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Old 07-05-2015, 03:12 PM
 
3 posts, read 6,143 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi, my name Stacey, I'm 18 and will be attending ODU for my freshman year this fall. I have never been to Norfolk before but was wondering what is it like to live there?

Are there cute little sidewalk cafes? Are there dramatic productions being put on every week? Will there be activists and demonstrators marching the streets? Do people swim in the rivers there?

What are the locals like?

I'm nervous about moving so far away So I'm sorry for all the questions
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Old 07-06-2015, 05:43 AM
 
Location: Virginia Beach
27 posts, read 36,285 times
Reputation: 43
Quote:
Originally Posted by StaceySwift View Post
Hi, my name Stacey, I'm 18 and will be attending ODU for my freshman year this fall. I have never been to Norfolk before but was wondering what is it like to live there?

Are there cute little sidewalk cafes? Are there dramatic productions being put on every week? Will there be activists and demonstrators marching the streets? Do people swim in the rivers there?

What are the locals like?

I'm nervous about moving so far away So I'm sorry for all the questions
Quick question...you are attending ODU in the fall but you have never seen the campus or visited Norfolk before you accepted the admission? Just curious...where are you moving in from?

Living in Norfolk has, of course, benefits as well as negatives. Near the ODU campus is Ghent, know as the "Arts" district with coffee shops, art galleries, pubs, bars, and the like which draws many of the college students. Norfolk boasts many arts and cultural perks...I've put some links here for you.

Its a good Southern city, and I don't know where you come from but it is relatively small for a city, with a daytime population of 250,000 total. Most people commute in for work and then head back to the burbs. Lots of restaurants and things to do, but also some less than desirable, and even dangerous areas. You just have to become acclimated to the area and you'll quickly learn the areas that you have no need to be in anyway. Just use common sense and be smart an you will love the area.

Did I mention that its also very close to Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay?

City of Norfolk, Virginia - Official Website
Welcome to Historic Ghent - Ghent Business AssociationGhent Business Association
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Old 07-06-2015, 09:14 AM
 
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I accepted admission because it was the only school that would accept me that has a good oceanography program.

I live in Sherwood, Tn
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Old 07-08-2015, 07:50 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,373 posts, read 27,049,417 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StaceySwift View Post
Do people swim in the rivers there?
It certainly isn't likely to be safe or clean to swim in the rivers. There are huge naval bases, and the waters have stinging jellyfish in the summer. Stick to the ocean beaches or a pool.
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Old 07-13-2015, 06:05 PM
 
34 posts, read 37,664 times
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Stacey, there are Museums, Botanical Gardens, entertainment places that have a variety of concerts and sports attractions at the Scope. You can visit the Chrysler Museum of Art or take a ride on the Spirit of Norfolk. So many little antique shops to browse around in. Coffee shops galore with featured guest artist. If you like stand up comedy, there are places for that too. I'm sure once you are settled in, you can explore what Norfolk has to offer for you, but I would recommend not venturing alone. Good Luck, ODU is a great college.
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Old 07-15-2015, 04:54 PM
 
8 posts, read 11,231 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StaceySwift View Post
I accepted admission because it was the only school that would accept me that has a good oceanography program.

I live in Sherwood, Tn
ODU is a pretty good school that I'd recommend to anyone.

The campus is fairly safe, but some of the neighborhoods around it aren't so much. Generally speaking, you're not going to want to venture too far south of the school (not that there's much to do in that area anyways) unless you're going to continue south until you get to the other side of the train tracks, at which point you'll be in Ghent, the uban-ish, yuppy area that's got a good amount of hang out spots.

Here's a safety map for reference (made by someone else on here) https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...&oe=UTF8&msa=0

If you have a car, Hampton Roads has decent stuff to offer. Public transport sucks though.
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Old 07-16-2015, 05:43 AM
 
Location: Hampton Roads
3,032 posts, read 4,736,446 times
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If you have facebook, try joining a couple of the ODU groups. I am sure there are some. That might give you a better feel of the school itself.

I would also tell ODU students the same thing I would tell people that went to my college in its sleepy little college town - don't walk home alone, drunk, at 2AM. Get a cab, walk in groups, but walking home alone drunk with no wits about you isn't safe anywhere!
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Old 07-17-2015, 05:52 PM
 
3 posts, read 6,143 times
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Thanks for all the tips! I can't wait to get to Norfolk and meet new people, see operas, plays, live music on a nightly basis, basically living the big city life

We swim in the rivers here in TN which is why I was asking about the rivers in Norfolk and I'm scared of sharks haha
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Old 07-17-2015, 06:42 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
1,098 posts, read 1,547,230 times
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The stuff with the sharks on the outer banks (which is nearby) is very unusual. Around here, you really only have to worry about sharks at night. (In fact, that's when you go shark fishing!)

If you go over to Hampton, Newport News, or Yorktown, they have river beaches there. We have more beaches here than we know what to do with.
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Old 07-18-2015, 08:16 AM
 
Location: Portsmouth, VA
6,509 posts, read 8,456,469 times
Reputation: 3822
Quote:
Originally Posted by StaceySwift View Post
Hi, my name Stacey, I'm 18 and will be attending ODU for my freshman year this fall. I have never been to Norfolk before but was wondering what is it like to live there?

Are there cute little sidewalk cafes? Are there dramatic productions being put on every week? Will there be activists and demonstrators marching the streets? Do people swim in the rivers there?

What are the locals like?

I'm nervous about moving so far away So I'm sorry for all the questions
I don't swim in the rivers. Can't speak for anyone else.
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