<p>I went the other way - South to North. It wasn't a big deal. There were a lot of amusing arguments about coke vs. soda vs. pop, and I was astounded that people immediately pegged me as a Southerner because of my "accent", when all my life I had been notable for <em>not</em> having a Southern accent.</p>
<p>The big adjustment was the weather, really. I'm still adjusting to that, five years later. :)</p>
<p>I do find that there are those who make assumptions about Southerners' political beliefs, or living conditions in the South. But it hasn't been a big issue.</p>
<p>My son (a midwesterner) has friends from all over at Chicago; he attends a Derby Day party that two of his friends (from Kentucky and Georgia, I believe) host every year. As others have mentioned, the weather is a bit of a shock.</p>
<p>A big part of college, IMO, should be expanding ones horizons. While I would be hesitant to attend a very insular school (no matter its location), most of the schools we talk about here are pretty cosmopolitan. Go for it!</p>
<p>S is from Delaware and went to Elon in NC. No problems -- well, other than the fact that one of his friends from Maine has embraced his "inner southerner" to such an extent that his family is a bit concerned. He traded his old Honda clunker in for a pickup this summer. </p>
<p>Seriously, no issues that I am aware of. Elon has a hefty non-Southern contingent, though, so it doesn't surprise me.</p>
<p>While I don't think it's an issue of discrimination, it's definitely one of culture clash. At "Southern" schools - i.e., schools in the South that are culturally Southern (schools like Duke, Miami, and Emory are not) - you may find more of what some call a country club culture: Greek-dominated social lives, a certain element of status based upon family wealth or prominence, ethnic groups living non-hostile but parallel, rather than intersecting existences. With a daughter in college in Massachusetts, I've been delighted to find cultural insights there such as a clapping, swaying gospel choir that is no more than half African-American, and couples on campus of any ethnicity and either gender who draw no apparent looks from passersby. That wouldn't happen in the South.</p>
<p>On the other hand, no one in Massachusetts smiles at me and asks how I'm doing, even though we haven't met. That happens all the time in the South.</p>
<p>I went south to north, from Florida to Syracuse, New York. Usually, it's seen as a novelty that I'm from the south, and it's "cute" when I can't handle the weather or try to drive in the snow. No one ever thinks I'm a dumb southerner, and while most of the kids at our school come from New York and the surrounding states, I don't feel left out. It's interesting, a conversation piece, that I'm from Florida. </p>
<p>The only problem is when a lot of students come from the surrounding area, you may be left alone on weekends when students go home, especially at the beginning of freshman year.</p>
<p>mom3boys, I'm chuckling at your post! In 30 days, we will be delivering our personal sweet Georgia peach up to the wilds of PA--she does not have a notably southern accent, but knows the value of playing the "y'all" card to the hilt. She is looking forward to the weather--seeing it as an opportunity to make a cold weather fashion (and I use the word "fashion" VERY loosely)
statement. We have also laughed about the reverse provincialism of some of her future yankee classmates. One girl she has corresponded with asked her if we had fall foliage in Georgia. She realizes she's got some "eddicatin'" to do, but she's looking forward to it.</p>
<p>Son from New England had a great year in Virginia. Made friends from many states and really enjoyed the opprtunity to expand his horizons. Buddies made fun of his accent.
Funny story when we moved him in last year. We were at book store and I was looking for a pair of flip flops for daughter. Girl in check out line was wearing exactly what I was looking for and I asked her where she got them. She looked quite confused until I pointed to her feet. Her reply "Oh, you mean my thongs". Up here thongs are worn on a different part of the body!</p>
<p>We call them flipflops in VA. I haven't heard them called thongs since I was about 7 y.o. in suburban Boston. We used to wear rubber thongs to the pool or lake.</p>
<p>Came from Baltimore to Atlanta and had to get used to the croakies, seersuckers, bowties, and shorts above the knee (no cargo pockets either). Also, with people saying I had an accent!</p>
<p>Ya'll are mentioning schools like Rhodes Vandy Duke in the South that are already successfully geographically integrated. Don't forget that some southern colleges are still working to bring in students from other regions in higher numbers. My alma mater Furman is a very rigorous liberal arts school and is particularly thrilled to get good students from other parts of the USA...I think it is 30% South Carolinian now...so...consider yourself desired if you are interested in gorgeous weather 24/7 in the foothills of the beautiful mountain ranges near Asheville, NC just a 30 minute plus drive up the road...think Cold Mountain meets New South. Greenville is also very chic with downtown extremely cool and full of current trendy places to eat...these days with the Michelin plant and the BMW plant..there are thousands of German and French speakers in town now. Norma Rae and the textile industry defined my era there....OK Bob Jones is still in Greenville but what are you gonna do.</p>
<p>Sending my So. Cal boy to Massachusetts next month. He has never been to the snow, except for twice and that was over 10 years ago. I'm going to like to see how this turns out. And now I have to shell out for winter gear!!</p>
<p>My southern boy reported to West Point w/ his croakies--necessary to keep BCGs in place during physical training. BTW, here's an fyi--most educated southerners can keep the accent under control...we pull it out to suit our needs, mostly because y'all think it's "so cute." I've never met anyone who said, "Why, fiddle dee dee." However, I know several who say, "frankly, I don't give a d---!"
While northern schools have the reputation of being more "open minded," we try to gently remind our children to not be so open minded that their brains fall out. Aren't we lucky to live in a country with so many great choices for education?</p>
<p>Faline, while downtown Greenville is very cosmopolitan, you certainly can't call the weather gorgeous. Oppressively hot, humid, and buggy. Snakes falling out of trees. When I visit, I eventually get used to the slower pace. But not the heat & strange critters that are as common there as squirrels are in NJ!</p>
<p>stickershock, I respectfully disagree re Greenville weather. Greenville is Upper Piedmont weather..have you ever spent time hiking just a few miles up the road in those retirement villages just up the road from Furman as you approach the NC line...crammed full of escaping Floridians in the summers..Tuxedo, Seneca, Brevard, Asheville, etc...the mountains make the weather very temperate for the south. In fact, there are quite a lot of Floridians at Furman whose parents find second homes just north of there. On the other hand, Columbia, SC and wonderful Charleston, SC...get out the linen and prepare sweat or "glow" 24/7 in the summers. Summer in Wmsburg, VA and in DC and Baltimore is much more humid, muggy and oppressive than summer in Greenville which while hot...is on a major interstate but is actually culturally and "weather" tied to all those drop dead beautiful camps in the Brevard and Asheville, NC Pisgah Forest regions. Never saw a snake there...goodness! My husband was raised in Berkeley Hgts, NJ and I also grew up a good bit of my life in that sweltering muggy Potomac region. Greenville has blissful looooong springs and autumns. Even where I live now in VA...spring or as we complain "mud" season, lasts about two weeks and takes a very long time to show up.</p>
<p>Faline is absolutely correct about Greenville!! A jewel of a place with great weather - ok it's hot right now, but most of the time it's delightful. It is NOT Charleston weather.</p>
<p>churning...good luck. Quite a few Socal kids have trouble adjusting and it is not just the cold weather. Many of our friends kids have come "home" after 1 year of college and transferred to a a Socal college. We sort of live in a "bubble" out here, but each kid is different. PM me if you want more clarification as I don't want to offend anyone on a public forum such as this.</p>
<p>InTheBiz, I understand the snakes falling from the trees reference. SS just has her geography off a bit. ;) I am a south Georgia boy. All us redneck chillun' used to paddle the john-boat up the sloughs back home fishing. When the slough got narrow enough, the branches that hangover the water would be hanging over the boat. The moccasins would be in the branches. Sometimes they would fall in the boat. The choices at those moments were never that good. Snake in the boat. Snakes and gators in the water. Aaah, fishing. So relaxing. ;)</p>
<p>My geography is just fine, Curmudgeon. I have in-laws living in Greenville & have visited many times. (BMW relocation for one family, as a matter of fact.) Huge snake skins found in their attics. (Leaving the house inhabitants with nightmares --"He left his skin, but where the heck is the snake!!!") Huge snakes falling from trees in their ultra-ritzy suburban backyards. Gnats buzzing around one's head the moment you step outdoors. Just not my thing, I guess. My Greman in-law, raised in a very northern district in Germany, has surprisingly adapted well to the heat.</p>