Upstate New York vs. New York City Stereotypes

When I moved to the Binghamton area 5 years ago, I expected what I experienced 'downstate'. Boy, did I get a shock! The differences between Upstate and 'the City' are vast, and now that I've been here a while, sometimes what others attach to Upstate New York is offensive.

Here are some observations, some lighthearted and some serious, about the great state of New York.

1. NO New York State is NOT New York City! We have grass and cows. Hell, we make yogurt up here on real farms.

2. No one outside of 'the City' area talks like that, unless they moved.

3. "If you have it, they'll tax it and if it's fun they'll tax it until it's not fun anymore".

4. We Upstaters will help you when you're lost. Don't expect that in 'the City'.

5. Upstaters are brilliant at concocting new foods. Spiedies are not foreign, they are ours baby!

6. Our culture involves being outdoors and hometown celebrations, not being sucked into gridlock just to see a show. Oh, we have shows up here too!

7. New Yorkers will go off on you at the drop of a hat, but it takes two for Upstaters. To calm us down, just talk SUNY and Buffalo wings!

8. Upstaters aren't as into the baseball civil war. Yankees, Mets, yawn, whatever.  Now football...that's a different story.

9. There are only two seasons in Upstate: Spring and Winter. Deal with it!

10. It's all about the school you went to. CF or CV?

What did I miss?