Austin is an easy place to live. Mostly nice weather, good food, great music, etc. The campus has what I consider a classic southern campus feel with grassy quads and older brick building with some more modern architecture. Austin is a liberal city located in more conservative Texas. Campus has a friendly vibe. In my experience as a teaching assistant at U Texas, there was a lot of grade grubbing. Most in state students graduate from the very top of their class and seem to have a difficult time handling academic challenges.