When I first made the migration from New Jersey to Charlottesville two years ago, the Virginian culture seemed inconceivably Southern to me. While I have cousins in North Carolina, my ventures south of the Mason-Dixon line were rare, and my family vacations mostly took me north or east of my home state. So, coming to Virginia, I was apprehensive about giving up my Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwiches for grits and was relatively horrified to discover that people here consider Domino’s real pizza. However, two years later, I’ve come to realize that Virginia’s culture, or at least the one surrounding the University, is not so different than the culture I grew up in. And the slang that I was completely unfamiliar with when moving to this state are now part of my daily lingo.
I am all-too familiar with NOVA
During my first few weeks of first year when my professors would urge us to go around the room and share where we’re from, I was shocked to hear that so many of my fellow students were transfers from Villanova University. I quickly learned that my classmates actually weren’t talking about the Pennsylvania college — with a basketball team I would come to detest — but a region in Virginia that sends an overwhelming number of students to the University.
Now, having friends from McLean, Alexandria, Vienna and across Fairfax County, I am well-acquainted with the formerly-illusive concept of NOVA. I’ve visited Great Falls. I’ve been to Tyson’s Corner. I’ve driven past my friends’ alma mater, Episcopal High School. And I now understand the charm of the area and why so many University students are proud to call it home.
There are actually beaches in Virginia
I’ve never considered myself an expert in the field of geography, so I was fairly surprised when I learned that Virginia is a coastal state. Since my first impression of Virginia was rural Charlottesville with its rolling hills and never-ending farmland, I wrongfully assumed that the scene I saw was representative of the whole state — especially coming from a place where most of the state borders the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, the largest city in Virginia is Virginia Beach, a strip of coastline that attracts a booming population of tourists every summer from across the East Coast.
Now, having over 10 fraternity brothers from Virginia Beach, I’ve learned that “VB culture” is just as much a part of the University and state of Virginia as is suburban NOVA culture. Surfing is a necessary survival skill, with long-boarding its inland equivalent at the University. Now I know that the shaggy-haired guy wearing board shorts and Vans walking around Grounds my first year most likely hailed from the great city of Virginia Beach. And while I haven’t made a trip down to Virginia’s coast, it’s inevitable that I will get there before my tenure at the University is up — a vital step in my initiation to be a true Virginian.
Winter exists here
I’ll admit that I am not the biggest fan of cold weather in my everyday life. While I’m an avid skier and used to negative temperatures in the appropriate setting, I prefer short winters to the drawn-out ones that I am accustomed to at home. So, moving to the South, I was elated by the idea that my favorite season, fall, would be longer and that the cold would come later and depart faster. However, although my friends from Boston may disagree, my first two winters in Charlottesville have been no relief from the frigid North. Temperatures have hovered around 20-degrees for longer than I’d like, and students are seen wearing Canada Goose parkas from late-November to mid-February.
Southern Comfort Food is as good as it sounds
While Virginia may not be as culturally southern as I had initially anticipated, it upholds the legacy of southern food for which it is so well-renowned. I was originally fearful about letting go of authentic sushi — which is what most of my diet consists of at home — I found that southern food from across Charlottesville and on the Corner was a fair replacement. From BBQ pulled pork from The Virginian to chicken-fried steak from the Local to biscuits and gravy from the Bluegrass Grill, there is no shortage of southern-style food to make you feel better after a long weekend of going out. However, Virginia seriously needs to work on its pizza.
Looking back on my two years at the University, I’ve realized that my misconceptions about the state of Virginia were somewhat unfounded. So to those first years still wondering why all the Villanova transfers went to the same high school, don’t worry. This University has become a place that I know and love, and I think it’s safe to say I have fully assimilated to the Virginia culture that was new to me not too long ago. That being said, the Northeast will always be my true home.
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