What it was like to grow up in Iselin, NJ
You had to pretend you were from Edison since no one knows what Iselin is
Tucked away at the north end of Middlesex County is a small town called Iselin, home to many childhood memories and unforgettable adventures. No matter where you are now, if you grew up in Iselin, you’ll definitely be able to relate to these.
Pretending you’re from Edison
It only takes a few times of being asked where you’re from to realize that no one knows where Iselin is. After stammering for a while trying to explain Woodbridge Township to the outsider and still facing that blank expression of confusion, you bring up the fact that it’s right next to Edison. Usually, this Edison word finally strikes them as familiar. After a while of being away from home, you start to identify with Edison, as well as JP kids.
Learning to drive on Oak Tree Road
You’re definitely not from the area if you can’t identify with what this means right away. This refers to the section of Oak Tree Road in Iselin that’s consumed by the Patel Brothers, Urban Spice, and the crowd of all the other South Asian spots. This is the heart of Iselin, otherwise referred to as ‘India Square’, ‘India Town’, or ‘Little India’. What comes with this are, of course, the extreme driving skills and the crazy pedestrian habits. If you can drive on Oak Tree Road, you can drive anywhere.
Spending a lot of time at Merrill Park
From a young age, Merrill Park was the most exciting and most popular hangout spot. Especially popular in the summers, this spot thrives off of the Italian ice and cotton candy carts that would position themselves right in front of the wooden playground for hours on end. Growing up here means knowing what Merrill looked like before the renovation.
Knowing your neighbors
Not just your neighbors, but actually a majority of the people in the town. Compared to surrounding areas at least, Iselin is relatively small. Maybe it’s not small enough to know everyone in your town or their names, but when driving down Green Street, you definitely recognize the lady who rollerblades around town or the 60-year-old man who has always jogged around town all year round. Does he ever age?
Seeing your classmates everywhere at Rutgers
If you went to high school in Iselin, there’s a 50% chance you continued your education by going to Rutgers University. No wonder it’s impossible to avoid seeing JFK students everywhere you go – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Actually, it’s one of the best things. You always have a familiar face to turn to in the unfamiliar college environment.
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