By going to a college a bit down state from my home, I run into many Long Islanders. Until I came here for college I did not realize the difference between up state people and down state individuals.
The habits and tendencies realm so far apart from each other it sometimes seems as though there are two different species in New York. Yes there are some similarities but the differences are overwhelming when put into perspective.
Within the first week I was in Cortland, everyone or at least it seemed like everyone from Long Island was either looking for someone who cut hair or cut hair themselves. The words "taper" and "shape-up" were being used frequently. Had I not asked my friend from the island what these words meant I would have thought they were some sort of island slang. Little did I know they were hair cut terms. We continued in conversation and apparently down state individuals take getting their hair cut very seriously. Little did I know that the kid had his own barber. Where I am from everyone goes to the local hair cut shops, pays five dollars and gets a shave. It seems like up state kids care much less about the hair styles than people from the island. This is not the only difference. I will often times catch myself hearing a couple students from the island say "open the draw", forgetting to say the "R". It is a bit funny and makes an up state kid like me giggle at the differences. Although they are minor they are sometimes funny to compare.
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There are so many people from Long Island here at Cortland. I never noticed the seriousness of the hair cut thing, but when I think about it you're right. I'm not from Long Island but I often make the mistake of saying "draw" instead of "drawer". Everyone always makes fun of me for it, and I'm sure it sounds funny but I think it sounds so weird to add the "er".
ReplyDeleteShape ups and tapers seem to be the only two hair style on Long Island. I have noticed many of the things you have pointed out. I live near Syracuse, and I have a barber that I go to all the time, but I am no way near as bad as kids from the Island. I hate the thick accents that they have, especially with the word drawer. There are too many differences between upstate and downstate. I really don't have anything against them, many of my friends are from Long Island and we always make fun of eachother for how we talk differently. I hate the douche bags that get really offended by harmless jokes involved around accents and stuff though.
ReplyDeleteBoth of my roommates are from Long Island, and before college I have never met someone from there before because I live way up by Plattsburgh. I find that you can't not compare things because you're right, it's like two different species. I don't know if all of them are like this, but my roommates are so set in their ways, and everything I do is wrong apparently. They complain about upstate all the time, and Cortland really isn't upstate at all, it central. I understand that we are different but I don't think either one of us is wrong in the way we do things. It's just what we're used to.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that makes me laugh is when Long Islander's say "axe" instead of "ask." They are two similar words, but they have very different meanings! I know not all Long Islander's do this, but it is funny to hear.
ReplyDeleteWell im not from the island neceassrily im from the Bronx and I find that upstate people are really different as well. I actually like the fact that people come from different backgrounds you learn different tendecies and yet add a bit of amusement as well. I hae noticed there are a lot of people from the island as well, its pretty cool though makes me feel like im back at home
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