If you’re not from Northern California, some of the sayings we throw around here may seem hella weird. We’re used to the weirdness, but out-of-state visitors might not be. Want to get in on the NorCal lingo? Here are 8 silly sayings that will only make sense if you’re from NorCal.
- “I hella love NorCal.”
Thomas Hawk/Flickr The word “hella” has become inextricably linked with Northern California. I went to college on the East Coast and unintentionally stopped using the word. I moved back four years later, and like magic, it started again. You can take yourself out of NorCal, but you can’t take the NorCal out of yourself.
- “It’ll take me 30 minutes, depending on traffic.”
Christian Arballo/Flickr There are some parts of the country where 30 minutes literally means 30 minutes. Here in Northern California, especially in its larger cities, 30 minutes could mean an hour and a half.
- “I’ll have that animal style.”
supercake/Flickr No, we’re not talking about an animal-print fashion trend. It’s a style of fries at the iconic burger chain In-n-Out. Seriously, try it.
- “The June gloom is real.”
Chris Chabot/Flickr Ah, summers in NorCal. Unlike summers spent in our sunny neighbor to the south that is Southern California, NorCal summers can be foggy, chilly, and downright gloomy. There’s a famous quote frequently attributed to Mark Twain: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
- “I can’t wait for that hike this weekend.”
Jay Huang/Flickr While some people may look forward to Saturday night clubbing or Sunday brunch, we NorCal folks love a good hike. If your state was filled with gorgeous coastlines, mountains, and flora, you’d be outdoorsy, too.
- “I don’t have the bandwidth for that.”
Matthew Pearce/Flickr Don’t you just love tech lingo? Even we NorCal natives feel a bit left out when techie speak gets thrown around so casually. But who can blame them? High tech is Northern California’s bread and butter.
- “It’s double overhead today, bro!”
Miwok/Flickr Surfer speak is quite commonly heard around NorCal, particularly in its beach towns. Just so you know, “double overhead” waves should not be tackled by beginners.
- “We love it in Cali.”
Don McCullough/Flickr Just kidding. Never say “Cali” to a born-and-bred Californian. And while we’re on the topic, “San Fran” is a no-no, as well.
There’s no doubt that Northern California is a quirky, fun, and downright awesome place. For some hidden treasures you’ll find here that only locals know about, check out these.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
The word “hella” has become inextricably linked with Northern California. I went to college on the East Coast and unintentionally stopped using the word. I moved back four years later, and like magic, it started again. You can take yourself out of NorCal, but you can’t take the NorCal out of yourself.
Christian Arballo/Flickr
There are some parts of the country where 30 minutes literally means 30 minutes. Here in Northern California, especially in its larger cities, 30 minutes could mean an hour and a half.
supercake/Flickr
No, we’re not talking about an animal-print fashion trend. It’s a style of fries at the iconic burger chain In-n-Out. Seriously, try it.
Chris Chabot/Flickr
Ah, summers in NorCal. Unlike summers spent in our sunny neighbor to the south that is Southern California, NorCal summers can be foggy, chilly, and downright gloomy. There’s a famous quote frequently attributed to Mark Twain: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
Jay Huang/Flickr
While some people may look forward to Saturday night clubbing or Sunday brunch, we NorCal folks love a good hike. If your state was filled with gorgeous coastlines, mountains, and flora, you’d be outdoorsy, too.
Matthew Pearce/Flickr
Don’t you just love tech lingo? Even we NorCal natives feel a bit left out when techie speak gets thrown around so casually. But who can blame them? High tech is Northern California’s bread and butter.
Miwok/Flickr
Surfer speak is quite commonly heard around NorCal, particularly in its beach towns. Just so you know, “double overhead” waves should not be tackled by beginners.
Don McCullough/Flickr
Just kidding. Never say “Cali” to a born-and-bred Californian. And while we’re on the topic, “San Fran” is a no-no, as well.
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