Posted in New York
December 22, 2017
14 Undeniable Things Every True New Yorker Has Done At Least Once
Whether you’ve lived here for 5 years or have lived here since you were 5 years old, there are certain things that we New Yorkers find ourselves doing collectively as residents of the same state. Instead of fighting the fact that you’ll always have the Empire State in your heart, try embracing home and see how many of the things on this list you’ve found yourself doing at least once!
If there's one thing that we can all agree on, it's that we'll never all agree on where on earth Upstate New York is. While to some this may seem like an easy question, but realistically this is a debate between the upper and lower halves of our state that will simply go on forever and always.
Whether you've gone full-blown tailgating or have simply cheered from the stands, all of us have attended some New York sporting event and rooted for us at least once. From basketball and football to soccer and hockey, you most likely have at least one New York team's merchandise somewhere in your closet.
We're a quirky bunch and our roadside attractions get to showcase our more silly side as New Yorkers. Whether you find yourself driving by a statue of a large duck on the side of the road or happen to see a Shark Girl hanging out by the water, some of our attractions need a little bit of explaining.
There are plenty of state parks in New York that the majority of us have taken the time to explore at least once, but one epic destination in our state that nearly all of us can say that we've visited is the Watkins Glen State Park. The unforgettable hiking trail is 2-miles long and features nearly twenty waterfalls, making it one popular place to visit.
For the sad souls who aren't from New York and aren't familiar with the history of CorningWare, the famous cookware originated in the city of Corning out along our Southern Tier.
Even those of us who don't live in one of New York's riveting cities and are out in the suburbs still find ourselves craving more peace and quiet out amongst the mountains! Taking a weekend away or planning an epic long summer vacation in one of New York's mountain ranges will do your soul good.
Dreamed being the key word, it's hard for most people today to actually imagine moving away to the mountains and unplugging themselves. After spending some time up in the Adirondacks or down in the Catskills, it's normal for you to feel like you truly don't want to head back home.
The iconic green can that makes the eyes of any New Yorker light up, you can't go wrong with grabbing a Genesee Cream Ale. The delicious drink is something our residents, specifically those out in Western New York and the Finger Lakes, have been drinking for ages and we never grow tired of it!
Not just every state gets to say that they have a Great Lake in their backyard! Another set of natural wonders that we get to share claim over, you can't go wrong with visiting either Lake Ontario or Lake Erie. Our Western New Yorkers are spoiled to have these bodies of water within arm's reach.
It's hard to get New Yorkers to come to an agreeance when you ask them to pick just one favorite Finger Lake. With that said, it's nearly impossible that as a New York resident you haven't visited at least one of our beautiful Finger Lakes.
There are a lot of New Yorkers who chose to live in Upstate because they enjoy a more rural and secluded lifestyle that doesn't come with the chaos that New York City contains. But that doesn't mean that most of us haven't at least taken a look around the Big Apple at least once, even if it wasn't our cup of tea!
Just once... once I would enjoy telling someone I'm from New York and have them reply with "Oh, Upstate?" I would almost certainly cry tears of joy after hearing such a different response from the usual "Oh, New York City?!"
No matter how hard we try, sometimes by the unfortunate grace of the universe we end up driving directly through an enormous pothole. The mistake is one that will instantly fill you with emotions that resemble being upset and uncomfortable, afterwards simply leaving you with hope that you'll never have to go through that experience ever again.
If for some reason you dare to see if the grass is greener on the other side and you leave home, you'll always come back. Once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker!
Is there anything else that you would add to this list? Tell us in the comments and let us know how many of these things you’ve done at least once as a New Yorker!
