The Good , The Bad , && The Ugly ( of New Orleans ) ! HELP ( : (crime)

[lessonlearned831]

ooookay , first of all - thanks for reading this ! i am a high school student living in indianapolis , indiana . i ' m planning on going to louisiana for college august 2011 . && man , oh man . . . the things people have been saying about NO ! the voodoo , crazy city folks , the danger , no job opportunities . . . all in all , i have heard nothing good about louisiana . i ' ve been to NO && as soon as i stepped off of the bus , i fell in love ! but i ' m beginning to get a little worried . i have no intent on changing my mind about attending college in NO . BUT i want the fo one one ! so if you live in the NO area , PLEASE tell me EVERYTHING you possibly can about the city .

[rcp11889]

New Orleans is an awesome city that has continually gotten better since Katrina. I really don't know anything about voodoo (not many people here do) that's really just some tourist crap. People here are gonna be a lot different than in Indianapolis but you will probably like them. But, for the most part, the college aged people are going to be very comparable to in Indiana. NOLA is only dangerous in ghetto parts of the city. What school are you attending? The media spends so much time saying how dangerous NOLA is. The thing is, it's really not. As long as you're not dealing drugs or hanging around really sketchy areas you will be fine. I've lived here my whole life and never had a problem with crime (knock on wood). Job opportunities are different here than up North. But, we have been getting many new high-tech jobs in the past few years with a lot of young professionals moving to the city. You can find a job if you really want to.

Most importantly, though, NOLA is the most amazing city in America. I really believe that. I hope you really love it down here!

[SacalaitWhisperer]

I've lived in Indianapolis and New Orleans.

Good choice. Have fun.

[NicHayTea]

My daughter is a freshman at Tulane. Like you, we heard many bad things about how unsafe New Orleans is, and when people heard where she was going to school, that's always the first thing they said. She really loves the city, and hasn't had any problems. It's like any other place you go - if you use common sense, you should be fine. In any town: Don't go anywhere alone at night, take a buddy. Don't go to the "sketchy" areas of town. Don't drink in excess. Know where you are and how you are going to get home. Don't be afraid to call campus security, even if you just need to be walked from the library to the dorm. Pay attention to your surroundings - don't be so absorbed with texting or talking on your cell that you don't notice someone following or watching you. Keep money in your pocket, rather than a purse which can be snatched, or carry a purse with a strap that crosses your body instead of one that just hangs on your shoulder or hand.

Hope you love New Orleans!

[looking4mee]

I LOVE New Orleans, I live here in Houston and drive out several times a year. I would say that the city has cleaned up a lot since Katrina. The buildings, the mist rolling in off the river, the sounds, and the food. There is that special feeling I get when I cross into the city as I look to my left and see the giant pipes that pump out the water. I am considering moving this spring and right now it is a toss up between NO and Chicago, but the warmer climate give NO an advantage.