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10 Things People Get Wrong About Philadelphians

Philadelphia
by Alicia Raeburn Apr 15, 2019

There are many stereotypes about Philadephians going around, some which can be unnervingly accurate. Yes, we are weirdly aggressive about sports teams, but we are not all that we are made out to be. Here are 10 things people get wrong about Philadelphians.

1. We don’t take kindly to strangers.

Philadelphians are friendly and fun to be around. Just don’t say anything stupid about sports and we won’t act like the jerks that you think we are.

2. All we do is drink beer on our off time.

We also love our whiskey, and, if we’re feeling fancy, our craft cocktails.

3. We love eating cheesesteaks.

We do, but it’s not an everyday hoagie. We mostly eat cheesesteaks as a hangover cure and whenever we have out-of-towners visiting.

4. We’re concerned about your opinion.

We’re not as harsh as people give us credit for. However, don’t mistake that for us caring if you have a negative opinion about our city.

5. We’re a small city.

We’re the fifth largest city in the country. There are 1.5 million people living here, many colleges and universities — including an Ivy League one — and some of the top medical research facilities in the states. Part of our charm is our small city feel, but we’re not small city folk.

6. We can’t wait to get out of the city.

We like living here. This isn’t a temporary placeholder for most of us, it’s our home and we’re not going anywhere.

7. We’re a bike-friendly city.

Sure, we have some bike lanes and a lot of people ride their bikes here, but it’s no Amsterdam.

8. We’re not cultured.

We may talk different and act slightly outrageous at times, but don’t let that fool you. We can break down our art museum with the best of them, have the country’s oldest theatre, and house a world-renowned symphony. Also, we dare you to find us one Philly resident who isn’t knowledgeable about American history as it relates to Philadelphia.

9. We don’t get out much.

Yes, we do go places other than the Jersey Shore. Philadelphia has a busy international airport for a reason.

10. We hate New Jersey.

This isn’t really possible considering that half of us are from Jersey originally. It’s a love-hate relationship between the two states, but mostly love.

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