<p>Count me in as someone who thoroughly enjoys regional accents, southern ones in particular. Who wants a homogenized U.S.A. anyway? “Y’all” crept into my son’s vocabulary about two months after arriving at 'Bama. “Yes, ma’am” and “yes, sir” followed about one month later. All have remained.</p>
<p>As with every region, the south does use different words for various things.</p>
<p>Some call dinner “supper”</p>
<p>A grocery cart is called a “buggy” (that was funny when I moved here.)</p>
<p>In Calif, we often call soda “Coke”, as in “do you want a Coke or something?”. In the south it’s called soda (in the Midwest it’s called “pop”.)</p>
<p>To carry something is to “tote” it. Can you tote that box to the other building?</p>
<p>Often the words are “known words”, but they are used more. </p>
<p>A few people call sofas “davenports” which is really odd. I remember a doctor once told my H to “take it easy and rest on the davenport or sit on the veranda.” lol</p>
<p>Myth: It’s the Bible Belt. If you’re not Christian, fuggedaboutit.</p>
<p>Realty: Depending upon which statistics you read, the percentage of people in Tuscaloosa who affiliate with a particular religion is on par with, or lower than, the rest of the U.S. (45-50%). Yes, the majority of folks who identify themselves as affiliating with a religion is Christian, but if you practice Judaism, Islam, or one of the eastern faiths you will find a place to worship and/or congregate in Tuscaloosa. In fact, UA has a storied history of welcoming Jews during a time when Ivy League schools had Jewish quotas.</p>
<p>Myth: Alabama is “backwards.”</p>
<p>Reality: As put to me so eloquently by Randy Mecredy, Director of the Alabama Museum of Natural History, “We’re backwoods, not backwards.”</p>
<p>The campus infrastructure is first rate, the new Science and Engineering Complex is state of the art, the athletic and recreational facilities are top flight, and the suite-style dorms are the finest I’ve ever seen (replete with wi-fi, hi-def cable tv, kitchens, and other amenities that surpass the first few apartments I lived in as an adult). </p>
<p>And, to top it off, the beautiful campus is in the midst of a building boom, with a new building being erected, on average, every 90 days.</p>
<p>I love this thread (and I notice I am now a JUNIOR MEMBER, so my opinion counts!)</p>
<p>Myth: Everyone is a red-neck.</p>
<p>Busted: Many/most kids are from the suburbs or from one of the major cities. I do have to laugh though…one of my son’s roomies does “look” kind of red-neck…he likes to wear camo stuff for some odd reason. But, he’s no hick…his dad is a surgeon and his mom is a nurse practioner and he’s a Mech Eng’g major.</p>
<p>
music to a southern mama who has a midatlantic childs ears!! </p>
<p>How about everyone in Alabama drives a pick up truck? Anyone care to comment?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>some people just like it. I used to work with a doc that wore custom made camo scrubs, and another who never left home without his cowboy boots on. I could never figure out how he could stand in an operating room for 8+ hours in those things!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>With or without a gun rack and a Confederate flag?</p>
<p>
and a horn that plays dixie?</p>
<p>To answer your question seriously, vlines, I’d say no way. There’s a Mercedes-Benz plant just up the road from Tuscaloosa (in Vance) and plenty of 'Bama students intern there.</p>
<p>So Malanai- it is BUSTED…as I have read in other threads. </p>
<p>I bring it up only because it is one of the things that people say when S tells them he is going to Alabama. “When are you buying a pick-up with oversized tires?”</p>
<p>iQuote:</p>
<h2>How about everyone in Alabama drives a pick up truck? Anyone care to comment?</h2>
<p>Ha ha…actually a lot of men do own pick up trucks, but many of them are very, very nice. Nicer than many sedans. They use them for hauling their boats to the lake.</p>
<p>But, truthfully, many don’t own trucks. Many own SUVs cuz they’ll haul a boat, too. ;)</p>
<p>Myth: When it comes to fine dining in Tuscaloosa, the Cracker Barrel is at the top of the food chain.</p>
<p>Reality: I love the Cracker Barrel, but . . . na-a-a-a-a-h. It’s more likely something along these lines: </p>
<p>[Kozy’s</a> Restaurant](<a href=“http://www.kozysrestaurant.com/menu.htm]Kozy’s”>http://www.kozysrestaurant.com/menu.htm)
[Epiphany</a> Cafe - Dinner Menu](<a href=“http://epiphanycafe.vpweb.com/Dinner-Menu.html]Epiphany”>http://epiphanycafe.vpweb.com/Dinner-Menu.html)</p>
<p>Myth: The State of Alabama is poor and there are no jobs there</p>
<p>Reality: Mercedes Benz, Hyundai and NASA are major employers in the state and Cummings Reasearch Park is the 2nd largest research park in the US (behind the Reasearch Triangle in NC)</p>
<p>Major employers at Cummings RP include Boeing, Northrop Gruman, Teledyne, Lockheed Martin, ITT and Direct TV to name a few. The Redstone Arsenal is also located in Alabama.</p>
<p>Oh and there is a Saks 5th Avenue in Birmingham, we don’t even have one of those in Charlotte :)</p>
<p>Myth: People in Alabama talk slow and think slow.</p>
<p>Busted: The University of Alabama debate and forensics program has won 16 national debate championships.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>True, Atlanta68! </p>
<p>" This year alone, more than 900 University of Alabama students will receive a total of more than $2.3 million in scholarships provided by the National Alumni Association. The UA National Alumni Association is among the nation’s leading public-university-based comprehensive associations, ranking among the top 10 in alumni support."</p>
<p>Source: [Quick</a> Facts: Did You Know? - The University of Alabama](<a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama)</p>
<p>Wow! I DID NOT KNOW THIS ^^^^^^</p>
<p>!!!GOD BLESS the ALUMs of 'BAMA!!!</p>
<p>I am going to add each and every one of them to my daily prayers. They do good.</p>
<p>Myth: You can’t drive a car from Hawaii to Tuscaloosa.</p>
<p>Busted!!!</p>
<p>
Source: casinoexec</p>
<p>
Source: m2ck</p>
<p>Gives a whole new meaning to “Roll Tide.”</p>
<p>(I think we’ve just confirmed people’s worst suspicions 
)</p>
<p>Myth: “The UA is so too big and students are just numbers at large schools like the UA.”</p>
<p>Not true. While enjoying lunch with my daughter, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. To my amazement, it was one of my daughter’s chemistry professors who called her by name and bragged about what a pleasure it had been to have her in his class. It made my day.:)</p>
<p>^^^Awesome! </p>
<p>Along those lines, at the LSU game last year Honors College Dean Shane Sharpe spotted me and my son as he was navigating his way to his seat. He shook our hands, greeted us by name, and asked my son how things were going for him at 'Bama. I’d met the man just once before . . . 21 months earlier, during our first visit to UA.</p>