It’s no secret that Philadelphians have ties to the city that run deep and a love for the place that only fellow locals can understand. Thus, leaving Philly has its consequences — it’s a unique culture. If you have lived there all your life and decide to move away, you’ll be in for a big dose of culture shock. Here are 10 things that will happen if you leave Philadelphia.
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The 10 Things That Happen When You Leave Philadelphia
1. When you say “youse” people will stare at you.
Better yet, say “youse guys” and see what happens. Everyone inside a 50-mile radius of Philly will understand you; everyone outside that boundary will take a second and stare blankly. In my experience, ignore the confused response and continue talking in your own dialect. It’s charming, right?
2. People ask you to talk s-l-o-w-e-r.
That mile a minute pace is woven throughout the fiber of your being. Your new friends and colleagues better pay attention and keep up because there is no unraveling that thread!
3. The quest for a real cheesesteak comes up empty.
The phrase “fake it til’ you make it” doesn’t work with this one. Nowhere — and I mean nowhere — gets the true Philly flavor down. There’s no better reason to head back to the City of Brotherly Love than to savor that true cheesesteak taste again.
4. No one tells it like it is.
It’s almost as though others are speaking in code, and they’re shocked by a true Philadelphia native’s brutal honesty. There’s no beating around the bush, but a bit of sugar coating may be necessary for survival…especially if you end up in the South.
5. Professional sports just aren’t the same.
It’s no secret that Philly has it all — football, basketball, baseball, and hockey — and eastern PA folks grew up getting their fill. When you leave, sports teams are no longer at your fingertips, and the chances of living near a pro hockey team are slim to none.
6. Getting around isn’t as easy.
Admit it, we Philadelphians are super spoiled when it comes to travel. With SEPTA, Amtrak, Greyhound, and an international airport at our fingertips, getting anywhere in the city — or the world — is pretty much a breeze compared to other places. You’ll need to get good at strategizing.
7. Parking tickets are a thing of the past.
Center City folks know what it’s like to break a sweat — even in the dead of winter — when it comes to parking. If you relocate to most other cities in the US, worrying about where your car is and how long it spends in that spot will no longer be punishable by a small fortune that you need to take a mortgage out to cover.
8. Snow becomes a reason to panic.
Long gone are the days where snow was no big deal. A dusting? No problem. Two feet? No problem. Move away from the city and people buy bread and milk as though it’s the apocalypse. And don’t even get me started on school closings…
9. You defend your sports fans.
Word on the street is that Eagles fans are crazy. Wait…what? No matter what anyone says, Philly’s finest sports team — and their fans — can still do no wrong. The upside? Take comfort in the fact that everyone outside of Philly pretty much hates the Cowboys just as much as you do.
10. Other Philadelphians become family.
When you hear someone is from PA, you quickly narrow down where exactly they’re from and who they know. If they say Pittsburg or Scranton, you know they don’t get it, but when they say “Philly” it’s as though you’ve just reunited with your long lost best friend, and youse guys are sure to have a great time reminiscing about home. 