Regional things a student should know

[IloveLA]

Every California teen knows the first thing you do in an earthquake: post something about it on Facebook.

[psych_]

In Montana, you are not "from Montana." You are from "east Montana" or "west Montana." In Utah, "the Church" refers to the Mormon church unless told otherwise.

[zapfino]

I've been traveling in some Plains states recently, where I learned lunch is called dinner, and dinner is called supper---a rural usage, I think.

[GrnMtnMom]

Always keep an extra pair of socks and a hat and a pair of mittens or gloves in your bag.

Pay attention to the walk/don't walk lights, because some of the traffic flow (especially in Burlington) is unpredictable.

Get two locks for your bike. Although Vermont is generally very safe, theft is a problem.

Get a ski pass. They're a really good deal for college students, even if you only go a couple of times. And there's a free bus to Smuggler's Notch from UVM and from St. Mike's. (Not sure where your daughter is headed.)

Highway. Soda. Shake. Water fountain. Pizza. Sub. But generally, don't worry about it, most people will either be from somewhere else or will have traveled far and wide.

On the first day of the new year warmer than 49 degrees, people will think it's summer and dress accordingly.

Don't skate on Lake Champlain or any other lakes unless the ice is about 6" thick. And yes, Lake Champlain will freeze enough to skate on it.

Make sure your boots have grip.

[saintfan]

Everyone hears about the rain in Seattle, but the funny thing is trying to interpret the forecasts for new arrivals. Some terminology: convergence zone (where all the bad weather from north of the Olympics and sounth of the Olympics converges into one big patch of especially bad weather), sunbreaks, partial clouds with sun, mostly cloudy with showers, rain turning to showers, showers with sunbreaks, mostly coudy with a few showers, partly sunny (means mostly cloudy), overcast with showers and a chance of afternoon clearing, rain at times, rain at times turning to showers . . .

Today's official forecast:
"Your Tuesday will start with mostly cloudy skies and some wandering showers. The afternoon will bring a better chance for sunbreaks with highs today in the mid 60s."

There are also "roving showers" although I don't know if they differ from wandering showers.

[PackMom]

zapfino, lifelong southerner here... We grew up saying dinner for the midday meal and supper for the evening meal too. You do hear it more in rural areas.

The reason behind it is that the "dinner meal" is considered to be the larger meal of the day. Farmers having been in the fields since the crack of dawn needed a big meal at lunchtime.

[Consolation]

LOL, saintfan. That reminds me of the thing about Eskimos supposedly having 50 words for snow.

[sseamom]

I'm originally from NH, where we also say "bubbler" and call long sandwhiches "grinders". We go to "the beach". Interstates are called "highways" not "freeways". Non-highways are called-roads, not "surface streets". We say "wicked" to mean "very" or "extremely". My youngest is probably the only native Seattlite to use "wicked" as though she was from New England-she had no choice as it's used by me, both of her siblings and all of her NH cousins.

In NH (and most of the Northeast), it's entirely possible for temps to stay below zero for an entire month, or for it to snow so hard you can't find your driveway the next day. Chances are stores won't close, schools may not close, and you'll still be expected to show up for work. Tanning is a favorite summer pastime, skin cancer be damned. People there still smoke too much. Not everyone lives on a farm. Some have never even been on one. When it finally warms up, it will be HOT. And MUGGY. When people refer to "the triple H's" they mean "hazy, hot and humid," and they mean it. But one morning in September you'll wake up and need a parka.

If you've never driven in the snow, practice before trying to hit the speed limit, drive on the highway or park during the winter. Those of us who know how will thank you. Realize that roads were designed long, long before the grid-style west coast roads were created. "You cahn't get the-a from hehah" was invented in NH.

Go apple-picking in the fall. Go to one of the country fairs too. Try snow-shoeing or tobogganing. Take your camera or smart phone and drive up north to see the leaves in October.

[deb922]

In the midwest you go "up north" to vacation. Michigan has "lake effect", which takes some getting used to. One spot will get a few inches and 30 miles away they can get a foot. That's snow. The lake esp in western Michigan really plays with the forecast, I always say that it's a suggestion not a forecast. Detroit is downstate.

At least in Michigan, most people you meet hunt. Killing animals is a sport and is a big topic of conversation. You always know that deer season and Thanksgiving are around the same time. And people ice fish way before you think they can and way after you think the ice has melted. At least this is true in my neck of woods. It was a big eye opener.

My D went to school in eastern PA. What we noticed was that people honk their horns more there. Also people stop getting on the expressway. Not much room to merge but freaked us out the first time we went there.

[jaylynn]

kathiep, of course you're right, but let us have our fun!!

lol re ice fishing. So true.

There's been a resurgance of rainboots. As a fashion statement, it seems.

Saintfan-- MN and WI accents are similar. Will your D come back talking like Marge from "Fargo"? I was gobsmacked the first time I heard my kids stretch the words "cute" (CUE-wa-ta) and "coat" into three-syllable words. They still get teased here for their Wisconsin accents.

[deb922]

Oh and most people from New Jersey are not like the Jersey Shore tv show. Even if they are from New Jersey and are Italian.

[romanigypsyeyes]

At least in Michigan, most people you meet hunt.

Only in the north. Most southern trolls do not. Some Western trolls do but hunting is mainly reserved for the UP and northern trolls. But yes, they're avid up there. I've lived in Michigan nearly my whole life and never met a single person who hunted until I went to college.

Minnesota-they say binders for hair ties. For the life of me,I couldn't figure out why my cousin kept asking me for a binder.

[ucbalumnus]

Originally Posted by GrnMtnMom

Get two locks for your bike.

Two different kinds of locks.

Lock Strategy

[familyof3boys]

I grew up in Boston and we said dinner/supper, too. So, not a rural thing I'd say. More of an older generation's way of referring to things. Dinner being an earlier, heavier meal, and supper being lighter and later. This seemed to be especially true on Sundays.

[fogfog]

hahaha so right

My D went to school in eastern PA. What we noticed was that people honk their horns more there. Also people stop getting on the expressway. Not much room to merge but freaked us out the first time we went there

When traveling this spring to look at colleges --k2 and I couldn't get over how much people love their horns there.....

k2 was wondering whether the honking thing, and also the no eye contact/no smiles thing was because the climate had a serious lack of sunshine compared to our climate