So I’m currently in college but am thinking about transferring to UGA. I love everything about the school, except I’m not sure how “southern” it is. I’m born and raised in upstate NY and don’t do well with country music, bless her heart, Paula Deen kind of southern. I’m afraid I’ll get there and not fit in. Anyone who’s currently or recently attended (esp northerners) how did you find you fit in and is it a very southern type of school or mixed?
While I’m not enrolled at the moment (was accepted early, will attend fall 2015), UGA is a liberal environment (as with most colleges). It’s actually filled with many non-stereotypically southern students, since the Metro Atlanta area isn’t very southern.
I moved here from Miami, FL, which is considered northern and akin to New York (i.e. extremely liberal, no hint of southern influence, etc.). I still fit right in at high school, minus a few cultural differences that aren’t really that big of a deal. More so just interesting.
Country music is big here, so you’ll have to get used to hearing it every so often. I know I did.
I think you’ll do just fine. Northern Georgia (which includes UGA/Athens), from my experience, is one of the least southern places amongst the southern states.
If you want southern, head to Alabama or even Tennessee. They’re more southern than the Metro Atlanta area, haha.
From a Georgia native, UGA is a huge mixing pot. You will have no problem fitting in. Like the poster above, I am entering UGA Fall 2015, but I’ve visited a few times and it is completely NOT southern. The most southern people are in frats and sororities, but Greeks only make up 20% of the school.
I actually disagree with the poster above me in the country music thing. You hear it every once and a while yes, but UGA is actually known for having a big indie/alternative music scene as well. I currently live in Cobb County which,by itself if far far far from “southern”, and I don’t hear country music at all except for when my store manager plays it. Maybe the above poster lives a bit more south than I do, since my city is adjacent to Athens.
I think the “southern” you are thinking of with Paula Dean and such is way more south in Savannah, Georgia.
UGA and Clarke County itself are some of the more liberal places in the state and I believe you will fit in just fine.
I actually live in Gwinnett. My comment regarding country music may have been a hyperbole.
I added that tidbit regarding country music since, like the OP, I came from a very northern place. Well, kind of northern, since Miami is northern in culture, but not geographically. I never heard country music there growing up. Ever. So to even hear it occasionally on the streets or see country music festivals and what not qualifies as a “big deal” to someone like me 
And also like the OP, I’m not a fan of country music either.
^ I’ve only been to Florida a few times but yeah, they are definitely not southern…I mean they have gay marriage…although so does Alabama now… and soon all states will!
And country music is the worst… You will definitely have to travel to Texas or Tennessee for that.
Athens is supposed to be a great college town.
@camover Actually, the northern parts of Florida may as well be called southern Georgia, since that’s essentially what it is. It’s only from Orlando and southward that Florida is liberal/Northern.
And yes, Athens is a fantastic college town. There are plenty of restaurants right next to the campus. Athens nightlife is also well-known to be tons of fun.
In the UGA 2019 Facebook group, I’ve seen plenty of kids coming from the north (and even the west coast!), so don’t worry OP. I’m sure you’ll fit right in.
While naturally UGA and Athens exhibit more cultural diversity than many Georgia towns, I think some well-intentioned southerners on this thread are laying it on a bit thick, bless their hearts. 
We’re Canadian in origin, but have resided more than 10 years now in Cobb County (mentioned above as “far far far from southern”) and D is at UGA. Note that only 14% of UGA’s intake (latest figures from https://www.admissions.uga.edu/prospective-students/first-year/fy-profile) is from outside Georgia. That’s not all that much diversity. The mainstream culture and values of UGA undergrads are those of the middle class southern homes in which the large majority of them were raised. Conservative, in other words. UGA is a good university and open-minded northerners might very well enjoy attending there and experiencing a different part of the US. I’m not at all saying don’t do it; just trying to provide some balance.
Postscript: I find Cobb County plenty southern. Sure, one doesn’t have to subsist on sweet tea and biscuits here, and the accents are not overpowering, but those are superficial things. It’s the culture and opinions that remind you this isn’t California or New England, that’s for sure.
@weatherga I still stand by my previous posts. It’s not that southern here, since the metro Atlanta area is quite liberal relative to surrounding counties
Conservative? Yes. But certainly not to the extent that we’ve come to expect from the stereotypical South. Enough to not feel uncomfortable to northerners.
But regardless, OP, whether it’s majority conservative or liberal, I’m positive you’ll find people who you’ll fit in with just fine 