Connecticut has a big reputation for a small state. Wherever you go, you’ll field questions from people eager to learn whether their ideas about Connecticut are fact or fiction. Here are a few of the questions you’re sure to get when people learn you’re from the Nutmeg State.
1. Are people really into UCONN sports?
Yes! Connecticut residents are proud Husky fans. Tickets to a basketball game are a quick way to a Connecticut resident's heart.
2. Speaking of sports, does Connecticut root for the Patriots or the Giants?
This is a tricky question. The further southwest you go, the more Giants fans you'll find. With that said, most of Connecticut is solid Patriots territory. Just to be safe, don't bring up "deflategate" in any sports bars.
3. Isn't everyone in Connecticut rich?
No! Sure, there are plenty of rich people (looking at you, Fairfield County), but Connecticut residents fall along every point in the economic spectrum.
4. Do lots of people commute to NYC?
Plenty of people commute to New York, especially in Fairfield County. However, most people in Connecticut work within the state. There are plenty of jobs in big cities like Stamford, Hartford, and New Haven, in a diverse array of industries including advertising, healthcare, and insurance. Hartford is known as the "Insurance Capital of the World," after all.
5. Do people dress super preppy?
Full disclosure: if preppy stereotypes had to come from somewhere, Connecticut is that somewhere. While the preppy look is probably past its peak everywhere, you'll still see plenty of pastel pants, boat shoes, and seersucker here. With that said, it's not like everyone in Connecticut is a walking Brooks Brothers ad. In fact, most of us aren't.
6. Are people in Connecticut good drivers?
Yes, Connecticut is actually home to the best drivers in the country. Unfortunately, our neighbor states don't share our road skills. Everyone in Connecticut knows the nickname for drivers from Massachusetts...
7. Where do people in Connecticut party?
Sure, there are bars and clubs in Connecticut, but everyone knows you don't need a bartender and walls to have a good time. Field parties are all the rage here. All you need is a bonfire, some music, a case of beer, and an open field. Of course, having a few friends to join you doesn't hurt.
8. Is Gilmore Girls accurate?
Considering this photo of a real Connecticut town center looks just like the town center featured in "The Gilmore Girls," the show about a mother-daughter duo living 30 minutes outside Hartford, the answer is yes...sort of. The show's creators took some liberties, but there is plenty for real Connecticut residents to relate to, including lots of references to I-84. The characters are smart, ambitious, self-motivated, and pretty nice - just like real Connecticut residents.
9. Are any famous people from Connecticut?
Of course there are famous people from Connecticut! Katherine Hepburn, Glenn Close, George W. Bush, Eriq La Salle, and Will Friedle were all born in Connecticut.
10. What's up with that cross on I-84 near Waterbury?
It's impossible not to notice the white cross perched on a hill above I-84 going through Waterbury. Many people from out of state notice as they pass through, but they don't know the backstory. That's until they meet you, a person from Connecticut. When they ask, here's what you can tell them: the cross was once part of a Christian-themed amusement park named Holy Land.
Have you been asked any of these questions? Are you regularly asked a question that didn’t make the list? Share your experiences in the comments!
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