Let’s face it, New Jersey gets a lot of flak from across the country – especially from our neighbors in New York and Philadelphia.

Some of it is not without merit – The state’s taxes are high, traffic is bad and there are some interesting interactions that occur at the Jersey Shore. But most of the state’s residents say that they will defend the fact that they are from the Garden State to the death.

News 12 New Jersey spoke to some state residents about what makes someone a New Jerseyan, and we asked people at the most New Jersey-type of place imaginable – a diner.

Things that make a New Jerseyan include:

The patrons at the Skylark Diner in Edison also had a lot of opinions about what is NOT New Jersey.

”New Jersey is not spray tans, a lot of hair gel and Guidos,” said one customer.

“We’re not just mobsters and corrupt politicians,” said another.

Even some people from neighboring New York say that they come to New Jersey all the time.

“We’re always in Jersey for food,” said one Staten Island resident.

But if you come to the Garden State…

"You better not talk bad about Jersey,” said a Skylark customer.

And one more thing to remember – No one who lives in New Jersey pronounces it “New Joisey.”