Yes, it's true, I live in New Jersey
Cue the stereotypes, please.
New Jersey is a much-maligned place, the armpit of America, the trash pit of New York City, home of mobsters, unbearably trashy Jersey girls, beaches (nice, but unglamorous compared to places like Miami, CA), millions of highways, and endless suburbia. Even when it is 40 miles away from my parents' house (it's not my house anymore!), Highland Park, Edison, and the surrounding area is decidedly different. Some of those stereotypes are true. This area is endless suburbia, except without much green space at all save a few small surrounding parks. Having driven around Edison, Highland Park, and New Brunswick the last week or so, I know the locations of two Pathmarks, countless Stop and Shops, an A&P, a Shoprite, three large Chinese supermarkets, a Costco, several kosher bakeries, a BJs, two Targets, two malls (one with a Cheesecake Factory!), many drugstores, the 5 or so cleaners that are just in Highland Park, a DMV, and four train stations (New Brunswick, Edison, Metuchen, and Metropark). I know what exits I live at too, because I live at the intersection of about four major roads that are within 10 miles of my apartment:
NJ Turnpike: Exit 9 (Rt. 1/18) East Brunswick, Exit 10 (Rt. 287/440) Edison
Garden State Parkway: Exit 127 (Rt. 287/440)
Route 1: Route 18 and Route 514. Not limited access per se , but any place you get on or off the road here uses an exit lane.
Route 287: Exit 1 A/B (Rt. 1, Rt. 531)
Did I mention the Garden State Parkway is the most heavily traveled road in the U.S. and that I constantly forget that it requires exact change for all of its tolls?
I haven't seen too many trashy Jersey girls yet, but that's probably because I haven't been out too much, though at the mini-beach by the lake in Cheesequake Park, I heard the most horrendous Jersey accents from grumpy, grown-up, Jersey Girl mothers.
There are advantages to living here though, despite the fear of rent going up even more, car insurance getting more expensive, high taxes, and a serious lack of open space. Gas prices are relatively low. $3.83 is the going rate on Route 1 in Edison. There are endless places to get groceries. If I'm out, I never have to go out of my way to pick up some food. I even live next to a Stop and Shop. I live close to many places. New York (and by New York, I mean Manhattan like all New Yorkers) is one hour away on the train and Brooklyn is one hour away too by car. My parents' house is one hour away and Philadelphia is probably an hour and a half. I can get to many points between Boston and Washington quite easily on frequent trains. Many beaches are less than 40 miles away. I can't count how many ethnic food restaurants there are in the area (Chinese, Thai, Indian, etc.), but you can get a sense when I tell you the population in Edison is >25% Indian. Bars that I can walk to are about 15 minutes away, and I can buy liquor at Costco and the Rite Aid that is 200 ft away.
I'm not sure that New Jersey will ever feel quite like home and that I'll ever turn into a Jersey girl (I can still get picked up, right?). I have no intention of staying here permanently, and from what I can see of my coworkers during interviews, it's a pretty normal feeling; many of them live in PA (Bucks County, no less). But for now, it's a good place to start because there are so many options in the area.
Oh yeah, I start work Monday.
New Jersey is a much-maligned place, the armpit of America, the trash pit of New York City, home of mobsters, unbearably trashy Jersey girls, beaches (nice, but unglamorous compared to places like Miami, CA), millions of highways, and endless suburbia. Even when it is 40 miles away from my parents' house (it's not my house anymore!), Highland Park, Edison, and the surrounding area is decidedly different. Some of those stereotypes are true. This area is endless suburbia, except without much green space at all save a few small surrounding parks. Having driven around Edison, Highland Park, and New Brunswick the last week or so, I know the locations of two Pathmarks, countless Stop and Shops, an A&P, a Shoprite, three large Chinese supermarkets, a Costco, several kosher bakeries, a BJs, two Targets, two malls (one with a Cheesecake Factory!), many drugstores, the 5 or so cleaners that are just in Highland Park, a DMV, and four train stations (New Brunswick, Edison, Metuchen, and Metropark). I know what exits I live at too, because I live at the intersection of about four major roads that are within 10 miles of my apartment:
NJ Turnpike: Exit 9 (Rt. 1/18) East Brunswick, Exit 10 (Rt. 287/440) Edison
Garden State Parkway: Exit 127 (Rt. 287/440)
Route 1: Route 18 and Route 514. Not limited access per se , but any place you get on or off the road here uses an exit lane.
Route 287: Exit 1 A/B (Rt. 1, Rt. 531)
Did I mention the Garden State Parkway is the most heavily traveled road in the U.S. and that I constantly forget that it requires exact change for all of its tolls?
I haven't seen too many trashy Jersey girls yet, but that's probably because I haven't been out too much, though at the mini-beach by the lake in Cheesequake Park, I heard the most horrendous Jersey accents from grumpy, grown-up, Jersey Girl mothers.
There are advantages to living here though, despite the fear of rent going up even more, car insurance getting more expensive, high taxes, and a serious lack of open space. Gas prices are relatively low. $3.83 is the going rate on Route 1 in Edison. There are endless places to get groceries. If I'm out, I never have to go out of my way to pick up some food. I even live next to a Stop and Shop. I live close to many places. New York (and by New York, I mean Manhattan like all New Yorkers) is one hour away on the train and Brooklyn is one hour away too by car. My parents' house is one hour away and Philadelphia is probably an hour and a half. I can get to many points between Boston and Washington quite easily on frequent trains. Many beaches are less than 40 miles away. I can't count how many ethnic food restaurants there are in the area (Chinese, Thai, Indian, etc.), but you can get a sense when I tell you the population in Edison is >25% Indian. Bars that I can walk to are about 15 minutes away, and I can buy liquor at Costco and the Rite Aid that is 200 ft away.
I'm not sure that New Jersey will ever feel quite like home and that I'll ever turn into a Jersey girl (I can still get picked up, right?). I have no intention of staying here permanently, and from what I can see of my coworkers during interviews, it's a pretty normal feeling; many of them live in PA (Bucks County, no less). But for now, it's a good place to start because there are so many options in the area.
Oh yeah, I start work Monday.