Whether you stayed instate for college or moved somewhere vastly different, if you're lucky enough to be moving to Boston after college for the first time, you are in for a new and exciting experience. Boston is as unique as a city could be and no matter what you've heard you are in for great time. If you are new to Boston, here are the things you need to know:
1. Boston Fanhood
With 9 World Series wins, 17 NBA Championships, 6 Stanley Cups, and 4 Lombardi tropies and no one can argue against Boston being one of the greatest sports cities in America. The fans are passionate and will make sure you know they aren't fairweather fans (despite all the fairweather). Don't wear your Yankees jersey to a Sox game, a Lakers jersey to a Celts game, a Habs jersey to a Bruins game, or a Jets jersey to a Pats game if you can't handle the heat. Still, with 18% of major championships since 2004, it's easy to share excitement when a Boston team is doing well. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can take part in the fun of a playoff run.
2. The Bahston Accent is Real
Why don't ya just pahk yah cah in havahd yahd? To those moving to Boston, it may sound like a completely different language. R's are rarely pronounced. It may take a couple of months to get an ear for it, but before long you'll even catch yourself saying, "wicked smaht".
3. Dunkin Donuts > Starbucks
Boston runs on Dunkin. It makes sense, since the original Dunkin Donut Shop was built in Quincy, MA, and the company headquarters are located in Canton, MA. In the greater Boston area, Dunkin Donuts outnumbered Starbucks 10 to 1. Time to trade in your Pumpkin Spiced Salted Caramel Lattee Extra Hot with No Foam for a Dunkin Coffee - with or without cream and sugar.
4. Bars with No Happy Hour Close at 2:00am
Boston was a city born from the Puritans who weren't huge fans of drinking. Neary 300 years later, and despite the heavy Irish influence of Southie, happy hours are still a no go. On top of that, Boston Bars close at 2am (might be a little different than those college nights). Bostonians more then make up for it though for the hours we are out.
5. Everybody Leaves in the Summer
There is nothing like a long winter to make summer glorious. When the winter breaks, no one takes the warmth for granted. The second the thermometer hits 50 degrees and the snow goes from transitions to slush, the city goes crazy. Outdoor bars like The Landing and Tia's open up on the harbor, but really only entertain the after post work crowd, as come Friday afternoon (or even Thursday), anyone with somewhere to go heads to Cape Cod, or any number of the New Hampshire lakes to enjoy the weather and the water.
5. Crazy Streets
Annoying at first, but as equally endearing as the accent, the streets of Boston are nearly impossible to navigate for a new Bostonian. "But my GPS will get me where I need to go," the tourists say. Wrong. If the non-grid curvey roads and sudden turns don't confuse Siri, then the underground tunnels with no service from the infamous Big Dig will. Just like the Boston accent, though, it doesn't take much time to understand, and soon the streets off of Hanover and Commonwealth will be as familiar as the Main Street from your home town.
P.S. Want to avoid the hassel of a parking ticket on these crazy streets? Sign up for KnowTow to stay up to date with parking bans, street cleanings, and all other events that will get your car towed.
What other peculiarties of Boston have you noticed? Leave us a comment below.
