Defending my Jersey Shore

The nation has recently been swept by an entertaining, yet stereotypical, presentation of those who live on the Jersey Shore. The TV show, “Jersey Shore”, aired on MTV in 2009, automatically grabbing my attention from the simple usage of the word Jersey. I have always considered myself a Jersey girl since I was born in the Eastern state, and I was eager to watch the show and see how where I was from was represented. After watching an episode, many questions ran through my mind. Did people stereotype everyone from Jersey as a “Guido” or “Guidette” now? Would I have turned out more like the people on the show if I grew up there? Do people have any other understanding of New Jersey and those who live there? A mix of emotions overcame me. I was proud to be from New Jersey, yet I was frustrated and saddened by the misunderstanding people had of this wonderful state and what it’s people and land had to offer.

I am not bashing the cast of “Jersey Shore”, but I do not want our entire country to think of them as a representation of New Jersey either. I will not deny that many young people from Jersey like to party, be stubborn, start fights, and live by the newly dubbed phrase, “G.T.L.” (Gym. Tanning. Laundry.). However, there are other demographics in the state, and I think my negative views of the show were due to their absence. Maybe if I shared my life lived on the Jersey Shore, others can expand their knowledge and views of the Jersey Shore.

I was born in Vorhees, a city located in the south of New Jersey. I lived in the neighboring town of Medford Lakes for the first five years of my life. I don’t remember much from my East Coast residence; However, the memories I do have captured are vivid, meaningful, and comforting.

My first memories of Jersey are of the canoe festivals that were held on the oceanfront. Each canoe was privately owned by neighbors, each decorated pertaining to a theme. Flowers, streamers, and lights galore draped over these small, simple boats. The flowers looked so elegant with their reflections swaying back and forth over the moonlit water. The streamers and other basic decorations gave a sense of celebration, comforting in a way. The lights were my favorite though. Their reflections joined the flowers in the water, outshining them with brilliant twinkling gleams. As a child, I was obviously amazed. Such a quaint tradition the canoe festivals were, and that is what I loved about them. The strange comfort, unity of a neighborhood. I felt home.

Another memory I hold is of my father taking me to different parts of town. I’m pretty sure I labeled our day to day activities as adventures, pretending to explore and learn as much as I could. I lived in a fantasy world. For example, the golf course we lived on was like a never-ending forest to me. The deer, frogs, and other amazing creatures added to the magical sense. Walking in the forest with Daddy was indeed an adventure. The adventure was as exciting as the ones you saw children imagining in movies. I was thankful for that, to have my life seem so special and unique. These journeys with my father highlighted the beauty of New Jersey’s nature and wildlife.

Lastly, I remember the friendliness of neighbors. Everyone seemed so close there. The kind of small town behavior where everyone felt like family. You could trust and count on everyone, which is extremely rare. Who knows, maybe I was being a naïve child, but this felt to be true and real. The genuine relationships seemed typical, but they were also real.

So as you can see, the Jersey Shore does not only present those of Italian descent that live day to day by the infamous “G.T.L.” (Gym. Tanning. Laundry.) and refer to themselves as Guidos and Guidettes. New Jersey offers numerous small towns with traditions, history, and families. Although I have not been back to my hometown in five years now, I will defend it forever, with my memories of my childhood, family, and adventures intact. “Jersey Shore” on MTV will continue to entertain me, but I will never allow it to interfere will those fond memories of mine, of my Jersey Shore. I hope others can see my home a little differently after reading this as well. For what is personally close to my heart, I wanted to share with the nation. The Jersey Shore actually does hold an incredible presence other than the party atmosphere.