Made in Newcastle: a love letter to the toon 

Being born and raised in sunny South Shields makes me a ‘Sand Dancer’ by name but after going to school and living in the heart of Newcastle, I'd consider myself an honorary Geordie too. No matter the regional label, I'm very proud to be Northern. 

Northeast culture is vast and arguably unique to everywhere else in the UK - I suppose everyone would boast that about their hometowns, but us Geordies have something real special going.  

I think my absolute favourite thing about living in this neck of the woods is the dialect. It’s like a secret language that somehow gets faster after a few pints and starts to stump those native to anywhere South of Darlo. The tongue of the Northeast specialises in slang and that slightly high-pitched delivery, and sets the accent apart from other counties. That being said, people born and bred here can usually distinguish which postcode someone is from by voice alone - a feat I'm yet to see in those from elsewhere. Towns that are even just ten minutes apart can be identified from the quirks in their population's speech, but a Northern twang unites all of them.  

Aside from the talk of the toon, the atmposhere of community never fails to impress me. It’s universal across Geordies, Sand Dancers and Mackems alike to swell with pride over where we grew up despite the healthy rivalry between us. Of course, everyone thinks their city is the best, but we always agree on one thing: the Northeast can’t be beaten. There’s so much character here and I've heard that we’re a pretty accepting bunch to newbies too.  

The closeness of the city and it’s surrounding areas is also definitely something to write home about. The duality of Newcastle is a true gem. Being able to immerse myself in the student experience and live as 'Miss Independent' in the big city, whilst still being just a metro ride away (when they’re running) from the sands of my hometown is the best balance I could have asked for whilst at university. There’s something so refreshing about having the opportunity to escape the bustle of the city when needed, in search of some peace and quiet at the seafront. And yes, South Shields beach is best. Tynemouth or Miami don’t even come close.