We asked Tigers what it’s like being an out-of-state student

Clemson is a magical place of rolling hills, challenging classes, and championship football, all piled in a small town in the upper left corner of South Carolina.

Anyone who attends Clemson knows just how special it is, but what is it like for students who come from different states of the country?

Bailey Nestor, Food Science Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration, California

I came to Clemson because I was looking for a big Southern football school. I had never actually heard of it until my mom suggested I apply, and then I visited and completely fell in love with the school. Being from out-of-state was very difficult for me because I knew absolutely no one going into school, other than my roommate, who I only knew through Facebook and had never actually met in person.

Being from California is a little different out-of-state experience than others, because I’m so far and have no family on the East Coast, so it was a real challenge to find a group of people I felt at home with and build a support system. The major difference I noticed about where I’m from versus Clemson is the people.

In big cities like San Francisco everyone is always in a hurry and people aren’t the nicest. In Clemson everyone was so kind to me and always had a smile on their faces. Having doors held open and being called ‘ma’am’ was a very nice change from what I’m used to, and I really appreciate all the hospitality. Everyone is so friendly and they really made me feel at home.

Taliyah Smith, Biology Major, North Carolina

I decided on Clemson because it wasn’t home and I wanted new experiences with new people. I was the only person from my high school that went there. It is a little scary, I’m glad I had Tiger band or I don’t know what I would have been doing.

I come from a ‘hickish’ town where wearing camo and having a big truck was a necessity. At Clemson I could be myself, have my fro and embrace it and not feel out of place.

Tyler Clay, Electrical Engineering, New Jersey

Clemson was completely off my radar when I was first looking at college but after meeting with someone from FAFSA he convinced me to at least send an application. After hearing a bunch of great things about Clemson I decided to visit it and the minute I stepped on campus I fell in love and there was no doubt I wanted to be there.

Being out-of-state is an awesome experience, if not a little scary. In high school, I was always my brother’s brother. Going out of state allowed me to be whoever I wanted to be with absolutely no connection to my brother or my old town, so I love every second of it.

That being said I still do get homesick and 12 hours by car is not exactly a visit on the weekend kind of thing. When I first came to Clemson I immediately noticed how many churches there are and that was a little scary to me. My family is religious, but we never really went to church so it was kind of overwhelming to see that many churches everywhere we went.

Of course I think the biggest difference is the food, in NJ there are pizza places on every corner and it is all really good. In SC a lot of people see good pizza as Pizza Hut and Papa John’s, but luckily we have Todaro’s nearby. Also there is not Cookout, Cheerwine or Bojangles in NJ which hurts my heart since they are probably my favorite eating places and drink ever. Lastly of course the barbecue is simply better in SC. 

Ryan Jakszta, Civil Engineering, Texas

I knew I didn’t want to stay in Texas, and found out about Clemson through soccer. Once I visited campus and realized how great of a school and how great of an environment it had, I fell in love with it.

It was the perfect fit for me academically, socially, and in every other aspect that I was looking for. Being out-of-state at Clemson has pros and cons. It’s awesome to meet so many new people and completely “start over” in a sense, but sometimes everybody will be talking about where they went to high school around SC and I’ll have no idea where they are talking about. Not that that’s a big issue in any way, but it can be a little overwhelming sometimes to not be from where everybody else is from.

Sam Verdonck, Production Studies in Performing Arts, New York

I decided to come to Clemson because I knew I wanted to go somewhere far from home and get away and experience something new. When I came to visit I fell in love with the campus and loved all the opportunities I could have in the arts coming here.

I think it’s pretty cool being out of state because I am constantly learning new phrases or traditions from the South and even from people from other states and I think that’s really cool. Sometimes I feel a little out of it, because things are different down here but everyone is super nice about explaining things that are different. It’s pretty funny trying to figure out different sayings and phrases that I don’t know.

I think the major differences are weather. It’s much warmer and humid here. Also a lot of people show more respect here for adults and they just seem to be a little bit happier and nicer.  

Claire Chaney, English, California

I often get asked how I picked Clemson, especially since I’m from so far away. I was initially drawn to the culture of Southeastern schools, and wanted a change of pace from what I grew up with. The hardest thing about being out of state for school is not being able to just head home for the weekend when homesickness hits.

I’m lucky enough to have awesome friends who are so welcoming, but sometimes I just miss my mom’s cooking. The biggest difference between South Carolina and California is the food, which is both a blessing and a curse.

Tivvi Pare, Elementary Education, New Hampshire

I decided to come to Clemson because I wanted to go to a school far from home. Clemson’s diverse academic offerings and big athletic presence were attractive, especially because I wanted to play in the marching band. Being an out of state student isn’t much different experience-wise.

Tuition and application requirements-wise, however, it did seem to set me apart. Differences in culture was a definite shock. Mostly, political and religious differences between the very liberal, and progressive New England and the more conservative South.