Are Northern Girls Really Different from Southern Girls?

[DawnCt1]

One of my nieces started college at East Carolina University in the fall. She loved the campus, the classes, etc. In the beginning she was homesick but seems to have gotten over that part....perhaps. That said, she has reapplied to a university that she was initially accepted to here in the north east. Her excuse, Southern girls are different from northern girls. She has made some friends there. Some girls go home for the weekend, etc but her complaint is, even the girls she is friends with are "different". She hasn't really been out of New England, except for short vacations. I don't think she is particularly shy. One of her best friends from high school is attending the university that she wants to transfer to but she says "this isn't the reason" she wants to go. IMO, it is hard to believe that there are regional differences so big that they can't be transcended by being friendly. Any thoughts? If you are from the south, are northerners that different and visa versa?

 

[clgwli]

As someone who has traveled a lot I have noticed regional differences. Not saying one is good or bad but the biggest differences in regions to me would be between the NE and the SE. Midwesterners seem to be right in between. The rest of the regions are somewhere between as well. Not to say that all types are one way or another but there are obvious differences as a whole. At least to me there are. So I am not shocked she would want to transfer.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

My best friend moved south around the time we entered high school. She seemed to indicate that her friends down there were very different from those in the north. When we went away to college we'd call each other and compare the types of people who lived in our dorms. The whole attitude of her school seemed different from that I was familiar with in Michigan. Later, she started to become more like them herself, to the point where I barely recognized her as the girl I remembered.

So, I guess, I'd say yes.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

I don't really know a lot of Notherners, except my husband's family, so I can't say for sure. I haven't really traveled out of the South either. I do know that throughout the South, people are generally more friendly and open and honest.

 

[singingpixie]

I agree that there are definitely differences between the northeast and southeast. I went to college in Northern VA so we had a good mix, and I definitely gravitated toward girls from other regions besides the south. I dated a boy from southern VA (and his dad's family was originally from Mississippi), and with both his family and some of the southern girls in my dorm, I was a little bit uncomfortable.

I think what comes across to people who grew up in the south as friendly and open feels to some of us who grew up in the north as a bit forward- not a judgment on either side, it's just what you are used to and comfortable with. It takes me longer to open up to people (not that I'm rude or standoffish, just wait a bit longer at the "acquaintance" level before graduating to "best friends") and sometimes girls from the south put me a bit on edge. I know this caused a problem with my ex's mother and sisters, because they really wanted me to have hours-long conversations about every little thing, and I was like "but I've only met you three times!"

Not sure why the social norms differ that much regionally, but I definitely felt a difference.

 

[DawnCt1]

I don't really know a lot of Notherners, except my husband's family, so I can't say for sure. I haven't really traveled out of the South either. I do know that throughout the South, people are generally more friendly and open and honest.

That has been my impression so it makes me wonder, what is wrong with that? I did say to her that she will be saying goodbye to friends she won't see again. That gave her some hesitation when she first got home for Thanksgiving, but she has made up her mind.

 

[KyraS]

I have lived in the South my entire life but have traveled extensively throughout the US. The biggest difference to me is just the pace. Down here we speak to everyone, whether we know you or not if our eyes meet we probably will say hello. That doesn't happen often in the North. Also people up North seem to be sooooo much busier or go at a faster pace then we do down here. Not that any of that is a bad thing at all, it just seems to be the way it is. As someone who likes my privacy I wouldn't mind living in the North at all.................albeit without the busy part, LOL!

 

[chrisw127]

There are definitely small cultural differences. I did my first year of law school in DC and then transferred down to a southern school (before that, I'd lived in Tallahassee). The women is DC dressed more casually and didn't wear make-up to class. At my southern law school, the women dressed up everyday. They also had a tradition there of having "mixers" with the med school, which was basically an excuse to introduce the male med students to the female law students--they still do this. I dont' think you'd see this up north because it seems so old-fashioned, almost insulting, although a number of women ended up marrying guys they met there.

I notice that women who move to NC from up north take a while to pick up some of the cultural things. Little things, like punch. It's a joke that I have with a friend form Conn, but she swears only old people serve punch up north but here, if you go to a party (especially a shower), you're getting some punch. Or engraved stationery, which is huge here. Or thank you cards with your kids names printed on them. Things that are very common here. I always tell people you can tell where someone is from based on how quickly they get out a thank you card.

Really, I don't think the differences are huge and they certainly wouldn't make me want to live one place or the other, but they are there.

 

[clarabelle]

Hmm
I live in the south and I was born here -but half the people living here are not from the south.
I can't imagine that we are that different.
I have more friends that are not from GA than I do that are. I think it is that way it most cities here.

 

[hentob]

I don't really know a lot of Notherners, except my husband's family, so I can't say for sure. I haven't really traveled out of the South either. I do know that throughout the South, people are generally more friendly and open and honest.

I had to laugh at this

We recently returned from our first relocation visit to North Carolina. Lovely. I just LOVED the Winston Salem area. Greensboro Folks, you have a nice city too!!!

Over our several days there, we met with three realtors. All three of them made mention of how polite the Southern people were. By the time I heard it for the third time, I wanted to remind them it is not polite to tell others how polite you are I also wanted to tell one of them to stop talking with her mouth full.


People are people. Some are polite, some lack manners. Some are friendly, some are rude. Someone can hold a door open for a lady by day, and beat their wife by night. Again, people are people. North, south, east, west—Doesn’t matter

 

[mumom95]

One of my nieces started college at East Carolina University in the fall. She loved the campus, the classes, etc. In the beginning she was homesick but seems to have gotten over that part....perhaps. That said, she has reapplied to a university that she was initially accepted to here in the north east. Her excuse, Southern girls are different from northern girls. She has made some friends there. Some girls go home for the weekend, etc but her complaint is, even the girls she is friends with are "different". She hasn't really been out of New England, except for short vacations. I don't think she is particularly shy. One of her best friends from high school is attending the university that she wants to transfer to but she says "this isn't the reason" she wants to go. IMO, it is hard to believe that there are regional differences so big that they can't be transcended by being friendly. Any thoughts? If you are from the south, are northerners that different and visa versa?

I think there are differences, but that doesn't mean that they can't be transcended by being friendly. If people only became friends with people who were just like them, I think we'd all live a pretty lonely life.

 

[freckles and boo]

I have a friend who spent most of his youth growing up in the south. His complaint is that we northerners have no idea how to mosey.

 

[chrisw127]

I have lived in the South my entire life but have traveled extensively throughout the US. The biggest difference to me is just the pace. Down here we speak to everyone, whether we know you or not if our eyes meet we probably will say hello. That doesn't happen often in the North. Also people up North seem to be sooooo much busier or go at a faster pace then we do down here. Not that any of that is a bad thing at all, it just seems to be the way it is. As someone who likes my privacy I wouldn't mind living in the North at all.................albeit without the busy part, LOL!

I think that is absolutely true, but I will say that in many ways, I find the west coast to be the most friendly place in the US, particularly north of San Francisco.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

I notice that women who move to NC from up north take a while to pick up some of the cultural things. Little things, like punch. It's a joke that I have with a friend form Conn, but she swears only old people serve punch up north but here, if you go to a party (especially a shower), you're getting some punch. Or engraved stationery, which is huge here. Or thank you cards with your kids names printed on them. Things that are very common here. I always tell people you can tell where someone is from based on how quickly they get out a thank you card.

If there is a party, there WILL be punch! If it's a wedding there WILL be a groom's cake (which they don't do up north and my DH's family found totally baffling).

 

[freckles and boo]

People are people. Some are polite, some lack manners. Some are friendly, some are rude. Someone can hold a door open for a lady by day, and beat their wife by night. Again, people are people. North, south, east, west—Doesn’t matter

Sometimes southern sweetness can give you a stomach ache.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I find that southerners in general are more friendly than northeasterners. I'm uncomfortable with southerners. I prefer the company of rude speedtalkers.

 

[Mr Man]

"It's the drawl y'all".

Or, as the hoity toity say,

Diphthongization or triphthongization of the traditional short front vowels, my good fellows.

All else is commentary.

 

[clgwli]

I don't really know a lot of Notherners, except my husband's family, so I can't say for sure. I haven't really traveled out of the South either. I do know that throughout the South, people are generally more friendly and open and honest.

I will disagree with that. Both are honest IMO but the delivery is different. The SE is just slower and more gentle about it all. For some NE'ers that gives the idea of being fake. For SE'ers sometimes it gives the idea that NE'ers are rude. Neither is really that true. Honesty lies with the individual not with the region.

 

[singingpixie]

I find that southerners in general are more friendly than northeasterners. I'm uncomfortable with southerners. I prefer the company of rude speedtalkers.

Haha that's a good way to put it. I think I just like my space, so the friendliness kinda puts me off-balance. It's my problem, not theirs.

 

[c4a]

One of my nieces started college at East Carolina University in the fall. She loved the campus, the classes, etc. In the beginning she was homesick but seems to have gotten over that part....perhaps. That said, she has reapplied to a university that she was initially accepted to here in the north east. Her excuse, Southern girls are different from northern girls. She has made some friends there. Some girls go home for the weekend, etc but her complaint is, even the girls she is friends with are "different". She hasn't really been out of New England, except for short vacations. I don't think she is particularly shy. One of her best friends from high school is attending the university that she wants to transfer to but she says "this isn't the reason" she wants to go. IMO, it is hard to believe that there are regional differences so big that they can't be transcended by being friendly. Any thoughts? If you are from the south, are northerners that different and visa versa?

I have lived all over the country...and there are huge differences between the regions. And comparing New England to the South is comparing bread & fish. (Apples and oranges are at least both fruit. )

Examples-(now this is using Massachussets and Conneticut as examples because that is where I lived. No offense to either state or it's residents. Loved both dearly.) In the North-things are a lot faster paced. The expression "*&^% or get off the pot" origninated in Massachussets. People drive faster, talk faster, eat faster. Social groups of friends tend to be small but the friendships are extremely deep...friends that are family. People's views tend to be more liberal. When hanging out...there is more an emphesis on "What do you want to do?"

In the South things are much slower paced, people are more laid back. We drive slower, talk slower, even slow cook our food. Views tend to be more conservative. Social groups of friends tend to be on the large side (acquaintances). It is possible to be in a social group for years & not have that tight bond...even though you know that if need be those people would drop EVERYTHING to be there. When hanging out...there is more emphesis on "Who is going to be there?" In the South, family is family...and friends are friends-unless they are related to you.

Even our body types are vastly different. In the South..."blossuming" seems to happen earlier, women are prouder of their curves. The men are different, also. Take the most rude, arrogant, jerk & chances are...he won't cuss in front of a lady (and if he does...will say "excuse me"), says yes or no ma'am/sir, and they tend to be proud of being "mama's boys" cause she was the first woman to love him for himself.

No matter where she decides to go to school, I hope she finds happiness & deep friendships. (Bless her heart. )