There are many southern nuances like “y’all”, tailgating, "yes ma’am," and ambrosia, we experience on a daily basis, but imagine experiencing mild culture shock when moving here from the North — specifically New Jersey — for a college degree.

As of February, 24,679 undergraduates call UofSC home with 38% of those students coming from out-of-state, not including other countries. While the majority of out-of-state students hail from North Carolina, many come from different areas of the country with their own culture + traditions.

COLAtoday has a team member who moved to the Soda City from New Jersey to attend UofSC. She shared the top three things she found — let’s say different — about Columbia when first moving here.

There are two, (sometimes three) states that don’t allow patrons to pump their own gas — New Jersey being one of them. Pumping gas is a weekly activity for us can be discombobulating for someone who's never laid a finger on the nozzle.
Southern nectar of the Gods — sweet tea. Bojangles' Legendary Iced Tea is a cultural staple around here. The restaurant plays a major role in southern college football, kicking off the last season with a lineup of team-themed ‘Bo Boxes’ + offering a sweet tea giveaway after the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
“Ma’am” and “sir” aren't typical expressions you’ll hear from the average Northerner and are usually deemed as too proper to use when addressing a stranger.

Citizens from all walks of life call Columbia home, so if you know anyone from out of town, see how different your dialect can be over a glass of sweet tea or "cawfee.”

Do you have any friends or family looking to go to school in the South? Check out UofSC’s out-of-state tuition + scholarship opportunities so that they can experience the southern charm of Columbia.