<p>Is it just me? Or does everyone experience a culture shock when you go to school outside California? I'm talking about moving from CA to relatively far places in the East and the South. </p>
<p>I go to University of Virginia, and people are so friendly here. However, I can't stand their conformist attitudes sometimes as people tend to be more conservative here. Even in the campus, people dress traditionally - and by that I mean polos, buttoned down shirts, pearls, and sundresses.</p>
<p>It kind of makes me sick most of the time. The greek population looks much bigger too, and that creates an atmosphere of segregation on campus. Compared to CA, there is less diversity here. It makes me miss California so much since people are less laid back here. Plus, there's nothing in Virginia except DC. And geographically below Charlottesville (where UVA is located) are all the hicky areas. A Southern friend of mine puts it this way, "Yo, if you think this (UVA) is conservative, you ain't seen anything yet like further South."</p>
<p>I think the North/East is probably much better, in terms of political views. </p>
<p>Anyway, just a thought. I would love to hear from Californians who have or are experiencing the same things I go through.</p>
<p>You're in the crappiest part of VA. Anything outside of NOVA is complete garbage. Theres a reason why I didn't stay in state when choosing colleges.</p>
<p>Newsflash: Charlottesville rated best city to live in 2005!</p>
<p>I had that in mind when I came to C'ville, and I was expecting sort of a Boston feel here. Arriving during midnight in a tiny airport, and while being driven in a cab, I could just see rows and rows of restaurants and stores to my left and right - it was a straight road leading to UVA. I totally thought I was about to experience a rural life, and I got scared. </p>
<p>But anyway, there's not much to do here, except the Downtown Mall, which has coffee houses, shops, eateries and cafes. The VA Film Festival comes to Charlottesville once a year. But city itself is centered around the university. I am getting used to it, but it's hard to imagine myself living in this kind of places for more than several years.</p>
<p>I'm from northern CA, but I'm going to school in Oklahoma City. Besides the typical Bible-beltness of it, I actually havent found it to be that different. Oklahoma City and San Jose are fairly similar (both mostly suburban w/ a small downtown, similar weather besides OK's wind, similar stores, etc). The people in OKC are a lot more friendly, though. Really, I'm glad I'm experiencing OK, because I never would have gone there otherwise, and it's not a bad place.</p>
<p>I think when I speak of UVA, I am referring to the relative South. But anyway, I have not even been to the ghetto parts in Southern VA. I can only imagine it to be worse in the deep south. I don't think I'll ever be able to live in TN, AL, WV or AK at all!</p>
<p>Im from Nor-Cal, currently living in a town called Sugar Land which is about 30 min southwest of Houston. Im gaining residency to go to UT-Austin next year. The town is pretty sweet, it was voted the #3 place to live by CNN/Money Magazine this year, but it trys much to hard to be hip and chill like back in the Wine Country where I used to live. I HATE the weather here, its still hot and humid and its almost Christmas! Its disgusting. </p>
<p>I really like the political views down here, which are way different than the liberal views in Cali. Its weird seeing pro-Bush bumper stickers than the usual "I HATE BUSH" or "IMPEACH BUSH" stickers back in California. </p>
<p>I would say, in this area, the people are just as chill as back home, but probably only because there is more money around here than anywhere else in Texas.</p>
<p>If you want to see funky, liberal sub-cultures in the NE try New Haven, CT or Cambridge, MA. The area around Amherst College is also fairly liberal.</p>
<p>C'ville is far from a big city, I assume you knew that before you chose to come here.</p>
<p>and there is more to the East Coast than the NORTH East. South Carolina is also on the East Coast, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't feel like NYC there either. And I'm pretty sure two hours away from Boston or NYC it doesn't feel like downtown Boston or NYC also. You aren't going to school in a big city. You are however, going to school in a very nice place. There are rural ghetto areas in NY and PA and such too.</p>
<p>Saying there's nothing in VA except for DC (which is not in Virginia, btw) is like saying "there's nothing in NY except for NYC, so aside from 20 square miles, the whole state sucks!"</p>
<p>There probably are less illegals at UVA than in California, that is most likely true.</p>
<p>And I like how you classify liberal as the "better" political view.</p>
<p>It's good to get out of your bubble and experience some different parts of the country.</p>
<p>firewalker has... a very simplified view of the state. The crappy parts are wherever you are not. Clever.</p>
<p>^Yeah, I'm kind of inclined to agree with the devil's advocate. If you thought Charlottesville was like Boston...uh...I mean, you must have not really looked too closely into it, yeah? Also, I wouldn't really consider UVa "south". That would be South Carolina and etc. It's true, racially it's not very diverse. It's true, the people there are mostly preppy. But that's not a factor of it being on the East Coast and southern - UVa doesn't have a rep as a jock school for nothing. At the same time, open up your mind a little bit - just because a person likes to dress up makes them "conservative" and "conformist"? So now a girl can't wear a dress to class? I mean, I'm as liberal as they come, but it seems like you're focusing on all the wrong things. I think what you are really experiencing is a culture shock from liberal city ---> moderate small town, not West ---> East. Welcome to life in the suburbs. The only difference between an East Coast prep and a West Coast prep is East coasters dress with class ;).</p>
<p>Nothing in VA except DC? Yeah, ok. I guess by the same token you could say there's nothing in Northern California except for San Francisco? And Northern California is a lot bigger than VA!</p>
<p>I live in Maryland, smack between two metros, Baltimore and DC. I feel people here are at once real, ambitious, and cosmopolitan. And that is NOT the Northeast. I'm also of the mind that North Carolina is one of the best states in the U.S.; the beaches are 10X better than anything in at least half of Cali, and the people there are just as laid back, but they've also got that southern hospitality going on.</p>
<p>I've been to Southern Cal and quite frankly the people almost seemed more fake/materialistic...but what I've learned is that people are people wherever you go. If you walked onto the USC campus and then onto UVa, do you think USC would be better? Maybe the rich sorority girls there won't be wearing pearls and sundresses to class, but I bet the attitude is the same. Open up your mind a bit, and realize we're more alike than we are different :D.</p>
<p>In 8 months, I'm moving out of Cali to go to college in New York City yay!!!!!~~~~ Go NYU!!! Woohoo!!! </p>
<p>Anyways, I quite frankly didn't like the west coast at all. I guess I'm not a big fan of beaches...I guess I'm more of an urban NYC kind of guy.</p>
<p>Well obviously DC isn't part of VA. I was just saying that within the vicinity of UVA, the nearest city would probably be DC where lots of things happen. I just don't find that living in VA appeals to me at all. I like New York a lot, but then again it's a big city and the atmosphere feels really different from the laid-back style in California.</p>