Why do people say they are from DC when they are not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find this thread hilarious - well really just OP's rant - because I used to think the same way - in high school and college. I'm from DC - and I mean in the city, born and raised. In college, we hated it when the suburban kids would say they're from DC, because being from DC gave you some street cred (even though I was raised in upper NW) and we felt the suburban kids didn't deserve it. But, uh, I'm 33 now, and really could care less. Also curious if OP is actually a DC native ...

No, she's not.

This is what I find hilarious. Kids thinking they have STREET CRED or these incredibly urban lives because they grew up in...Cleveland Park? Come on. There are neighborhoods in Arlington or Silver Spring that are more urban than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It drives me crazy because Virginia and Maryland are suburban towns and DC is a city!!

Virginia and Maryland are not suburban towns. They are states. I hate it when people who live in DC say all of Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland are the same town. And I'm going with multiple exclamation marks to show my extreme anger !!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I, for one, am darn proud to say I'm from a suburban town called Virginia!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- actually what bothers me is not that they are trying to get through the conversation as quick as possible, but that they would rather say DC because it sounds more civilized than say, a suburb in Virginia. I know it seems like a petty issue, but it's annoying- I think people are prouder to say DC than MD or VA, but MD or VA is NOT DC!!!

I live in DC, but grew up in a central Maryland suburb. I was within a 45 minute drive from DC, Baltimore and Annapolis. When people ask where I'm from, I say Maryland. Then they want to know, where in Maryland? When I tell them, I get a blank stare. Seriously, many people from out of town (and some from in-town) cannot seem to comprehend that people in the DMV live in areas that aren't DC, Richmond or Baltimore (and occassionally the Eastern Shore). So it's just easier to name one of the big cities, then my generic little hometown that no one outside my county has ever heard of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- actually what bothers me is not that they are trying to get through the conversation as quick as possible, but that they would rather say DC because it sounds more civilized than say, a suburb in Virginia. I know it seems like a petty issue, but it's annoying- I think people are prouder to say DC than MD or VA, but MD or VA is NOT DC!!!

LOL. Prouder? Have you ever been outside this area? Trust me, saying you live in D.C. does not ilicit "wow, you must be so cool" responses.

I admit, I say it simply because Arlington, NOVA, or Northern Viginia means nothing to people who don't live in this area. I remember in college people telling me they lived in NOVA, I thought they meant they lived near the community college. But I usually say D.C. well not really in it, right outside of it.

Trust me, I know Virginia is not D.C. I would never in my life live in D.C. Do you feel better ?

[Anonymous]

Marion Barry alone makes me not want to live in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I'm at a party people ask me where I'm from, I say DC, even though I live in VA. Then I eat all the shrimp cocktails and pick out all the good nuts from the mixed nuts bowl, because I like giving DC a bad name.

Hee!

Next time I go to a party and all the brazil nuts are gone, I'll mutter, "Goddamn Virginians..."

[Anonymous]

Hee hee hee. This thread is funny.

[Anonymous]

This website is really too much sometimes. If I'm talking to people from outside our metro area, I might generalize by saying I'm from the D.C. area. If I'm talking to someone from around here, I will usually say I live in Alexandria. I don't usually feel the need to clarify that I'm in the City limits and not Fairfax County, though perhaps I should so as not to offend!

I agree that many people who live in surrounding metro areas around the country (and entire world) do the same thing! Chill out, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My address is Fairfax, VA but I'm surrounded by Burke right across 2 streets. I've told some people I'm from Burke since it's easier for them to picture where I live than if I say Fairfax. I bet people from Burke must hate me for claiming to be from there.

How outrageous! I'm not even from Burke, but I hate you on behalf of Burke residents.

I live in Vienna, but I tell people I'm from McLean, or sometimes Oakton, depending how much I want to impress them.

For people outside the area, I say I'm from DC. I've tried saying Virginia, but people seem to like me better and think I'm more civilized if I falsely claim to be from DC.

Ha Ha! I live in Oakton, but often say Vienna because more people know where Vienna is. : )

But when I am out of town I say Virginia and people always ask "where in VA?" and I reply WITHOUT PRIDE OR SHAME "the DC area".

[Anonymous]

This thread IS funny. Keep it up!

[Anonymous]

Maryland......Virginia's Canada.
Virginia......Maryland's Mexico.

[Anonymous]

I never say I am from DC. I will say the DC area, or the DC Metro area, or just Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maryland......Virginia's Canada.
Virginia......Maryland's Mexico.

What's DC the boarder patrol station?

[Anonymous]

I say I am from Washington, and then when people ask, "DC or State?" I just keep saying, "Huh?"