If These 10 Things Make Sense to You, You’ve Been in Washington Far Too Long

Washington, where coffee is king, fleece is formal, and you’ve spent more time explaining that you don’t live near D.C. than you’d like to admit. It’s a state where you can ski, hike, paddleboard, and rage about traffic—all in the same day. If these ten things feel eerily familiar, congratulations—you’ve been in Washington far too long, and there’s probably a rain jacket permanently stashed in your car.

You automatically say “the state” after “Washington” to avoid confusion.

Yes, we know there’s a D.C. No, we don’t live there. Yes, we’re tired of clarifying.

You’ve accepted that rain isn’t really a weather event—it’s just the air now.

If it’s not pouring sideways, it doesn’t require an umbrella. Umbrellas are for tourists.

You consider owning at least three jackets a bare minimum.

Rain jacket, puffy vest, and that one hoodie that smells like campfire—you’re ready for anything.

You’ve had a deep, borderline emotional debate about coffee.

Starbucks? Overrated. The best place is some hole-in-the-wall shack in a gas station you can’t even pronounce.

You’ve hiked a mountain “just for the view” and then complained there were too many other people doing the same thing.

Especially if they brought a drone.

You treat recycling, composting, and trash as three separate PhDs.

Accidentally putting something in the wrong bin brings real shame.

You’ve yelled at a ferry schedule and still missed it by 30 seconds.

And then waited 2 hours while questioning all your life choices.

You’ve seen someone kayaking in Puget Sound in 45-degree rain and thought, “Looks fun.”

We don’t do indoor hobbies here—we just layer more.

You’ve had to explain that east and west Washington might as well be different states.

West: moss, coffee, Teslas. East: sun, tractors, pickup trucks. Peace is fragile.

You’ve watched Mount Rainier appear out of nowhere and whispered, “There she is,” like it was a religious moment.

You weren’t joking. It was.

If you read this while sipping ethically sourced espresso, wearing trail shoes you also wore to work, and watching gray skies with pride, then congratulations—you’ve gone full Washingtonian. Whether you’re ferry-hopping around the Sound, stuck in Seattle traffic, or off-grid in the Cascades, you’ve embraced the wild, wet wonder of the Evergreen State. Just keep your reusable cup, your REI membership, and your passive-aggressive driving face handy—you’re gonna need ‘em.

The post If These 10 Things Make Sense to You, You’ve Been in Washington Far Too Long appeared first on When In Your State.

Source link