Everything I’ve noticed about JMU being from out of state
What’s with all the door holding?
From growing up in Las Vegas to moving across the country to Harrisonburg, VA, it has certainly been a culture shock. These are just a few things that I’ve noticed in the past year and a half; different food, different fashion styles, different weather, and certainly different (but great) people.
1. Girls are obsessed with Lily Pulitzer planners and I have NO idea why.
2. People actually wear duck boots. So of course I had to order a pair of duck boots.
3. Everyone owns at least one article of Patagonia (or Patagucci $$$).
4. Snow days are actually a thing!
5. People from NOVA (aka everyone) have this weird NOVA slang that people not from that area still cannot fully understand.
6. Little to no people know what Coachella is… (sigh)
7. The humidity is actually insane and it feels like you can’t breath after climbing the death steps from Godwin to main campus.
8. Cookout is one of the worst/best things that has ever happened to me. Chick-Fil-A is up there too wow.
9. Girls wear running shorts or yoga pants almost every single day and with a XXL T shirt usually from Salty Dog or OBX.
10. Guys actually wear Sperry’s and khakis as an everyday fashion.
11. Why are ABC stores the only stores permitted to sell liquor?
12. When you’re not from either NOVA, or anywhere in VA, you’re basically an alien and people are genuinely confused as to why you came to Virginia to go to school.
13. JMU kids love puppies so you’re bound to go to the puppy farm a couple of times a year.
14. It took me a year and a half to FINALLY find a great sushi place (Sushi Jako is the kitties titties people, check it out).
15. People don’t go to bars to drink, they go to friends/strangers houses to drink.
16. Everyone at JMU is so incredibly nice- I’ve never had anyone besides my dad or brother opening doors for me.
17. And if you don’t open the door for a fellow Duke you’re kind of a douche.
18. No one really does the “J-M-U Duuuuuuuuukes” thing unless you’re intoxicated or you were at College Gameday.
19. College Gameday was probably one of the highlights of your JMU career. Approximately every 45 seconds you would hear “Show me your Dukes!” and screaming from afar.
20. People actually go out Thursdays, and Mondays, and Tuesdays, and even Wednesdays.
21. JMU faculty knows that the students like to get down and rage their faces off and at least one professor speaks of the infamous 2010 riot that sadly none of us were here for.
22. When people say they’re from NOVA they never specify where exactly in NOVA because more likely than not we have no fucking clue where that is.
23. VA kids didn’t actually go to DC every other day and go to all the museums and see the White House :/.
24. Just to reiterate, the people are like really really nice here.
25. You will for sure meet your best friends here, but probably not your significant other.
26. There are no great stores in H-burg and I have never online shopped more in my life.
27. People actually get spray tans/tan!
28. Daydrinks > anything
29. You can leave your stuff anywhere on campus and you won’t be afraid of anyone taking it.
30. Everyone who goes here has a special bond that really connects every single person, whether you’re walking around campus, going to classes or even getting wasted at a frat house. Go Dukes.