Web Extra
Ok, I get it. People at GW do not like New Jersey. They say it is dirty, that it smells or both. I would not want to go swimming in Atlantic City either. And yes, in the north the turnpike does go right by an oil refinery, but contrary to popular belief that is not the end of New Jersey. In fact, the constant bashing of New Jersey may just stem from a jealousy in the other 49 states over just how great of a state it is.
According to the GW Office of Institutional Research, 1,144 undergrads from New Jersey were enrolled at GW to start the 2007-08 school year. That number puts us behind only New York at GW. Our large numbers are sure to draw attention to our great state and us. As a result, the jealousy of others only increases.
We’ve got the Jersey Shore, 127 miles of beaches from Sandy Hook to Cape May. The shore draws people from around the world who are looking for a relaxing summer day on the beach. Atlantic City adds nightlife and gambling year round. It’s not Vegas, but it’s the best combination of the two you will find on the East Coast. The Jersey Shore is also where rock great Bruce Springsteen got his start.
Not a beach person? We are near two great cities, New York and Philadelphia, and a short drive from Baltimore, D.C. and Boston. Except for the last one, you can make a day trip out of a visit to any of those cities from New Jersey. People travel from around the world and around the country every year to check out things that are easily accessible from New Jersey daily.
Being right between Philadelphia and New York also means that the food is great. The pizza and cheese steaks are top notch, and you can always find good Italian food. Let’s not forget hoagies and how delis just aren’t the same elsewhere. Finally, if it’s 3:00 a.m. and you are hungry, well then you are in luck if you’re in Jersey. We have 24-hour diners serving up great meals all night long.
And sure, we may not be allowed to legally pump our own gas, but who really wants to get out of their car when it’s freezing outside? We still have some of the cheapest gas prices in the country. On Monday, New Jersey was listed as the third lowest in the nation on GasBuddy.com. We came in at $1.768, much lower than the national average of $1.931.
As for some other statistics, according to the Census Bureau, New Jersey ranks fifth amongst states in bachelor’s degrees at just over 35 percent of its adult population. It is second in personal income per capita, behind only Connecticut. And Jersey has the eighth highest state GDP in the nation. We certainly hold our own as a state.
Hopefully now all of those GW students not from New Jersey can better realize how great our state is. We enjoy many great things because of our location and culture and we don’t have the constant threats of hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados or blizzards that other parts of the country must endure. So if the jokes continue I will know that they are only expressing a jealousy at having not been born in New Jersey. If not, then the derogatory remarks are probably just referring to North Jersey.
The writer, a senior majoring in international affairs, is a Hatchet columnist.
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