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Definitely less culture shock in Columbus, OH. The accent down there has a southern twang to my Upper Midwestern ears. There is a "college football above all else" mentality, similar to the deep south. I wouldn't be surprised if the phrase "I reckon" is commonly used in Columbus.
lol, what? I don't think I've ever heard that phrase seriously used in Columbus. There is no discernible difference between accents in say, Michigan vs. Columbus. There may be a bit of a difference between Columbus and people in Minnesota, but it's not drastic.
It's obvious that your post is based on a state rivalry rather than truth.
To the OP: I have lived in Columbus for 9 years and I have only encountered a handful of people who have a southern accent. Most Ohioans have a neutral accent. Overall Columbus will come across warm and friendly and there will always be a few rude and ignorant people.
Any of the three metros would be a fine choice, don't let others steer you away with their negative views.
Honestly an internet forum is not the best way to choose because it is only one person's opinion. If possible, it is best to explore in person to see what city and school you like the best. Good Luck.
From my experience, central Ohio sounds more "southern" than Michigan does, but it's definitively Midland.
Besides, everyone knows that Ohio State has a culturally SEC mentality about college football. Good thing MSU beat them in the Big Ten Championship game.
lol, what? I don't think I've ever heard that phrase seriously used in Columbus. There is no discernible difference between accents in say, Michigan vs. Columbus. There may be a bit of a difference between Columbus and people in Minnesota, but it's not drastic.
I have to disagree with this. I grew up in NW Ohio and now live in Michigan. My nephew married a girl from just outside of Columbus who was born and raised there, and she definitely has that southern Ohio "twang", as do members of my dh's family who were born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, just outside of Dayton. Folks from northern Ohio sound like people from Michigan, but once you get roughly halfway down the state, right around Columbus, there is a very definite southern inflection in people's speech. By the time you reach the Ohio River it is a strong southern accent.
I have to disagree with this. I grew up in NW Ohio and now live in Michigan. My nephew married a girl from just outside of Columbus who was born and raised there, and she definitely has that southern Ohio "twang", as do members of my dh's family who were born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, just outside of Dayton. Folks from northern Ohio sound like people from Michigan, but once you get roughly halfway down the state, right around Columbus, there is a very definite southern inflection in people's speech. By the time you reach the Ohio River it is a strong southern accent.
To me, "strong" is an overstatement. Slight influences, perhaps, but overall it sounds quite a bit like "General American." Everything's relative, though; a person from the deep South like the OP probably can't tell the difference between Midwestern accents at all
To me, "strong" is an overstatement. Slight influences, perhaps, but overall it sounds quite a bit like "General American." Everything's relative, though; a person from the deep South like the OP probably can't tell the difference between Midwestern accents at all
My in-laws grew up in a small town in southern Ohio about twenty miles from the Ohio River. They have lived in NW Ohio for over fifty years, and they still get asked all the time what part of the South they're from. They do sound really southern, much, much different from the way people in northern Ohio sound. I do see your point, though, about how it is all relative, and to someone from Mississippi they may not sound all that southern at all.
lol, what? I don't think I've ever heard that phrase seriously used in Columbus. There is no discernible difference between accents in say, Michigan vs. Columbus. There may be a bit of a difference between Columbus and people in Minnesota, but it's not drastic.
The comment about "I reckon" was more tongue in cheek, but there is definitely a difference between the accent in Michigan and the accent in central Ohio. When I talk to people down there, I notice a twang. It's not truly southern obviously, but more like "southern light." Vowels are more drawn out and the flat vowels you hear up north are long gone. To me it sounds more southern than northern, but like someone else said, it's all relative. The accent I hear every day is very "northern" with some mild Canadian influence even.
I also agree with the other statement that the northern Ohio accent is very similar to Michigan. The change happens somewhere south of Toledo.
On a side note, I've noticed this change in Indiana too, but it seems to happen farther north in Indiana, almost as soon as you cross the border.
All three of these are very different cities with differences not really specific to those between the Upper and Lower Midwest so much as a function of city size and how strongly the large colleges in the three dominate the culture (Minneapolis very little for the most part, Columbus pretty strongly, Madison quite a bit). I might consider more what you intend to do in college and which college has the best program for your field along with how costly tuition and living expenses could be. Really, all three of these could be fine choices for the right person and I don't think there's too much specific to anything you mentioned that should help decide this.
I agree with this advice 100%.
As long as you are open to all three (and all three are fun, progressive, liberal towns with lots of young people) I would start using other criteria to determine tie-breakers. As far as fitting in is concerned, I've heard "horror stories" about all three cities in terms of meeting new people, but I think in every one of those cases somebody who was in their 20's moved to the suburbs and tried to meet new friends amongst mostly married couples and families, which won't work. If you stick to the younger areas of any of these cities you'll be more than fine.
Finally, regarding your accent, I think you may fit in more in a city like Columbus since you'll find that many of the locals have a twang in their speech, which I would call "Southern" but apparently is not Southern to most Southerners like yourself. Still, the speech isn't all that different. However, on the flip side, I can tell you with strong certainty that if you spoke to girls in either Minneapolis or Madison with your charming accent and your strong personality they would melt and fall all over you! I've seen it with lesser accents -- like British or Australian -- and I know people will ask you about where you're from and it can either be a talking point for you and a way to meet many more people than you normally might, or it can annoy you and get to you and you will never feel like you are fitting in and be miserable. Depending on your personality and outlook, that could be another tie-breaker.
Good luck with your move!
P.S. I'd totally choose Minneapolis because it's an amazing place, but I can definitely say great things about Madison and Columbus as well, and you really can't go wrong between the three at the end of the day!
Thanks for your opinion. Actually, all universities in these three cities have my major. That's why I chose them.
I would say that universities in MN and WI are more expensive than the one in Ohio. I also believe that Columbus has the lowest cost of living of all.
I am just more concerned about Ohio economy after I graduate. Ohio historically has always been associated with bad economy. I am still uncertain about the friendliness of Ohioans because I have encountered a few Ohioans in my life. Every one of them was not friendly with negative attitudes!
I know Minneapolis and Madison are doing well economically. However, I am afraid I wouldn't fit in as a southerner. I might be seen as too forwarding and personal to most Midwesterners because that's how friendly the southerners are. We talk just about anything!
The Twin Cities probably has more to do and to enjoy than Madison and Columbus combined!
Can anyone describe how most Ohioans are based on personal experience?
Do you think Columbus is still a better fit for me as a southerner with my personality as described above?
I am from MN and went to Ohio State for college, so I've lived in both cities, but have a Minneapolis bias.
If you are outgoing you may actually be better off in a bigger city like Minneapolis, which has plenty of outgoing types like yourself (you're kidding yourself if you think everyone in the Midwest is introverted and shy, btw). I had a similar take on making friends in Ohio, but I still managed to make it work (after all, that's what you do in college -- make friends).
One of the reasons I moved back to Minneapolis after going to school in C-bus was because of the economy, which was slow to say the least, even back in 2004 when I graduated. I spent almost a year looking for work in Columbus while spending just a bit more time with my then-girlfriend/now-wife, but at the end of the day moving to Minneapolis gave me many more opportunities to find work, and it didn't take long before I was employed full-time.
Now, anecdotes like mine are one-offs that may or may not apply to you and your situation, so please take the information with a grain of salt. A LOT of it depends on your individual situation, your needs, your career objectives, etc.
Last edited by Min-Chi-Cbus; 02-01-2014 at 09:56 AM..
It's obvious that your post is based on a state rivalry rather than truth.
To the OP: I have lived in Columbus for 9 years and I have only encountered a handful of people who have a southern accent. Most Ohioans have a neutral accent. Overall Columbus will come across warm and friendly and there will always be a few rude and ignorant people.
Any of the three metros would be a fine choice, don't let others steer you away with their negative views.
Honestly an internet forum is not the best way to choose because it is only one person's opinion. If possible, it is best to explore in person to see what city and school you like the best. Good Luck.
I love how many Ohioans insist that they are accent-neutral, yet so many people from outside Ohio think you have accents, including myself. Clevelanders sound like Chicagoans or Detroiters, Minneapolitans sound like a cross between Chicago and Canada/Fargo, and Madison is a fusion of the two. Columbusites very much have a twang in their speech (same with Cincy) -- sorry to be the one to break it to you. Nobody likes to think they have a different or funny accent, and that's coming from a Minnesotan!
You have a good point though in that the OP should seriously just travel to each of the three cities. At the very least you'd get to visit three amazing places that most Americans should visit at some point in their lives.
Which school has the most highly respected program for your major
Schools reputation to companies
What you plan to do after graduation and which school would offer the best networking opportunities
In terms of personality, Madison, WI has a rather granola, tree hugging vibe. Minnesota is rather cosmopolitan, with a radical liberal vibe underneath. I don't know about the schools in Ohio but I have several friends who were born there, moved away for various reasons and came back. They are all genuinely nice people.
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