In short, a terrible place. Should be avoided at all costs.
If you ever end up moving to Upstate New York, you will never be able to escape it.
The towns are all small, boring and cold and the cities are nothing to write home about either.
However something about Upstate New York, particularly EXTREME Upstate New York will pull you back in should you ever try to leave for a prolonged period of time.
My parents, like many other unfortunate people who grew up in Upstate New York, actually left and CAME BACK.
Upstate New York will forever be in the shadow of The City, and should you move there you will be invalidated as a person entirely.
If you ever happen to travel, and you tell someone you are from New York you will be forced to endure horrid responses like "OMGZ IZ IT NICE IN DA CITY?" or "D00D I WAz iN NYC LaSt WeEk, itz dA BoMb!!123" even if you try to take preventitive measures such as saying "New York STATE," "UPSTATE New York," or even "RURAL NEW YORK YOU MOTHERFUCKER."
Believe it or not, there are actually places even farther north than Buffalo or Albany.
I personally live within walking distance of the Canadian border.
I would rather just hop across and join the Canadians than deal with another day of being seen as a hideous appendage to The City.
My dream is to get the fuck out as soon as I can, move to another state and NEVER TELL ANYONE WHERE I'M ORIGINALLY FROM.
Unfortunately that will be nearly impossible because SUPRISE, on top of being boring, cold, and ignored, Extreme Upstate New York is also DIRT POOR.
This forces its unfortunate inhabitants to attend crappy local colleges and then later either work at Clinton Correctional Facilities or live IN Clinton Correctional Facilities.
This is partly due to the inevitable drug and alcohol problems these people develop to cope with the pain of living in America's own little third-world country.
If you ever end up moving to Upstate New York, you will never be able to escape it.
The towns are all small, boring and cold and the cities are nothing to write home about either.
However something about Upstate New York, particularly EXTREME Upstate New York will pull you back in should you ever try to leave for a prolonged period of time.
My parents, like many other unfortunate people who grew up in Upstate New York, actually left and CAME BACK.
Upstate New York will forever be in the shadow of The City, and should you move there you will be invalidated as a person entirely.
If you ever happen to travel, and you tell someone you are from New York you will be forced to endure horrid responses like "OMGZ IZ IT NICE IN DA CITY?" or "D00D I WAz iN NYC LaSt WeEk, itz dA BoMb!!123" even if you try to take preventitive measures such as saying "New York STATE," "UPSTATE New York," or even "RURAL NEW YORK YOU MOTHERFUCKER."
Believe it or not, there are actually places even farther north than Buffalo or Albany.
I personally live within walking distance of the Canadian border.
I would rather just hop across and join the Canadians than deal with another day of being seen as a hideous appendage to The City.
My dream is to get the fuck out as soon as I can, move to another state and NEVER TELL ANYONE WHERE I'M ORIGINALLY FROM.
Unfortunately that will be nearly impossible because SUPRISE, on top of being boring, cold, and ignored, Extreme Upstate New York is also DIRT POOR.
This forces its unfortunate inhabitants to attend crappy local colleges and then later either work at Clinton Correctional Facilities or live IN Clinton Correctional Facilities.
This is partly due to the inevitable drug and alcohol problems these people develop to cope with the pain of living in America's own little third-world country.
Example One:
Poor, unfortunate soul: I grew up in Upstate New York, and saved up all my money from the time I was a kid so someday I could get the fuck out. Unfortunately after leaving and entering the rest of the world I devoloped a slew of mental illnesses because I was never properly trained to live in society. I moved back Upstate.
Example Two:
Kid: Woah, mom, your dashboard says it's -20 degrees outside.
Mom: Yes dear, that's because we're driving through Upstate New York. When we get into Canada, it'll still be this cold, but at least I'll be able to smoke in public.
Example Three:
STUPID Girl on plane: So where are you from?
UNFORTUNATE Guy on plane: UPSTATE RURAL New York STATE.
STUPID Girl on plane: Wow, that's so cool. Can you see the Statue of Liberty from your apartment, or is the Empire State Building blocking your view?
Example Four:
Man: I was going to get out of this place as soon as I could, but things didn't work out, I had to stay in the area for college. Now I work at Clinton Correctional Facilities.
Woman from Anywhere but Upstate, USA: OMG did you meet Tupac?!?
Example Five:
Girl on internet: I live in Massena.
Boy on internet in NYC: Is that like near Ethiopia?
Poor, unfortunate soul: I grew up in Upstate New York, and saved up all my money from the time I was a kid so someday I could get the fuck out. Unfortunately after leaving and entering the rest of the world I devoloped a slew of mental illnesses because I was never properly trained to live in society. I moved back Upstate.
Example Two:
Kid: Woah, mom, your dashboard says it's -20 degrees outside.
Mom: Yes dear, that's because we're driving through Upstate New York. When we get into Canada, it'll still be this cold, but at least I'll be able to smoke in public.
Example Three:
STUPID Girl on plane: So where are you from?
UNFORTUNATE Guy on plane: UPSTATE RURAL New York STATE.
STUPID Girl on plane: Wow, that's so cool. Can you see the Statue of Liberty from your apartment, or is the Empire State Building blocking your view?
Example Four:
Man: I was going to get out of this place as soon as I could, but things didn't work out, I had to stay in the area for college. Now I work at Clinton Correctional Facilities.
Woman from Anywhere but Upstate, USA: OMG did you meet Tupac?!?
Example Five:
Girl on internet: I live in Massena.
Boy on internet in NYC: Is that like near Ethiopia?
by NarcissismKills July 30, 2009
Upstate NY.Hmm. Basically anywhere within the borders of the state north of the Bronx. The people there are usually characterized by a lack of overly neurotic, self important, belligerent, paranoid ass-hattedness that plagues those that live within the confines of NYC. Its true.
I now live in SoCal and met a girl from San Diego who was back for a visit. She told me she had been living in NYC for a couple of months and we got to talking. I said "Yeah people in NYC are ass hats"
Then SHE says "Yes WE are quite intimidating".
What a cunt.
She was wearing that "center of the universe" mantle like she'd been poppin' it in the Marcy Projects with Jay-Z 6 hours before she stepped off the mo'fuckin plane.
Thats what IIII'm talkin about.
I now live in SoCal and met a girl from San Diego who was back for a visit. She told me she had been living in NYC for a couple of months and we got to talking. I said "Yeah people in NYC are ass hats"
Then SHE says "Yes WE are quite intimidating".
What a cunt.
She was wearing that "center of the universe" mantle like she'd been poppin' it in the Marcy Projects with Jay-Z 6 hours before she stepped off the mo'fuckin plane.
Thats what IIII'm talkin about.
Hey Hey My My Rock and Roll will never die its better to burn out than fry hey hey my my Upstate New York
by Drunken Mick May 2, 2006
Upstate NY is anything that's not either NYC or Long Island (how the hell do you dumbasses consider Long Island upstate where it's not north of NYC at all)? Places like Poughkeepsie are just Southern Upstate. And you NYC ppl need to stop thinking that you're so great. You're just a bunch of Yankee-loving sons of bitches that believe that there's nothing to life except money, business, and being so damn agressive. And you guys are such punes when it comes to weather. You guys have warm weather, face it. Sure, upstate is all mountain, woods, falls, farms, and small ghetto of cities, but it's much better than being all hustle-bustle and arrogant all the time.
NYC-er: "OMG! It's sooo cold today!!"
Upstate-er: "What's the temperature?"
NYC-er: "It's like 40 degrees!!"
Upstate-er: "And that's cold???"
NYC-er: "Yea it is! It's too cold to drive ferociously like the PMS-like middle-aged bitches that NYC ladies are. I'm freezing!! And you-shut the hell up"
Upstater hits NYCer in the head with a 4x4.
Upstate-er: "What's the temperature?"
NYC-er: "It's like 40 degrees!!"
Upstate-er: "And that's cold???"
NYC-er: "Yea it is! It's too cold to drive ferociously like the PMS-like middle-aged bitches that NYC ladies are. I'm freezing!! And you-shut the hell up"
Upstater hits NYCer in the head with a 4x4.
by RPIkid June 7, 2005
Whatever is north of the Capital District (Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady). Looking at a county map of New York State would verify that.
Whoever said that Long Island was upstate has to be the biggest retard ever. Either that, or he never looked at a map of New York State before in his life.
by Omega Death May 8, 2005
Not the city, it is ... the Adirondack Region , the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States , the place where New York City get their water, the Finger Lakes region, a place where you can see stars, real ones not fake ones.
by klobber February 22, 2020
Contrary to what many here seem to believe, there is more to NY than NYC/Long Island/"Upstate". People over 20 miles south of Albany do not generally consider themselves upstate, and sometimes take offense to being told so by people from NYC. Currently, the upsate economy is sadly depressing, but one can still see the remnants of the beautiful area full of character that once was Upstate New York in Saratoga especially.
by Mingreyy August 8, 2005
Upstate New York, contrary to the belief of Long Islanders, does not begin just north of the city. NYC suburbs include Rockland, Orange, Westchester, Putnam, and Lower Dutchess counties - including Fairfield County, CT. "Upstate" begins north of those places, when there is no longer Metro-North train service to Grand Central Station.
Poughkeepsie is NOT part of upstate New York. However, slightly north of Poughkeepsie (i.e., Rhinebeck) is where "upstate" actually begins. On the flip side of the Hudson, Newburgh is not upstate. Newburgh is only an hour and a half from the city. Please don't call Newburgh upstate. West of the Hudson, upstate begins in Ulster county.
Poughkeepsie is NOT part of upstate New York. However, slightly north of Poughkeepsie (i.e., Rhinebeck) is where "upstate" actually begins. On the flip side of the Hudson, Newburgh is not upstate. Newburgh is only an hour and a half from the city. Please don't call Newburgh upstate. West of the Hudson, upstate begins in Ulster county.
"I'm sorry, but Scarsdale is NOT upstate New York."
Person from Dutchess meets person from Long Island:
D: "Where are you from?"
LI: "Lawn-Guy-Lind. You?"
D: "Dutchess County...like, Poughkeepsie."
LI: "...Is that upstate? What's it like in upstate NY?"
---------------
Person from Dutchess meets person from Renssalaer:
D: "Where are you from?"
R: "Albany. Well Renssalaer, but no one knows where that is....so Albany."
D: "Oh...I'm from Poughkeepsie."
R: "Is it warm there?"
D: "Uh..."
R: "You know upstate starts NORTH of the Hudson, right?"
D: *confused*
Person from Dutchess meets person from Long Island:
D: "Where are you from?"
LI: "Lawn-Guy-Lind. You?"
D: "Dutchess County...like, Poughkeepsie."
LI: "...Is that upstate? What's it like in upstate NY?"
---------------
Person from Dutchess meets person from Renssalaer:
D: "Where are you from?"
R: "Albany. Well Renssalaer, but no one knows where that is....so Albany."
D: "Oh...I'm from Poughkeepsie."
R: "Is it warm there?"
D: "Uh..."
R: "You know upstate starts NORTH of the Hudson, right?"
D: *confused*
by new yawka fo-shizzle November 8, 2006