Pennsylvania is a beautiful four season state, this means that the summers are HOT and the winters can be frigid, spring is beautiful and autumn is packed with gorgeous foliage. Besides climate, there are many differences between states in the north and south. This can range from people’s etiquette to different words for different items and foods.
When I, Jess, was in high school, I dreamt of moving away for college. A lot of my friends were choosing to stay local and go to schools like Penn State and Chestnut Hill. While that was a perfectly good choice for them, I didn’t think it was for me. Instead, I packed up my bags and headed to North Carolina. Turns out, there are a lot of differences between going to school in the North versus the South.
Weather:
In the South
Having it be sunny and seventy degrees in December was a blessing from some of the snow storms that plagued the north last few years. It’s kind of fun to have snapchat stories where I’m wearing shorts and it’s eighty degrees while my friends up north have their coats on.
In the North
The summers can be brutally hot and the winters can be dangerously cold, but Spring and Autumn are always so nice. I love when the trees change color or when the flowers begin to bloom.
Environment:
In the South
Going to school is at a more relaxed pace. The professors don’t have to worry about snow days so classes follow the syllabus at leisure. I’ve had some classes where we don’t finish everything on the syllabus because the professor decides to give us an extra day off.
In the North
There are many factors that play into whether or not we have school. When the pope came to Philadelphia, we were given a four day weekend, which basically felt like a snow day since we were trapped here. There are also many snow days that keep us from school in the dead of winter.
Location:
In the South
You’re far from home. It gets lonely and I get jealous of my friends who are from North Carolina and can pop home for a weekend. My friends that go to school in the north and can do that too. I never thought that would be something I crave, but it is. Take that into consideration if you’re working on picking a school.
In the North
Being close to home is definitely something I love. Just a train ride away from my hometown is all I could ask of. Most of my friends go to nearby schools so all it takes is a Mega Bus or train ride to see them.
Food:
In the South
Get used to Grits. They’ll have them right next to the cereal in your dining hall. Trust me. Barbecue is a whole other world down here and if you’re from the North chances are you’ve been doing it wrong. Also, places like Cookout and Bojangles are as common here as McDonald’s.
In the North
Hoagies. If you’re from the North, especially Pennsylvania then you know what a hoagie is. Not everyone in the north is able to experience the delight of eating a Wawa hoagie, but most stores are spread across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There are also many other foods we have that people living the south call something different.
