What it’s like being a Jersey girl at Clemson

Moving away from home to go to college is an absolutely terrifying experience for anyone, but moving away from my smallest of small towns in New Jersey to Clemson University in the heart of the southland was a level of fear I had never experienced before. Even though I’ve grown to absolutely love it here, it definitely took some getting used to.

This is what’s it’s like being a Jersey girl in the southern world.

The dress code ranges from sham to glam on any given day

Back in New Jersey, if you showed up to class – or even the grocery store – in a t-shirt that was about three sizes too big with a pair of Nike shorts, people would assume you were either in your pajamas or it was laundry day. In the South, especially on Clemson’s campus, that attire is what you’ll see 90% of girls walking around in on a warm day.

The strangest part about that? The outfit is always complete with perfectly done hair and a full face of make-up.

College football is not a game, it’s a way of life

Saturdays in the fall down South are meant for two things: tailgating and college football. While the Philadelphia Eagles are whom I grew up (unsuccessfully) cheering for, the NFL is barely a thought for southerners.

Tailgates are not taken lightly here. Back home, they mostly consist of sweaty, drunk men gathered in a circle around a cooler, but here, it’s an extravagant family affair. I’ve seen everything from three different TV displays under a single tent with a couch to an old ambulance converted into party central. This is also the one place where girls get completely dressed up, go figure.

There’s only about three food groups

If there’s one stereotype about southern culture that turned out to be true, it’s the one regarding food. New Jersey certainly isn’t known for having extravagant food, but I like to think we at least have some variety.

Here in Clemson, your choices are pretty much limited to barbecue, fried, or something along the “grits and biscuits” lines. But that’s not to say it’s not exceptional. The Smokin’ Pig has some of the best pulled pork I’ve ever had in my life – so good they can afford to open only Thursday through Sunday.

The weather is bipolar

We had a snow day for this

New Jersey weather sucks and everything is to an extreme, but at least it’s predictable. There have been weeks in Clemson where I was in short-sleeves one day, just to have it snow the next. Even the snow isn’t really true snow – it’s more of a wintery mix that causes the entire town to shut down.

Small talk is a hobby

I have been so amazed by the friendly mannerisms that exist in the South since coming to Clemson. If you’re standing in line somewhere in New Jersey, practically everyone is focused on their phones, not bothering to even look at the people around them.

That’s not the case here. People have no trouble asking how your day is going or what your name is. They take the time to appreciate their surroundings and truly give meaning to the quote that “it’s about the journey, not the destination.”