Life
Things Massachusetts Girls Understand
If you're a Massachusetts resident like I am, then you're proud to call this small New England state your home. You love it for its rich history, its incredible food and culture, and its unique charm. But no matter how hard you try and explain it to people from anywhere else in the country, there are just certain things that only true Massachusetts girls understand and love about their home.
Whether you're from the great city of Boston or the tip of Cape Cod, the Hill Towns in the western part of the state or along the banks of the Charles River, as a Massachusetts girl, you've been born and raised with that water in your blood. You take pride in being from a place that can claim to be the birthplace of not only the American Revolution, but of the chocolate chip cookie, too. You love to boast about all the accomplishments of Massachusetts, including its constant contributions to science, technology, and art. You know Massachusetts is one of the smallest states in the country, but you also know that it's got one of the biggest hearts, and you wouldn't trade in the cobblestone streets of Boston for the bright lights of a bigger city for anything.
Here are all of the best things about being from the Bay State, because nothing beats being from Massachusetts.
This post is sponsored by Nordstrom Rack. The new Nordstrom Rack opens on September 30th at The Marketplace at Braintree. Get details here!
1. Words Like "Bae" Come And Go, But "Wicked" Never Leaves
Squad, bae, fleek — slang words come and go, but one has always stayed the same: wicked. Whether you're using it as a compliment, an aggressive adverb, or an expletive, wicked always has been, and always will be, the perfect word. Take that, "hella."
2. Tomatoes Have No Place In Clam Chowder
From fish and chips to Boston cream pie to Fenway franks, Massachusetts girls know a thing or two about good food. One thing all Massachusetts girls understand, though: there is no room for tomatoes in clam chowder. A true clam chowder (a.k.a. Boston clam chowder) is white, creamy, and loaded with potatoes. Do you need anything else?
3. You Always Make Sure To Bring An Extra Sweater...
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... and a raincoat, winter boots, a swimsuit, and some shorts. The weather in New England is unpredictable, but girls from Massachusetts know how to prepare for anything. Whether you're going on a summer date or a winter outing with friends, you always have back-up outfits stowed away in your purse.
4. Sports Jerseys Are More Than Just A Fashion Statement To You
Sure, sports jerseys are comfortable, but that isn't why girls from Massachusetts wear them. Baseball tees, hockey jerseys, football branded scarves — these aren't just articles of clothing, but pieces of pride and memorabilia. As a Massachusetts resident, you not only wear your heart on your sleeve, but your die-hard loyalty to your incredible sports teams.
5. And Iced Coffee Is More Than Just A Summer Beverage
It may be negative degrees outside in the winter, but nothing goes better with wind chill than a freezing cold iced coffee. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, iced coffee is the only coffee Massachusetts girls on the go need to get them through the day.
6. Snow Boots Are As Important To Your Wardrobe As Your Favorite Heels
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A favorite in every Massachusetts girl's closet isn't just her little black dress or her "goes with everything" pair of heels, but her snow boots. From September to April, those boots go wherever a Massachusetts girl goes, because she will never (and I mean never) know when she will need them.
7. You Know What A "Packie" Is
In Massachusetts, you may not be able to buy alcohol at most grocery stores, mini marts, or corner stores, but there's an abundance of "packies." That's right, packie, a.k.a. package store, a.k.a. liquor store — but if a Massachusetts girl had to explain that to you, then you don't deserve a cold beer.
8. Boston Isn't A City, It's The City
Massachusetts is a small state full of many wonders, but the most wonderful of all? Boston, the best city on earth. It has the nation's first public school, first public library, and the site of the first subway in the country. Boston also has the best sports teams, the greatest food, and the most beautiful ballpark on earth. Need I go on?
9. Parallel Parking Is Nothing Compared To Navigating Rotaries
Drivers everywhere loathe the idea of cramming their cars into a parallel parking space, but that's nothing compared to the rotaries of Massachusetts. From the tip of Cape Cod to the Mohawk Trail, rotaries are everywhere, but Massachusetts girls know how to handle them, iced coffee in hand and all.
10. Patience Is Key
We blame the traffic on "the pike" to decades of terrible sports performances. But Massachusetts girls know a thing or two about patience. You know that it is more important than polite small talk, than calm, collective driving, or using the letter "r" in your sentences. Patience is gold to Massachusetts girls, and we are rich with it.
11. Running Shoes Aren't Just For Comfort
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In Massachusetts, girls don't just own sneakers for comfort. They own them for hiking the mountains of Western Massachusetts, for walking the Rail Trail of Cape Cod, and, of course, for running across the finish line at the Boston Marathon. Bay State girls understand how important good shoes are. Especially sneakers.
