<p>Oh, my goodness ... I must have been in some kind of drug induced stupor each time I visited Greenville ... because I thought it was a little slice of heaven! :) I will miss my visits.</p>
<p>D is a midwesterner who attended one southern school & is transferring to another southern school. She certainly has noticed the cultural differences (and has been ribbed about the strange vowel sounds of the midwestern dialect). However, she has never been anything but comfortable & happy in the south. </p>
<p>For southerners coming north, I doubt they would feel uncomfortable ... but it will be an adjustment. Let's see ... cold weather, snow, faster/more aggressive drivers, folks might seem less friendly (not that they are ... they are just more reserved in some northern areas), that type of thing.</p>
<p>I live in Michigan and went to Georgia for college. I loved the weather, the Southern hospitality, and didn't feel "discriminated against" at all. I think being from the North actuallly helped me make friends since I am about the only person there from the North and they like to listen to my accent!</p>
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<p>CAngel: I've only met one lady my entire life who sounded like she had come from Tara; she lived right in the heart of Mountain Brook!<<</p>
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<p>Yeah, yeah, yeah, all those nouveau riche in MB - they think they are supposwed to sound that way ;).</p>
<p>My Ohio boy will be starting his junior year at Rhodes in a couple of weeks and he has loved it! I have to admit that he has bought into the plaid shorts and pastel golf shirts, but he does look cute in them. His roomate, from rural Georgia, does get some good natured grief from my son due to his liberal use of the word "fixin'". An example being: "Are you fixin' to go eat soon?" My son's standard reply being "No, I am actually going to eat." Seriously, his friends at Rhodes are from all over; Texas, Missouri, Colorado, Maine, Indiana, Georgia, and some from right there in Memphis. It has been a great experience.</p>
<p>One of my favorite new expressions from my W&L General is the liberal use of the phrase "yes ma'am". She's always been a polite child and young adult, but this takes the cake.</p>
<p>This summer we were vacationing at a resort in New England, from the Southeast. There were a group of teens that my son was hanging around with, and most of them were from Conn. They were teasing my son about his southern accent and how he "shouldn't forget to feed the chickens!" (in a nice way, S said) H and I had to laugh because we're from the NY area and don't think our son has a southern accent at all!</p>
<p>Motherdear: we teach our children to say yes ma'am when they are little. The teachers expect it, even the ones from the north. </p>
<p>Cincimom: what makes more sense? The more verbose "I am getting ready to go eat," or "I'm fixin' to go eat"? It's just easier and quicker.</p>
<p>CAngel: the lady that sounded like Scarlet was actually in her 60's...nothing nouveau about her...she was OLD money!! The exact expression she said is still w/ me nearly 25 years later: "I just luuuuuv aaaahhh paaaahhhty. And aaaaahhh just luuuuuuvvv Leeeeeeee. It's juuuuuust lovleeeee to haaave ahhh paaahty foa Leeeeeeee." (It was Lee's engagement party).</p>
<p>My daughter's teacher this past year in 6th grade asked that everyone use "yes sir" when answering him. Then he paused, and said, 'How many of you are from the North?" and 50% of the class raised their hands. He said, "OK, 'yes please' will suffice!."</p>
<p>I know of a few kids from the northeast and mid-atlantic states who chose to go to schools in Fla ( Flagler and University of Miami ) and High Point in NC and have had a hard time adjusting to the culture clash.
Don't know of any southerners that have had issues going north.</p>
<p>What about northerners at southern state schools that limit the number of OOS students, like UNC Chapel Hill? Is it harder then when almost everyone is from in-state?</p>
<p>Being from the ultra-casual Pacific Northwest, the culture clash is a concern for us. NO ONE says, "yes, sir" or "yes, ma'am" up here unless they're in the military. Kids call their friends parents by their first names. Heck, they call some teachers by their first names. It worries D, as she's considering both U Alabama and Auburn.</p>
<p>My kids aren't in college yet, but I have some personal experience. I grew up in the northeast, went to college in the northeast and then went to law school at the University of Virginia. There was no discrimination of which I was aware, but I was in culture shock for the first semester. Etiquette was different, comfort with directness was different, speech was different (I had a really hard time with understanding southern accents and sayings) and to an extent, treatment of and ideas about the role of women was different. The differences never went away, but I got used to them after a few months. I was surprised, because there were a lot of people at UVa from the DC area, which I've never viewed as the south, but there were still plenty of southerners. Even during my period of culture shock, though, I was happy and comfortable there.</p>
<p>My daughter went to school in Alabama last year - her roommate was from Macon GA - I was chatting with her as we were getting moved in and she kept saying "Yes, Ma'am" and "No, ma'am". After about 5 times I said "Honey, you don't have to call me Ma'am. Really, and by the way my name is xxx(my first name ). Okay?"
Her reply - "Yes, Ma'am".</p>
<p>Funny, I've been reading this thread since it started and it didn't occur to me until today that my son (native Pennsylvanian) attends a Southern school! He just never talks about that aspect of it at all.</p>
<p>I don't think he had much of a culture shock. The location (small town, not too far from a city) is pretty much like home. I think kids that go from city to country or vice-versa may have a ruder awakening.</p>
<p>Well we have that, too. From the Greater Seattle Metropolitan area to...Tuscaloosa?</p>
<p>Amazingly, my very timid child is not as apprehensive about it as I first thought. She reminded me of the first time she went to sleep over camp (7 years old). She was fine; did not miss us a bit. She said going away to college will be like that only...she doesn't have to come home so soon.</p>
<p>The GFG - My D went to UGA and back in 2001, only 11% were from OOS. I think it is pretty much the same now. We are from Massachusetts and she didn't have any major problems. She did get a kick out of some things (snow days when the grass was still showing, for example), but she had a very easy adjustment. We live in a fairly diverse community, so she adjusts well to a variety of lifestyles and cultures (think Catholic girl explaining a Bar Mitzvah to her new friends). All in all, I could not have asked for a better educational experience for her.</p>
<p>This is weather-related. Last month we took D on campus tours throughout Florida. It was HOT and HUMID but D had a light jacket or sweater handy and used it frequently.</p>
<p>I assume your D used the sweater/light jacket inside, where the air conditioning makes it about as cold as northern winters?! My D always carries a sweater to class so she doesn't freeze.</p>
<p>Laughing - sure the cultures are different but that can be a good thing. Moved from Mass. To NC 17 years ago and the only folks who ever have trouble are people who try to change things before they understand things Âwe did it better up north and you should do it that way too - because itÂs betterÂ. But most college students come to learn, not to criticize, so I have never seen that as a problem.
The two issues that I have seen come up for students are:
Religion - students moving from the north may be surprised at how much religion is a force in the south and will want to personally check out any small college - many have a religious affiliation that extends heavily into the student culture. Most schools and students are very welcoming but one we visited said we are very independent and our teachers will treat everyone the same, but our students often attend services together and will naturally want you to join in. (who would want to be viewed as an outsider for 4 years).
Misunderstood Politeness - My son was raised as a gentlemen and says yes Sir/MaÂam and holds doors open for other people. I have realized over time that when I have contact with his host or teacher from the north that I need to let them know that his politeness is not an Âact but who he is. Without this notice I have seen his politeness mistaken for Âtrying to pull something over on someone by faking politeness - how sad Once people get that his manners are real, they love him But the misconception that polite = sly is a interesting cultural difference.</p>