Everything you understand if you grew up in Flemington, NJ

We might be small, but we have heart. Here’s everything you only understand if you’re from Flemington, New Jersey.

Not knowing how to answer the question, ‘Where are you from?’ when people outside of New Jersey ask

This is mostly because Flemington, New Jersey is meaningless to anyone that doesn’t live there. Usually I’ll just stick to a simple, “Oh, just a small town in central Jersey,” and hope the person doesn’t ask any more questions. But occasionally I’ll go a little bit further and say, “Flemington, NJ…you know, like, where the Lindbergh Trial was.”

And when no one knows the historical context of the Lindbergh Trial I resort to, “I’m about 30 minutes out from Princeton.” No words could ever completely capture the complexity of the small town of Flemington, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.

My wedding will probably be catered by my favorite restaurants in Flemington

The restaurants around town are one of the top things you’ll miss at college, right after your dogs and right before showering with no shoes on. For starters, the fries at Blue Fish Grill and the mac and cheese at The Grill Shack. That mac and cheese, so creamy and cheesy that it gives Panera a run for its money – and that’s saying something. Of course, there’s also more on the go options like Lisa’s Deli, Wawa, and your choice of various bagel shops.

No, we aren’t like the characters from Jersey Shore

In Flemington you can see two grown women get in a screaming match over a parking spot outside of Shop Rite but you’ll also see those same women volunteering at community events. The people in Flemington come in all forms but are united by the sense of unity in a town so small. We also have a high school so big, it’s almost impossible to go to college without a fellow HCRHS alumnus. You may think that’s a bad thing but having someone that understands where you came from makes it comforting to make the transition, I swear.

We’re a small town within distance from the bigger city feeling

You want to walk around and visit thrift shops or boutiques? Drive 30 minutes to New Hope or Princeton. You want to go to a concert of football game? Drive a little over an hour to Philly or New York City or East Rutherford. And of course, if you’re yearning for the sea, have your pick of Jersey beaches. Seaside, Point Pleasant, Cape May, or LBI are all within reasonable driving distance.

Prom weekend was a defining moment in your life

“Prom weekend” is a phrase you only understand if you’re from Jersey. Nothing is more exciting, and stressful, than planning for a three day getaway with all of your closest friends. Those friends will be the ones you look forward to coming home to and miss when you’re gone. It’ll be something you talk about to your friends in college though they won’t understand, and it’ll be something you tell your kids eventually to prove to them that you used to be cool. Relish in the weekend while it lasts, and try to remember it as best you can.

You love to hate Flemington and hate to love it (Really you just love it, though)

Once you leave you’ll regret all of those times you talked about how you couldn’t wait to leave. Yeah, there’s not much to do in the 908 but some of your fondest memories were made in your friends’ basements on weekends or at home football games or walking on Main Street to find the right place to get lunch.

The slow paced feel of the New Jersey suburbs is something unmatched and taken for granted much too often. Nothing will ever feel the same when you leave Flemington for an extended period and come back to it. You will see your beloved hometown through a brand new lens, but that’s OK because it will always welcome you back with open arms.

908 Forever.