoes. It’s all Jersey fresh in the Garden State.
Consider Brooke Shield’s New Jersey Tourism advertisement from ’85, “It’s a place with parks, lakes and mountains, scenic beauty, history and a million acres of untouched wilderness…New Jersey and you, perfect together.”
Jersey Girls to Jersey Boys. On a sweatshirt purchased from a boardwalk in Ocean City or a Broadway musical, Jersey makes the world go round, whether you choose to believe it or not. While the debate on whether it’s called Taylor Ham or Pork Roll, or if central Jersey actually exists (it does, end of discussion) will probably continue until the end of time, the densely populated and diverse state has much more to offer than you could ever imagine.
Edited by Emma Accardi