UT Knoxville life (fit in, apartment complex, crime)

[thegoodelife]

I was accepted to UT at knoxville for fall 2011 undergrad. I live in the mid atlantic and most of the places I applied to besides UT are way up north. I've never been further south than virginia so I had a few questions about the knoxville area:

1) what's the weather like in fall, winter, spring, summer?
2) racial attitudes aren't the way people stereotype are they?
3) attitudes toward northerners?

[Badbird2000]

Fall is nice, winter is hit or miss. But if you are form up north, it won't be as bas as you are used to. Summer can get pretty hot and humid. Not as hot as the far south, Georgia and Florida. I am from Florida and it's not as bad as it is down there.

There are quite a few northeners here, i don't really notice any attitude towards them. They were all over Florida, we take them as they come.

At least you can get some sweet tea here!! lol..

[hiknapster]

I'm from the northeast, lived in Florida for awhile, so I think the weather is perfect. To me, it's four evenly-spaced mild seasons. We just had one of the worst winters here and it would be considered an extremely mild winter in New England.

Most people are very friendly and don't mind Yankees. To my face, anyway. This is very small city but it's still a city and they seem to be more open to people than say, a very small community. I don't really see racism. I saw much, much more of that in Florida and it always came from Northeners. Could be a coincidence. Maybe not.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by thegoodelife

I was accepted to UT at knoxville for fall 2011 undergrad. I live in the mid atlantic and most of the places I applied to besides UT are way up north. I've never been further south than virginia so I had a few questions about the knoxville area:

1) what's the weather like in fall, winter, spring, summer?
2) racial attitudes aren't the way people stereotype are they?
3) attitudes toward northerners?

There are a whole bunch of Northerners at U.T. I'm on the faculty at U.T. and have students from all walks of life, all racial backgrounds, all corners of the country, even all parts of the world. Even though 90% of U.T. students are from Tennessee, many of that 90% moved to TN from somewhere else and merely graduated from a Tennessee high school.

A university as large as U.T. has hundreds of organizations, clubs, fraternities and sororities to help all students feel welcomed and valued.

But there are two things you'll really need to do before coming here:
1) Buy lots of orange clothing, and
2) Learn to sing Rocky Top!

[thegoodelife]

thank you everyone! I'm trying to figure out what to expect...it's crunch time and I need to make a decision before may 1st, I found this really helpful.

Originally Posted by JMT

There are a whole bunch of Northerners at U.T. I'm on the faculty at U.T. and have students from all walks of life, all racial backgrounds, all corners of the country, even all parts of the world. Even though 90% of U.T. students are from Tennessee, many of that 90% moved to TN from somewhere else and merely graduated from a Tennessee high school.

A university as large as U.T. has hundreds of organizations, clubs, fraternities and sororities to help all students feel welcomed and valued.

But there are two things you'll really need to do before coming here:
1) Buy lots of orange clothing, and
2) Learn to sing Rocky Top!

any other advice on UT before going??

[rickwho55]

I am also a new student coming to UT this fall. I have heard nothing but good things about the campus and atmosphere at the school, but I am wondering if anyone has some advice for off-campus housing. What areas should be avoided and what places offer affordable housing?

[mahavisnu]

Originally Posted by rickwho55

I am also a new student coming to UT this fall. I have heard nothing but good things about the campus and atmosphere at the school, but I am wondering if anyone has some advice for off-campus housing. What areas should be avoided and what places offer affordable housing?

Though Fort Sanders can get a little sketchy (fair amount of drug activity), a lot of students choose to live there because it's cheap and within walking distance of campus (and often closer than the dorms). If you live closer to the strip (say around 17th Street) it's even closer and there's a little less to worry about crime-wise, but perhaps the biggest concern is that it can be a noisy, busy area (party central, basically; going to a Fort party is an integral part of the UT experience in my book ). However, if that doesn't bother you then go for it. If you don't mind commuting, there are a lot of nice, safe, and relatively affordable apt. complexes around Sutherland, Papermill, and Lonas that are a short drive away and also close to West Knoxville shopping. If you like historic neighborhoods 4th and Gill and Park Ridge are fairly close by, though both have minor/moderate problems with wandering homeless people and property crime (4th and Gill is generally nicer but also more expensive). They are very cool places to live though, home to much of the "hip" population of Knoxville with beautiful houses, if that's something you're interested in. The Woodlands across the river is nice but WAY overpriced for what it is IMO, and it's another one of those places where the party never really stops, even when you wish it would.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by mahavisnu

Though Fort Sanders can get a little sketchy (fair amount of drug activity), a lot of students choose to live there because it's cheap and within walking distance of campus (and often closer than the dorms). If you live closer to the strip (say around 17th Street) it's even closer and there's a little less to worry about crime-wise, but perhaps the biggest concern is that it can be a noisy, busy area (party central, basically; going to a Fort party is an integral part of the UT experience in my book ).

Good analysis. I lived in the Fort for 4 years and loved it. It is the stereotypical college neighborhood (I would guess 75%+ residents either go to UT, or attend community college and have friends/roommates at UT). Yes, there is a fair amount of sketchiness, and there were always reports of crime, but in my time as a resident, I was never a victim, and I only knew a handful of people who were (mainly muggings).

I would say it is fairly easy to avoid crime in Fort Sanders if you do the following:

-don't live in a sketchy apartment complex or house
-don't buy or sell drugs in your apartment
-don't leave items visible in your car
-don't walk home alone, drunk, at 3am from a raging party across The Fort

-do walk with friends at night, and avoid dark alleys or unlit streets when possible (common freakin sense, people)
-do lock your windows and your doors when you leave (I had a roommate who was terrible with this, but we never got robbed)
-have a good relationship with your neighbors. That comes in handy in so many ways.
-look for apartments which offer some some sort of security, such as a courtesy officer or parking lot cameras (to help avoid property crime)

As far as I'm concerned, the parties, the noise, and culture of The Fort was an important part of my college experience. One huge advantage the Fort has over anywhere, except for on campus, is proximity to the football and basketball games. You can walk from most areas of The Fort in less than half an hour, and you don't have to pay $15-20 to park (beer money saved).

One thing, though...if you're not used to walking, you better get used to it quick...the Fort is built on a rather large, long hill...you will notice the students living there have huge calf muscles.




As far as the other questions (some have already been addressed):

Weather:
-Fall - can be pretty warm through October, but very pleasant in November, and usually mild in December (at least until exams are over). There is a pretty big change from October to December, though, just like anywhere else.

-Winter - snow is rare, but it happens. UT rarely ever cancels class, unlike the schools in the area. It can range from mild (60s, even 70s occasionally) to quite cold (highs in the 20s, lows in the teens or single digits). Typically, your winter day will be something like a high of 40-50 with a low around freezing.

-Spring - will start mild, possibly with some late frosts or snows, then quickly warm up to consistent 70s and 80s in April. May can get pretty warm. Usually a fair bit of thunderstorm activity during this time.

-Summer - Hot and humid, just like the rest of the South. Knoxville is near the mountains, but not in them, so there is no relief in the city from the 90+ degree temperatures. Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon.


Racial attitudes/stereotypes - you will find bigots here like you will anywhere else in the country...but it is not the norm...especially close in to UT. If you want to live in an area where pretty much all types are accepted, there's probably not a better place than The Fort. It is UT's cultural melting pot. UT is not a liberal college, but like any major public school, you will find people of all different types who thrive in the environment. There are student groups and organizations that cater to all interests and opinions. If you are concerned about fitting in, I suggest you seek out one of these groups.

Attitudes towards northerners - I wouldn't worry about this. Yes, it's a southern school with a lot of southerners, but I came across a lot of people from the north. If you try to fit in at UT (i.e., embrace the college life, the color orange, and UT athletics), you will be accepted no matter where you are from. If you resist, or are condescending towards the local folks/culture/sports and talk about how much better, or how much you miss where you are from, you will probably encounter some resistance yourself. You don't have to love the South more than where you came from, but be mindful that people here take a lot of pride in where they are from, so if you insult them, don't expect any hospitality in return.

Just try to enter with an open mind and make friends. My biggest mistake my freshman year was holing up in my dorm room and staying on the computer. Don't do that. Get out, meet people, make friends, have fun, and most importantly STAY IN SCHOOL. Go to class, study, do your work, and THEN party. I know a number of people who flunked out because they partied too much, and went to class too little. The last thing you want to do is go home early...

Good luck!

[airen123]

nashvols summed everything up to a T. (no pun intended). I lived in the Fort several years while attending UT and I had minimal problems.
UT is a great school, it is very open, and I've never heard of any animosity towards "Northeners".

[rickwho55]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. My main safety concern is gang activity. I don't mind the noise or typical undergrad problems. I am coming in as a grad student on a fixed income so I need a relatively cheap place. I wouldn't mind a short commute (10-15 mins) but walking or riding the bus would be preferable. Also, I am really excited for Tennessee football games and am wondering how if there are shuttles to the stadium on gamedays?