Moving to Chapel Hill, are the people friendly? (Durham, Star: appointed, home)

[jolee]

Last year we visited Chapel Hill and thought it was a very cute town.
Now I am in the process of moving there. My one concern is this:
We are from a town in Michigan where the people are as cold as
the weather. Are the people friendly? My daughter will be
in 10th grade and I have heard that it can be a difficult time for a teen
to relocate.

[Carolina Girl]

I lived in Chapel Hill for a year and it was a real treat. Chapel Hill is wonderful and unique to the Carolinas. However, do NOT enter the city limits wearing red if there is a game between UNC and state or 'dark' blue if there is a game with Duke (both of which are only a few miles away). We do take our round ball seriously. Wear only sky blue and you'll love it. Chapel Hill is a very international town. You meet and enjoy people from every country speaking every language there. It is fun to 'adopt an international student' through one of the international depts too. Your only commitment is to 'be there' if they need to ask questions or invite them to dinner or maybe at Christmas. I did a really strange one...I adopted one from UNC and one from Duke. That was fun until I was booed on Duke campus for having a UNC parking sticker (I worked there.)



Chapel Hill is a pricey place to live. So, if you expect to live within Chapel Hill, bring along an extra debit card.


As for the people being friendly, they are, but it is different. Because of the international flavor of CH, it isn't the same sort of friendly as other parts of the state. But, yes, it is friendly but with a definite attitude. Everyone considers they are 'the best' of whatever and many are. There are many medical specialties due to the med school, dental school, school of pharmacy, etc.

My son was in high school too and he was quite well recieved...even more than I expected. BUT, my opinions mattered not with him. I had to move back to our original home because he was going regardless. So, I made the sacrifice rather than leave a teenager on his own.

[DURHAMPIRATE]

I lived in Chapel Hill for 3 years and couldn't wait to move. The folks in that town are the most arrogant group I have ever encountered. I moved there with great expectations and was disappointed after a month.

[omamia]

There is so much Chapel Hill hate on this forum lately. I've heard it all, snobby, snarky, arrogant, cold, materialistic yadda, yadda, yadda. It just doesn't sound like the town I live in.

We moved to Chapel Hill because it was one of the friendliest and most down to earth towns we had been in. In fact, it reminded me a little bit of Stars Hollow (those who watch Gilmore Girls will know what I'm talking about). People in the stores chat with you, just because. We've been here 8 months and have made great friends and all of our neighbors are very nice. Is it an educated town, definitely, but it also very welcoming, open and kind. People in general are very friendly here. I'll never forget our first week when the deli man asked my son about his teddy bear at Harris Teeter. I felt like I had landed on a different nicer planet. Also, because it's on a smaller scale I really feel like we belong to the community, a feeling I was missing when living in larger cities. I often run into people I know at the farmer's market, Weaver St., etc. and it's nice to have that moment of connection during my day.

Are there snarky people in Chapel Hill? Sure, but they're everywhere and who doesn't enjoy some snark in small doses. Actually the only place I've found people to be snarky is Cafe Driade but I actually think coffee tastes better with an extra dose of snark. My husband jokes that the taste of coffee is directly proportional to the snarkiness of the barista.

We love it and I'm absolutely happy that we moved here.

[sandycat]

Chapel Hill people are nice, no doubt. And honestly, if you are coming from Michigan, you will find a world of difference in how nice everyone is here (I grew up in MI, talk about a bunch of grouches). I've met some grumpy people, for sure, but in general, if you are nice to people, they are very nice in return.

[MrsSteel]

Wow ... this thread laid dormant for two whole years before it was resurrected by DurhamPirate. I think that's a new record!

I live in Durham, but I frequently visit Chapel Hill and have a number of friends who live there. Everyone I've ever met there has been friendly & kind. The same can be said for my experiences in every town in the Triangle, quite frankly.

[Gatornation]

Lived there for two years and loved it. We walked the trails all the time and people were very friendly.

[DebbieF]

My daughter lives in Chapel Hill and love it as well. I haven't run across any arrogant people in my many visit's to the area. I just sold a beautiful town home there, and am considering the area for myself to be closer to my daughter and soon to be grandchild.