<p>I can certainly understand the need for a level of comfort in the university atmosphere you choose, but a couple of thoughts. Think of all the inernational kids coming to the US for school, how do they adjust? doesn't that process of adjustment and the learning curve add to their education as a whole? Think of all the third culture kids ( US citizens growing up in other parts of the world) who return to the US for college and have to adjust and are usually many thousands of miles from family and home. There is a great value to learning to live outside what you have already known, and if it seems like a big stretch to move do a differnt part of your own country, i would strongly suggest incorporating a lot of travel in those college vacations. The global village we all live in gets smaller everyday, for many careers it is extremely important to be able to have a wider vision of the world and the ability to interact and adjust to changes in your environment. As a previous poster said, this is the prime time in your life to explore.</p>
<p>I think this thread is interesting to see the cultural/political stereotypes people have. </p>
<p>My experience as a Texan is that a lot of Northeastern people have a stereotype of the South as ignorant, hyper-religious, gun-toting people who live in tumbleweedsville and eat steak. While each of those adjectives may somewhat accurately describe unique cultures in the South, this is no more accurate than the blanket stereotype of the Northeasterner as being politically correct, elitist, organic eating atheists. ("The People's Republic of Taxachusetts") People travel around so much these days that these differences are shrinking. Austin is very liberal and generally votes Democrat, although there is a very strong Libertarian population here.</p>
<p>Either way, college campuses, particularly at private schools that get people from all around the country and world, are pretty similar: left leaning, but generally diverse mix of all backgrounds. I don't think culture shock would be as much of a problem as climate shock - high of 60 today in Austin, currently 40 degrees at midnight right now.</p>
<p>"I mean, we are very ethnically and religiously diverse here, but the majority of Californians are so comfortable that they dont ever bother to travel or explore other parts of the country. What I'm trying to say here is that we are not very "geographically" diverse. "</p>
<p>I too live in Northern California, and I don't know if Californians travel or explore less, but I do know that the people in California are "geographically" diverse. The rest of the country comes to us. My closest friends were people I met at my first job out of college, he is from NYC, she is from Pittsburgh. Others in the circle are from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, New Jersey, Texas and Taiwan. We are on our 26th year together, and they are still all here, in California. I look at the ladies from my social club, they are from Conneticut, Georgia, Korea, Japan, Michigan, Canada, England, Missouri, Tennessee and yes, two of us are Native Californians, but only two. We are all getting to the age where our Californian children will be going to college, and many are looking back to colleges in parts of the country where their parents came from. But it is hard to pass up the incredible educational bargain that is the University of California and California State University systems. (And the great thing about California is my daughter can go to one of our state Universities and be 500 miles away from me.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think most people go from NE to South instead of vice versa.
[/quote]
Exactly. During the college years, it may seem like the majority of students are drawn to the northeast, but the statistics show that they don't tend to stay there. Bad weather, high costs of living, and congestion push them away. There's a reason why Arizona, Nevada, Florida, and Georgia and amung the fastest growing states and the northeastern states are slowly shrinking. </p>
<p>Somewhat unrelated, but there you have it. It's interesting to think about, if nothing else. </p>
<p>I don't really have an opinion one way or the other, but I think that the difficulty of adjusting depends greatly on the individual and what they're comfortable with. Response to change isn't the same for everyone.</p>
<p>I'm really glad I found this; this is the exact issue I've been struggling with recently!
I go to an arts school in northern Delaware, very close to Philadelphia, Baltimore, etc. and am your typical liberal. </p>
<p>Speaking from where I live most kids aren't afraid to venture south into Virginia and the Carolinas-- but honestly I don't know anyone applying in the deep south, (besides to Tulane): because there are less schools or because of the distance or what I don't know, but there's definitely reservation.
We don't think there's slaves down there exactly, but when the only mention we hear of these distant places are because of Katrina or on history class' civil rights videos, it makes them harder to relate to for sure. </p>
<p>Also I've been having my own reservations about Virginia, where some good state schools are hard to resist (but I have this weird feeling that my liberal-ness doesn't want to be surrounded by 70% Virginians--stereotyping much??) and Tulane in New Orleans.
Anyone have experience changing from Suburban/Urban North East to down there? (haha down there- Virginia is only 5 ish hours south)</p>
<p>Tulane has a geographically diverse student body; it's definitely not your typical southern school. A liberal would fit in fine.</p>
<p>UCDAlum82- We're talking about high school to college transition here. I agree with you that many people come here, and especially to the silicon valley for jobs, but in my experience and my friends' experiences, that generally does not affect the mindset of most of us high schoolers in California.</p>
<p>Maybe "geographically diverse" isn't the right phrase. I guess what I meant was "geographically AWARE".</p>
<p>I am a southerner from Texas and a proud evangelical conservative bushloving republican and black. I remember when our band visited San fransico it was horrible there were gay ppl everywhere and I was shocked that there were churches. I don't say that to bite into sterotypes I am most certainly not dumb as I have been told by atheists, but I would not want to live in the north. It is way to liberal and I cannot stand liberals, although I am friends with quite a few, actually liberals are okay as long as I don't hear there views. :) TX Rox why would anyone want to go somewhere else.</p>
<p>PS I dont hate gays. (the above comment may have seemed that way hate the sin and not the sinner).</p>
<p>The belief that the south is not diverse is ridiculous in some areas, in my high school we have about every major faith, ppl from several, several, several asians countries (one of the largest worship centers in the area is a huge Hindu temple) so the concept of homogenous population is not applicable, but I live in the suburbs.</p>
<p>Dbate I can't tell if you're sarcastic or not but if you're not then go you! =)</p>
<p>Culture shock comes for several reasons. I am from the South (FL) and pretty conservative. Yes I am a Republican. I am Catholic. I have never seen snow. In my middle school, we made a count of people BORN in different countries, and we had 76 countries represented by BIRTH in a suburbs school of 3000.</p>
<p>So although I'm applying out of the area (mainly the Northeast but also Texas and Cal), culture shock comes in:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Northeast and Cal are Blue!!!! </li>
<li>It snows. South Florida never EVER gets below 40 degrees. And that's super pushing it. </li>
<li>Liberalism. If it's not liberal down here, I don't know what is. And we're a Red state. </li>
<li>Religion</li>
<li>Weather. </li>
</ul>
<p>So I know that's something most Southern kids will have to deal with if they decide to go to another region. I think I'll adapt though. Hopefully? Yah? Yeah I guess I will. =)</p>
<p>P.S- I do know of this one girl who went to Boston and came back right after she got her bachelor's cause she couldn't take the cold.</p>
<p>I'm completely fine going from southern Florida to the northeast (well, the Mid-Atlantic region). It's been a really easy transition.</p>
<p><<<i cannot="" stand="" liberals,="" although="" i="" am="" friends="" with="" quite="" a="" few,="" actually="" liberals="" are="" okay="" as="" long="" don't="" hear="" there="" views.="">>></i></p><i cannot="" stand="" liberals,="" although="" i="" am="" friends="" with="" quite="" a="" few,="" actually="" liberals="" are="" okay="" as="" long="" don't="" hear="" there="" views.="">
<p>LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Same here.</p>
</i>
<p>When I talk about 'midwest', I don't mean Texas or Chicago or whatever. Everybody knows those places share a lot of cultural traits with the NE (even though there are still a lot of differences) I'm pretty sure we're talking about like... MiddleOfNowhere, Idaho --> Cambridge, MA. And yes, I believe the biggest culture shock will come in the forms of religion, pace of life, politics, and socioeconomic and ethnic diversity.</p>
<p>Much love for conservatives although I love the color blue by ballot is all Red :).</p>
<p>I might go up north for Harvard or UPenn though.</p>
<p><<<i'm pretty="" sure="" we're="" talking="" about="" like...="" middleofnowhere,="" idaho="" --=""> Cambridge, MA.>>></i'm></p>
<p>Totally true. I met this girl from South Dakota whose ENTIRE town was the size of my graduating class (800). She said she loved to visit urban places but she could never take living anywhere that wasn't the country. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>So yah, it's definitely harder on those kids.</p>
<p>Dbate: I would think a minority like your self (same as me actually) would attempt to be a bit more understanding of other minority groups that have been and still are looked down upon. I'm sure you'd be *<strong><em>ed if someone said something like that about black people. I don't care if you hate gays or not, that's beside the point. The point is that in your post you sounded as if you were disgusted with gays. If thats how you feel then I have no problem cuz you have to live with your self. I'm pretty sure, however, if someone spoke of you this way you would be *</em></strong>ed. </p>
<p>Just wanna let you know, and I felt like ranting.</p>
<p>I don't really care what other ppl think about me, I don't hate gay ppl far from as a Christian we love everyone, but the prospect of that lifestyle is indeed repungant.</p>
<p>I go to school in the South, and I must say I can't wait to get the hell out of here and work in NYC; Atlanta, where I was raised, and Austin are generally the only places I care for. </p>
<p>The amount of Bible-thumping is nauseating...</p>
<p>jsmall:</p>
<p>Even though your comment wasn't targeted at me, I felt like responding because I'm pretty much in the same position. </p>
<p>Belonging to a minority group doesn't mean you have any obligation to advocate or even identify yourself with any other minority group simply because they have been "looked down upon". I find that sort of insulting. You can't possibly group together every minority out there- women, native americans, gays, etc. and say they all should support each other because they all have shared a "low" status (low meaning nonwhitemale).</p>
<p>Many women might disagree with what many Hispanics have to say. Or vice versa. Many black men disagree with gay views. Many gays disagree with Asian views. </p>
<p>In short, for me, grouping all minorities together and saying: "You should understand their sorry social status" is like saying: "Because you're i.e. Hispanic, and that other guy there is i.e. Gay you both are misfits and should support each other in this jungle of a world."</p>