When you live in Massachusetts all your life (or even just for a while), you know that there are some things that you just don’t do. We have our own particular quirks and habits here that might seem odd to an outsider, but we’re proud of our traditions and peculiar ways. Here are 15 things that you’ll never see a Bay Stater do.

1. Referring to Boston as “Beantown.”
Flickr/Thomas Hawk
Only especially hokey tourists call our capital city that. Just saying.
2. Or calling the Cape “Cape Cod.”
Flickr/m01229
"Are you going to the Cape Cod?" is almost painful to hear. We say "on Cape" or "down Cape."
3. Talking in a Boston accent all the time.
Flickr/Nicholas Erwin
Most people here don’t talk like that, even though every movie set in this state refuses to acknowledge the fact.
4. Using a turn signal.
Flickr/Dirk Knight
Okay, okay we might if it’s a special occasion. Actually, Massachusetts has one of the lowest incidence of traffic accidents in the country, so we must be doing something right.
5. Letting the household Fluff run out.
Flickr/Andrew Malone
How would we make those delicious Fluffernutters without that godly spread?
6. Electing to drive back from the Cape on a Sunday afternoon, or towards the Cape on a Friday afternoon.
Flickr/C Hanchey
No one needs that kind of pain in their life. Natives know that it’s worth waiting a few hours, or leaving a few hours early, to avoid the traffic in the summer.
7. Putting away winter or summer clothes too soon.
Flickr/Constanza
You never know with this crazy New England weather. It could be raining in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, and hailing all evening.

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8. Not wearing green (or orange) on St. Patrick's Day.
Flickr/MOTT
Especially around Boston, this is one of the minor holidays that we make into a major holiday.
9. Picking Starbucks over Dunkin’ Donuts.
Flickr/snowpea&bokchoi
Many of us do have secret trysts with the green mermaid, but our hearts always belong to Dunks. And munchkins.
10. Not helping a neighbor.
Flickr/Arlington County
Communities can be really tight-knit here in the Bay State. We know that lending a helping hand will always be appreciated and reciprocated.
11. Asking for “chocolate sprinkles.”
Flickr/Nathan Siemers
Those are jimmies. Sprinkles are rainbow colored. "Chocolate sprinkles" is overly complicated.
12. Not taking advantage of our brief but glorious summer.
Flickr/lvv@ldzenl
In a land where winter reigns for most of the year, we take our beach days seriously.
13. Ordering a milkshake and expecting a frappe.
Flickr/new1improved
One has ice cream, one doesn’t. It’s a pretty important difference.
14. Asking if there are tomatoes in the clam chowder.
Flickr/Neil Conway
We know that kind of foolishness doesn’t happen around these parts.
15. Not defending the excellence of the Bay State.
Flickr/Werner Kunz
We’re a state full of amazing people, places and experiences. What’s not to love?

Sometimes, you might feel like living in Massachusetts should also come with its own dictionary. Check out these 14 words and phrases the people in this state just don’t understand.

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