<p>Oh, and if you go to a different region of the country, YOU are the one with an accent – even if you think you don’t have one. So don’t mention the “accents” of the people who’ve lived there for decades. :)</p>
<p>Everyone talks about how bad LA traffic is, but it has nothing, nothing on NY. Last time I was there looking at Caltech it took us no time at all to get to LAX in the middle of rush hour. (It did help that they have carpool lanes and there were three of us, but still - it was soooo much easier than any driving around here.)</p>
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<p>Yes, stopping at the end of the on-ramp (leaving no acceleration space when one does go) is a most annoying and unsafe driving habit that I noticed in Pennsylvania.</p>
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<p>^^^ Yes!! So true.</p>
<p>Do people from Michigan have accents? Many people I know claim that we don’t :p</p>
<p>In Connecticut, shopping carts are “carriages” and you buy your liquor at a “package store,” occasionally involving a “packy run.”</p>
<p>quesa, we do- it just depends on where you live. Tricounty area with Detroit tends to have an almost faint Canadian accent. West coast sounds a little southern. UP … well they have their own distinct accent. We have the most “neutral” accent. </p>
<p>The one thing people have always pointed out to me is the fact that Michiganders say “lookit” instead of “look at the” or just “look”. We also like to cram words together and drop the “d” on the ends of words. I found a really funny list of Michigan accents one time, I want to find it again lol. </p>
<p>Edit: we also know how to “properly” pronounce Mackinac lol. Also, here’s the accent guide: <a href=“http://melbel.hubpages.com/hub/Michigan-Accent[/url]”>http://melbel.hubpages.com/hub/Michigan-Accent</a></p>
<p>@Marsian, so funny you bring that up. I almost backed out of attending the university I graduated from because of a similar admonition. I grew up in Virginia and attended college in Georgia. On the first day of freshman orientation, the orientation leader warned us: “Don’t make fun of the way they talk.” I had no idea there was a “they” and it never would have occurred to me to mimic anyone–so her warning, scared me. I suddenly envisioned myself surrounded by a bunch of hyper-sensitive Georgians. I was only 17, and the reality of being 530 miles away from home hit at that exact moment. That night, I told my mom that I wanted to attend school in Virginia instead. Thankfully, the next morning I made several friends and was once again very excited about my choice. I loved every moment at UGA–so glad I moved past my irrational fear of “them.”</p>
<p>Don’t be too shocked if your kid comes back with an accent unrelated to the college location. D picked up a strange accent from her roommate. (Her college is in Texas, but it wasn’t at all a Texas accent D came home with.) </p>
<p>One other tip. Always check the weather before you go out. Yes, forecasts can be off. But in some places (especially the plains), weather changes can be fast, extreme, and even life-threatening.</p>
<p>btw–one of the first things my freshman roommate said to me was, “People talk funny here. They talk really slow!” (Roomie was from NJ, college in Ohio)</p>
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<p>Perfectly described my accent lol. Also liked:
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<p>Huh, I grew up in Connecticut, and shopping carts were carts and not carriages. Maybe it’s regional even within CT.<br>
If you are from the greater NYC area, you probably stand on line, not in line.</p>
<p>quesa- had you ever heard that FIP before? I asked my boyfriend from Battle Creek and he said no. I’m from SE Mich but I haven’t either. </p>
<p>Also, on the OT: make sure the person knows if they’re moving in to an area that’s the opposite of the political ideology or level of religiousness that they’re used to. When I moved in to a very conservative area, I didn’t realize that it would be hard to find a Planned Parenthood (where I had been getting my bc) and that I would be almost openly judged for buying condoms. I also wasn’t prepared for the amount of religiousness (for lack of a better descriptor) in the area. I’m NOT saying this is typical, but it might be something to be aware of :).</p>
<p>In Wisconsin, we called the FIBs-- *<strong><em>ing Illinois *</em></strong>ards.</p>
<p>You gotta learn how to drive in snow on bad roads if you’re going to school in Michigan.</p>
<p>Oh no, I’ve heard of it (plenty of FIPs where I live ;)) I just didn’t realize it was a common thing</p>
<p>Interesting, so it really does exist! lol</p>
<p>“The letter “t”: Leave it to a Michigander to screw up the pronunciation of a consonant! If the letter “t” occurs in the middle of a word, it has a “d” sound. This is so embedded in my speech, that I can’t say a word like “city” with a “t” without sounding like I’m trying really hard for that “t” sound. It’s “ciddy.””</p>
<p>Well, I grew up in Chicago and I speak that way, too. I think it depends on what part of Chicago you’re from—not everyone in Chicago pronounces it that way.</p>
<p>If your kiddo is going to college in northern New England, they need to know about black fly season if they stay for a summer term.</p>
<p>Also, they should not be surprised to have frost in every month except July and August.</p>
<p>Soft drinks are called soda.</p>
<p>Maple syrup will likely be the real thing…not Log Cabin.</p>
<p>In Wisconsin, we call people from Illinois “FIBs,” not “FIPs”–with the B being an 8-letter word for an illegitimate child. Why use one obscenity when you can use two?</p>
<p>Also, public parking is distinguished here as “surface lots” and covered “ramps.” “Let’s park in the ramp on Main Street.” This has always struck me as a completely meaningless distinction, but for some reason it is seemingly important here.</p>
<p>In Florida, the aversion to the letter “t” is worse than in Chicago (where I have lived as well). For instance, my sister says “canner” instead of “canter” when referring to her horse’s gait. Drives me crazy.</p>
<p>In Vermont, or anywhere in Northern New England, really…students planning a daytrip drive somewhere should always check the weather on computer or smartphone the day before. If snow is forecast, they might be wise to make a slight timing adjustment, to leave several hours earlier or later than originally planned to avoid heaviest snowfall hours. It’s just not as mechanical as an all-sunny climate. Have respect for the awesome power of the winter weather. </p>
<p>Compared to the West, the mountains aren’t high but they catch snow as you drive. If bliinded by a “whiteout” as you drive, don’t press on if you don’t have to. Pull over, find a diner, wait it out, take a motel overnight. Always travel with enough money to take a motel overnight! </p>
<p>Last winter was mild, so maple syrup prices may be sky high this year, but try pouring a long, thin rivulet of syrup on the snow, then eat it as hard candy.</p>
<p>Try going contra-dancing at a local town hall. If you don’t care to downhill ski, there’s also cross-country skiing and snowshoeing for quiet, free exercise. </p>
<p>Look up animal tracks on the web; it will enhance your day to notice which animals came out before you did. </p>
<p>It’s a diverse community as you get to know people in towns. In addition to Vermont Yankees whose families go back 2-3 centuries, there are also people with French last names who have French-Canadian heritage. Also a lot of academic intellectuals and artists moved to Vermont in the l970’s and l980’s from New York City and settled in. Some of our nation’s most progressive environmental laws began in Vermont as statewide initiatives, combining the native Vermont appreciation of nature with the more politically organized newcomers in the 70s/80s. Never assume anyone is unsophisticated, uneducated or untravelled based on their dress, vehicle, house or any external appearances. </p>
<p>The famous Yankee reticence is often more shyness than coldness. Give people a chance to acclimate to you.</p>
<p>Look up on Wiki or elsewhere: Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys. It’s fun and basic state history. Also look at some Grandma Moses paintings before you arrive…and see the originals in the Grandma Moses museum in Bennington, if you have a chance sometime.</p>