<p>I am a student living in NZ and I wanna do a transfer next year, I have to pick three options, and I hadn’t even thought of Oklahoma before I researched but now that I am I’m really interested in it! I would be transferring for the whole academic year and I was just wondering if you could give me some information on living, both on campus and off campus? thanks :)</p>
<p>It can be hard in the US to get access to watch All Blacks matches, but the internet can help in that regard. :)</p>
<p>@woolscarves and @whenhen can give you the best info here on life in Norman.</p>
<p>wow you know about the all blacks? I’m not meaning to be rude but in my universities reviews from students who have been to USA they say the main cultural barrier is that most people thought new zealand was fictional or part of australia! hahaha I’m sure my dad would keep me in the loop just fine with the all blacks anyway! 
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<p>Oh great yeah atm I’m deciding my options between TAMU and OU, Ive looked up campus vibe for each surrounding area but I can’t really find in depth detail so I’m asking on here about about living there because I’m more their for the experience rather than what universities have higher rankings etc! Also I wouldn’t be 21 and after a year of being able to get into clubs every weekend I’m hoping there is nightlife in Norman for under 21s? and also do you have to be in a sorority to go to those parties? thanks :)</p>
<p>Oh I just realised you are the person who replied on my other thread about college station! </p>
<p>The second paragraph in my last comment is directed to @WoolScarves and @whenhen! Sorry its really hard to choose where to live for a year without actually going there! So yeah just information about what you can do, during the days and nightlife, and do people hang out at the campus a lot or do they hang in their dorms? Also is travelling to other states a hassle by plane from Norman? If I went on a weekend road trip would there be a lot to see around Oklahoma? </p>
<p>Upperclassmen (2nd years and above at OU) have the option of living in the dorms, on campus apartments known as Traditions, or private off campus housing. Personally as someone who worked for an apartment rental company I’d recommend either living in an apartment complex specifically geared towards college students, choosing the technically on campus Traditions (the university gives priority to internationals), or opting for a dorm if you’re willing to sacrifice space and having your own room and kitchen for proximity to campus. Do not go for private housing or mixed use complexes since as an international you will face far more rental hassles than most domestic students. </p>
<p>There are plenty of apartment parties around OU and the hosts almost never care about guests’ ages (assuming everyone is in college and not crashing from say, Norman North High School). Though it’s easier to find out about frat parties if you’re in a sorority, many non Greeks attend them. Usually non affiliated students find out about them via friends in Greek life. Bars are typically for those over 21, unless you decide to be one of the many OU students with a fake ID (extremely risky for an international). The two IAC (International Advisory Committee) parties I’ve attended were also pretty fun and had a much better balance between drinking and dancing than most frat parties I’ve been to.</p>
<p>Oh right yeah I was thinking of staying at off-campus apartments for students! I had a look at the ones I think you might of posted about such as crimson and the edge and the stinson one and they all looked really good and reasonable priced and also because I want American friends. A lot of the reviews from NZ people who went to USA said that if they stayed in international housing they ended up being friends with only international students and I wanna have a mixture! I don’t think i’d do the whole dorm thing again because thats what I have done this year and I loved it but thats because the girl I was sharing with I had known for 10 years and we had our own bathroom and kitchen, also I’m sick of dorm food! </p>
<p>Okay thats really good to hear that there is stuff going on apart from clubs and bars. I don’t care that I wouldn’t have access to alcohol I’m kinda sick of it and can have a fun time without it! No way would I get a fake ID the uni I am at is very serious about not breaking any laws (understandably lol) overseas otherwise you have to come home. Okay thats cool to hear about the IAC parties! I am so excited! </p>
<p>What were your other options and what made you choose OU? :)</p>
<p>By the way, when you say you’d be transferring for the full academic year, does that mean you’d be studying abroad in an American college for a year, while still getting your final degree from your original NZ university? Or would you actually be transferring to an American school for the duration of your studies? If it’s the latter, keep in mind that both A&M and OU have general education requirements which all students must complete before graduating. From my understanding, this is different than what most universities in other countries require of their students and one of the reasons why American degrees almost always take four plus years to complete.</p>
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I had quite a few options regarding college since I could afford to go anywhere in the country. My final transfer choices came down to the University of Arizona, Montana State (which I’m actually working for right now), the University of Vermont, and the University of Oklahoma. I ended up choosing OU for the following reasons; guaranteed admission, great geology, excellent transfer advising, a variety of other strong programs were I to change my mind, good Jewish life for being in the Southwest, large size, a nice college town within easy driving distance of a respectable city, and a general desire to be in another part of the country I hadn’t seen. Were I to go back in time, I would probably choose Montana State or CU Boulder simply because I love the outdoors.</p>
<p>Also, it’s very easy to have fun at OU without drinking, especially if you get involved with various clubs. Even if you don’t, there are a ton of ways to stay occupied. For instance, OU’s Union Programming Board hosts a ton of [url=<a href=“http://www.ou.edu/content/upb.html]events[/url”>Union Programming Board]events[/url</a>] every weekend. There are also cultural nights, musical theater performances (OU’s school of MT is awesome), coffee shop performances, etc. You can also try to join the OU Daily, do volunteer work throughout greater OKC area, or just go to random places in OK with friends (my RA frequently went hiking/ mountain biking in the Eastern OK state parks on her weekends.</p>
<p>Yes so I would still be enrolled in my NZ university and I would take classes at the American university and find the equivalent classes at my Uni and the credit I got at the American Uni would go towards my degree in NZ :)</p>
<p>Right thats interesting to know thanks! Yeah I enjoy the outdoors thats why I definitely want a place with nice weather! Another thing Im finding quite difficult, as I have to pick three options, is whether I should put options that are cheaper to live (Texas and Oklahoma) so I can go on lots of weekend trips and spring break holidays etc. or choose somewhere like UCSB where its more expensive but more like a holiday destination anyway so wouldn’t do the whole weekend trips all the time etc. What would your opinions be on that?</p>