Okay, so I'm going to delve into this Jersey Shore issue for a couple of minutes. I can't believe I haven't really gone on about it on here since I am A. not only from New Jersey but b. more specifically, i am from the Jersey Shore. Does anything on this blog or in my real life emulate anything shown on MTV's Jersey Shore or Real Housewives of NJ? No, right? Exactly. So let me get into it..(Warning this is going to be long and possibly offensive)First let me start off by saying that I love New Jersey so much. I will defend it til my dying day. I feel so lucky to have been born & raised here. Of course every teenager is 'over' where they live and want to explore and of course went through a bit of that when I was in high school, but I never once hated where I am from. For a tiny state, there is a lot going on here. We are extremely close to New York City, Philadelphia and about 4 hours from Boston. Being from the Northeast, there is a lot going on in this little corner of the country. A lot of exposure to different things. Some states have more going on than others and I would like to put NJ in that category.
There is a tiny tiny beach town called Seaside Heights which is located about 45 minutes from my house, and that is the backdrop for the lovely MTV hit show "Jersey Shore". Is that place really like that? Absolutely. Do people like the Jersey Shore cast congregate there? Fuck yes they do. Is the Jersey Shore like how they portray it on tv? Only in the summer, in the tourist areas, yes. Tourist areas would be Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant,Wildwood, Ocean City (never even been there) and even Long Beach Island which is where I have a beach house but that is much more family oriented and less trashy. The people that travel to the "SHO-A" (shore) are usually those from North Jersey, New York, PA, Connecticut, Delaware, etc. Jersey natives call these people "bennies", and they are extremely annoying mainly because of all the traffic they cause on the weekends going on the Garden State Parkway South.
At first I was pissed when I heard about the Jersey Shore show because I figured it would just portray my state like trash (again) and I'd have to defend it even more. For those of you who don't know, I spent two years at a college in Northeastern PA and never have I ever heard so many people trash New Jersey. Maybe it was because it was my first experience living out of state but I was literally shocked. The most shocking part was that I found myself in a deep depression in that environment because of how dirty, culture-less and miserable it was there. Those were things that everyone there accused NJ of being. Really, guys? If New Jersey was such a shit hole than how come I couldnt even stand to live in PA without wanting to cry? Re-think what you say.
This seems angry but it's not. It's just the truth. Are there shit holes & "guidos" in NJ? WOW yeah. They are pretty much all over the north-east. It's the stereotype and you know what, sometimes stereotypes are right (Am i being controversial with this statement?). They don't just create themselves. Are there fantastic things here? Absolutely. My final verdict on the Jersey Shore show is that I love it. It's honest and portrays a 'subculture' of humans that REALLY exist and they REALLY go to Seaside in the summer. They REALLY go to Club Karma (TRUST ME I HAVE BEEN THERE. I AM NOT KIDDING). And they REALLY love it. So, whatever, cool! They are enjoying themselves. No, I wouldnt do cartwheels without underwear like Snooki. No, I don't gel my hair & tan obsessively. But guess what? People do. And it rules. They would look at my lifestyle and be confused & weirded out by it just as much as I am with theirs. So let's just embrace it all. New Jersey has beautiful things to offer, and as it turns out, we have hilarious things (people) to offer also.
Something I can't embrace? People who are ignorant and make fun of something they know nothing about. So stop bein fuqqin jerk awfs. You dont know what you'ah tawkin about.
