Once I hit the New Jersey state border I quickly found out I was in for a rude awakening. Do not get me wrong I expected some differences, yet it was if I had traveled to another world. New Jersey and Florida are two very different states when you look at the people, the weather, and the cost of living.
The people who live in Florida are very accommodating and friendly. On the other hand, the New Jersey population is generally very rude and obnoxious. While living in Florida I found people more willing to help you out if they could, they go about life at a leisurely pace, and if you pass someone they, more times than not, will greet you in a friendly way. I did not get that same feeling while living in New Jersey. They live life at a faster pace up north, people are more likely to greet you with the finger than a hello, and I noticed that if you needed assistance people would pass you by like you did not exist. With all of this negative experience I was longing for some good, old fashioned Southern hospitality. This was one of the biggest factors in me choosing to move back to Florida to live. .
Weather is another big difference between the two states. New Jersey, being a Northern state, was a lot cooler year round and was less humid. The biggest change for me was when winter rolled around. For instance, on New Year's Day in 2000 there was two feet of snow which is something I never experienced before. I was able to adapt to driving in those conditions, but digging my car out of the snow every morning before work was one chore I definitely did not enjoy. Florida's weather, on the other hand, is hotter, more humid, and very rainy most times during the year. I give Florida the nod when it comes to weather because of the warmer climate. It is just perfect weather year round except during hurricane season, it can be very rainy.
The last difference I noticed is the huge gap in the cost of living.