The Weird Rules of Living Upstate (That No One Warns You About)
You packed your bags, waved goodbye to your landlord, and traded the screech of the subway for the sweet sound of crickets. Welcome to the Catskills, friend. But before you get too comfy in your flannel and start googling “how to raise backyard chickens,” there’s something you should know:
There are rules here. Unspoken, sacred, weird rules.
And if you want to fit in, you’d best learn them fast.
Here are the most important ones:
1. The Wave Is Not Optional.
Every time you pass a car on a country road, you wave. Doesn’t matter if you know them or not. It’s not a full city wave, either — it’s a subtle lift of the hand or a single-finger raise off the steering wheel. Fail to do this and you might as well have a bumper sticker that says, “I still live in Brooklyn emotionally.”
2. You Do Not Honk. Ever.
Unless someone is about to drive into a ditch or hit a deer, you do not honk your horn. Honking is aggressive. Honking is for taxis. Up here, a honk is the rural equivalent of picking a fight. Your horn is for emergencies only — not for telling someone to move it at the stop sign.
3. You Always Check for Ticks (Everywhere. Always.)
This isn’t so much a rule as it is survival. Forget to do this and you might end up with Lyme disease and a hefty vet bill (because yes, your dog is definitely getting ticks too). Country life is cute until you find one of nature’s hitchhikers attached to your ankle.
4. The Plow Always Wins.
If it snows and you parked on the road, kiss your car goodbye. The town plow is coming and it fears no one. It will push snow with the force of Thor’s hammer, and if your car happens to be in the way, well… that’s between you and your insurance.
5. You Can’t Complain About the Internet.
We all know it’s bad. We’re all suffering. But if you say it out loud too often, the locals will start to suspect you haven’t really committed to this life. Just smile, nod, and say something like, “It’s kind of nice to unplug, actually.” Bonus points if you say it while staring dreamily at a hummingbird feeder.
6. Always Accept Zucchini.
In late summer, everyone has too much zucchini. It will appear in baskets on porches, in tote bags at yoga, even mysteriously in your backseat. Accept it graciously. Bake it into a loaf. Pretend you wanted five pounds of it. This is how friendships are forged.
Final Thoughts: Learn the Code, Love the Life
These rules might seem strange at first — especially if you’re used to apartment buzzers and seamless deliveries — but they’re part of what makes Upstate life magical. It's slower, softer, and filled with strange little rituals that connect us all, even when we're miles apart.
So go on, raise that steering wheel finger. Someone’s waving back.
