<p>I can answer the original question for you. I grew up in Mississippi but I would have never gone to Ole Miss because it doesn't suit me. Ole Miss is VERY old south. The girls still dress up in dresses and heels for football games. Greek life is HUGE (and I was Greek at another Southern school...but it wasn't nearly as dominant). The stereotypical Ole Miss coed is one who is looking for her MRS rather than her B.S. Future trophy wives abound. </p>
<p>Is this true of everyone who attends? Absolutely not. There were some intelligent and great people from my high school who went there (some who fit the above mold and several more who were very far from it). It has the reputation of being the snooty school in the state because it has both the med and law schools and many of the state's wealthiest citizens send their kids there. MSU is known for their vet school, engineering, and ag programs while USM is known mainly for their liberal arts and education programs.</p>
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And I will believe what I choose considering that I lived in Florida for many years. Florida is not Southern.
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<p>Some parts of Florida are going to have more displaced Northerneres...and others won't. It all depends on where you're at and the area's draw to old people from New Hampshire. I assume you haven't lived in all of Florida? Haha. The other posters are right...you don't cross a border and suddenly become "not Southern".</p>
<p>My grandparents lived in Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina for different parts of their life, and so I consider them just as "Southern" as you, and they feel right at home in Florida.</p>
<p>You seem to be getting pretty defensive. I think it's obvious that a state as large as Florida will have different pockets of communities. For the record they live north of Gainesville, which I guess is Northern-Centralish Florida. Which doesn't make it Tallahassee, but maybe that explains it? Or maybe not.</p>
<p>Don't get all self-righteous calling yourself Southern. I may have been born and raised in Maryland (middle state! ha!), but my family was born and raised in the South (North Carolina)...so I think I know Southern when I see it. Unless North Carolina isn't Southern, either? Are you going to say you lived in Duck all of your life and that's not "Southern"?</p>
<p>Any reasonable person will admit the obvious; the movement of northerners into southern states, particularly Virginia, N. Carolina, Georgia and Florida and urbanization has dramatically affected the old culture. Fairfax, Durham-Chapel Hill, the North Atlanta suburbs and South Florida plus Orlando are "new communities" but their respective states remain "southern" characteristically.</p>
<p>as a Fairfax resident, I'd say that transience has affected the northern Virginia area greatly. Most of the short-time residents are from further north, and since there is a lot of turnover there isn't really a distinct 'culture' anywhere in the Greater Washington area. However, northern Virginia is clearly distinct from Maryland or DC.</p>
<p>Generally, people who have lived in the area longer will tend to be more Southern. There are two highways named after General Lee in Fairfax, and Fairfax City has a Confederate soldier on the city flag. There is an active chapter of SCV in the city, etc etc.</p>
<p>I myself fly a Confederate flag and mispronounce the pledge every morning at school (what's one "in-" anyway?) This isn't as uncommon as one might think, even in a transient area.</p>
<p>Dudedad, having lived in Florida since 1968, I would generally categorize Florida in this fashion: </p>
<p>The coasts of Florida east of I-95 on the east coast and west of I-75 on the west coast (except the stretch above Tampa to just outside Panama City) & the Orlando/Gainsville areas are very northern-influenced in many ways. </p>
<p>The rest of the state is quite full of Old Southern charm. </p>
<p>But even in our small part of Florida (Cape Coral/Fort Myers), you still find pockets of the Old South.</p>
<p>I agree with you, and I'm glad you excluded the coast from Tampa Bay north. Had you said that Cedar Key isn't old Florida, I would have just laughed.</p>
<p>I'm not so sure I agree with you about Gainesville. Head even a few miles west of Gainesville and you'll be in strongly rural country that's definitely old Florida. In fact, the entire highway 27 corridor from Gainesville to Tally is just about as old, rural South as it gets.</p>
<p>I certainly agree with you that many parts of the South have changed. I've come to think of the Old South starting at Fredericksburg, VA. North of there is the DC area. As for Raleigh/Durham ... well ... certainly there are many cosmopolitan pockets, but the area is surrounded by old tobacco farm country that is Jesse Helms territory. In fact, Helms was famous in that part of NC because he was a commentator on WRAL 5 in Raleigh.</p>
<p>[sarcasm] It's good to note southern racism because otherwise readers on this forum might not remember slavery and the civil rights movement. Also, since we all know that racism in America only exists in the south, it's good to point it out. Thanks. [/sarcasm]</p>
<p>Have you all noticed how we Southerners have felt the need to establish our southern pedigrees and how we alll think WE definitely know what's south and what's not?
In a strange way, I appreciate all of this--what other part of the country is so intent on differentiating itself from the rest of the U.S. (ok, maybe Texas is!)? </p>
<p>The great part about being southern, whether you're from a rural area or a big city, is that we all pride ourselves on our friendliness and helpfulness. IMO, Southern hospitality is alive and well.</p>
<p>I used to want to get out of FL so bad, but then I realized that I'm just as southern as the rest of my family... Maybe I don't have an accent, but my mannerisms are all southern, haha.</p>
<p>My great uncles bought the land for and started dixie county... the lovely cross city, the most hick town I know of, is in this great county. Hahah... random factoid.</p>
<p>Been to Cross City many times. Also stomped around in metropolises like Perry, Mayo, Branford, Steenhatchie, Live Oak, and the super metropolis of Lake City?</p>
<p>What about Ole Miss alumni Sheppard Smith of Fox News? When he was profiled on another network a few months ago, he was at the pre-grame party vs. Georgia, carrying on about the tradition of frat boys in neck-ties, sorority girls in dresses at the game. It was hilarious to watch him fidget during the football game itself, complaining that "apparently Georgia never holds, because the refs never call holding on Georgia!" And he wasn't smiling.</p>