Athens, GA

[locura81]

Although Athens, Greece would be nice as well, the reality is that Athens, GA could be my home for the next few years. Anyone with any insight into the area?

[smithigans.wake]

I earned my undergrad degree from UGA. What do you want to know? What discipline are you pursuing?

[locura81]

Master of Public Administration - I'm in w/ a generous assistantship offer.

I was just wondering about your impression of the town - what's the atmosphere/vibe there like? What's the student body like? Pluses and minuses of living in Athens? That sort of thing...

[rising_star]

I'm also looking into UGA (the Department of Geography). How is the housing situation for graduate students? What do things typically cost and when would one need to start looking? Do graduate students live predominantely in offcampus housing? Is a car necessary or is public transportation enough to get you everywhere you need to go?

What is the city's cultural atmosphere? Are there lots of arts (theater, galleries, concerts) activities going on? Are they expensive? Are there any good coffee shops? Good bookstores?

Does football take over the campus in the fall? Do lots of students really go to the Florida-Georgia game in Jacksonville?

Do you have any sense of what the graduate student community is like? Are there bars and things that grad students can do that undergrads don't?

Really, I'm fishing for any informationt that I can get. Thanks in advance for your help.

[smithigans.wake]

I was quite pleased with my education at UGA. I found my professors (as an English and philosophy major) to be generally sincere about helping students and improving the academic standing of the University. The library is fantastic, in my estimation; it's a huge collection, and anything the library doesn't have, you can order from another college in Georgia and it will arrive within a few days. The only bad experience I had was with the Honors program, which is a joke, but I don't know if you'll ever deal with it as a graduate student except perhaps on a volunteer basis.

As for the cultural scene, there's probably something for everybody. A couple years ago, Rolling Stone named Athens "the best college music scene," or something like that, for whatever it's worth. Lots of popular bands have been here (Wilco, for instance, a few nights ago). There's usually an opera that comes here once a year; in the past, there's been Madame Butterfly and The Barber of Seville. There are a couple of decent movie theaters that show films other than standard blockbusters. Politically, the campus is definitely not homogenous--I'd say it's pretty evenly divided between liberals and conservatives. However, there aren't a lot of minorities at UGA. Most of the student body (including myself) comes from the white suburbs of Atlanta. Yes, there are a ton of good coffeeshops in Athens...Hot Corner, Jittery Joe's, and of course Starbucks. As for bookstores, the on-campus bookstore (which is run by eFollett) is pretty nice, and there are other places like Borders and Barnes and Noble. Jackson Street Books is a nice used bookstore.

I'm not a huge football fan, so I hate game days...it's next to impossible to do anything or go anywhere on game days, and the football fans trash the campus.

Not having been a graduate student, I don't really know anything about grad housing and such. Like everywhere else in this state, the city is definitely geared more towards drivers, but one year I got around just fine by bike and bus, as well as bumming rides off my friends.

Anything else?

[rising_star]

How early do people generally start looking for housing? How much does housing typically cost (i'm thinking 2bd/2ba type accomodations)? Are things affordable in Athens or outrageously priced? How common it is for people to go into Atlanta for things?

How safe do you feel on campus? In the surrounding areas? What do folks do when they want to escape from the campus life? Do you ever feel like you live in a 'bubble'?

As an undergrad, what has your interaction with grad students been like? How would you describe them?

I'm visiting in a week. Are there any places in particular that I should check out? Places to avoid?

[Guest]

Athens has a very cool attachment downtown to campus as they described above, lots of coffee shops, pubs, and eateries. I dont think they have any real rough elements, but you will see all sorts of "townies".... out of work down and out folks that just seem to be hanging out, aka, bums. The campus is large and well maintained. If you are into music, Athens has it going on, it definetly has that "good vibe" going for it plus I never really felt like I was "deep in the south". You can pretty much go out any night of the week to see live music. I was only there for the summer, so I dont know that I ever felt like I was in a bubble. Atlanta is only an hour drive away, so getting out of town for the weekend is more than do-able. There are a ton of outdoors things to do in georgia, just a matter of doing them. They also have huge gym, with all sorts of thing up to and including a rock climbing wall. Prices in Athens seem cheap compared to pretty much everywhere else all the way from housing to food and booze. I had a great time at UGA, just watch out for the heat and humidity during the summer!

[Guest]

However, there aren't a lot of minorities at UGA.

So, wouldn't that make them the minority?

[locura81]

Smithigan (and guests),

Thanks for the insight. By all accounts, Athens is a great place to live/study. I was especially pleased by your report on the UGA library. As a history undergrad (along with spanish and secondary education...and now a master of public admin...go figure), one of my favorite things in the world was to explore the depths of the Univ. of Arizona library. So to know that UGA's is top-notch is quite the perk! Equally exciting is the seemingly bustling cultural scene - I'm especially glad to know the music scene is solid - I feared that bands might avoid Athens in favor of Atlanta (but if Wilco is any indication, I'll be right happy)

As Britt said, what about housing - did you ever live off campus, and if so, was it cheap? From all the research I've been able to do, it appears as if the cost of living in Athens is fairly low, especially compared to a few other cities I could end up in like LA or DC. Yikes!

Again, thanks to all for the info thus far! And, please feel free to continue sharing

[Guest]

yeah , I agree with everyone so far. If you're looking for a decent size college town, I dont think Athens will dissapoint. There definitely will be people just walking around aimlessly without a job, but I've never seen a town that didn't have that and overall Athens is pretty safe. The heat is an issue, but if you're from the east coast, you are probably used to it. You will break a sweat walking to class if you take them over the summer. Cost of living is so much less than in D.C. or L.A. You can get one bedrooms for like $425-650 that are pretty good, a two bedroom will be between $650-900. As far as on-campus graduate housing goes, I have no idea, but I assume there is a section on the UGA website about it. As you get on the outskirts of Athens, it can get pretty poor but that is with all of the rural south. Compared to places like San Fran, Chicago, L.A.,and New York, everything is much cheaper in Athens. Compared to cities like Atlanta and Dallas, it is only a little cheaper. Depending on what part of the country you are from, you may be a little shocked come Saturdays in the Fall. It is pretty wild and very busy from all the alumni and others coming into town, but it is all in good fun. College football is definitely more popular in the south than the NFL. Like the other poster said, living in GA without a car is not really possible, although I will say it is easier to do in Athens than pretty much anywhere else in the state. The campus has a bus system I believe and here is a link for the city system. http://www.athenstransit.com I've never been on it, so I dont know whether it is nice or not. To the poster who asked about the Florida game down in Jacksonville, I'm not sure how many students go there to see it, yet I think I heard from a friend who goes to UGA that they give you that Thursday and Friday off from class so that students can start making the trip and they call it the "fall break". As for trips to Atlanta, I dont see much of a need unless you want to go to a concert or a special event. The city of Atlanta has some nice areas but a lot of the city has pretty bad crime, even worse traffic, and it is hard to walk it anyway. As for bars and the like, I would just stay in Athens because they have plenty of them. You will find more diverse ones in Atlanta though, but the bars in Athens definitely cater to a younger, student crowd and also you'll probably feel more comfortable walking through Athens late at night(or early in the morning) , rather than Atlanta at that time. Overall, Athens is a great college town. Check out http://www.bikeathens.com if you want some info about bike lanes and trails. I live in metro Atlanta, but have been to Athens several times, if you have any specific questions just post them and I'll see if I know anything.

[Guest]

Also, I think the city bus system is free for UGA students.

[smithigans.wake]

The most I ever payed for an apartment was $400 a month, and you can definitely find decent places for less. Sometime over the next couple of months to find housing should be fine, I think.

As for Atlanta, I've always found everything I need here in Athens. Unless you want to go to a Braves game or something else you can get nowhere but Atlanta, it's not worth the hour-and-a-half drive. I find Atlanta overwhelming--Athens is more like home to me.

Again, I don't really know any grad students, except the ones I've had as TA's...perhaps that means I live in a "bubble," I don't know. :oops:

During your visit, I would recommend just looking around downtown. Downtown Athens is what I generally think of as being "Athens." It's what separates Athens from just being another Atlanta suburb. Get a Flagpole guide to Athens (which are free and available just about anywhere) and check out the restaurants and music landmarks.

A couple of other points. I don't know what student government is like at other schools, but the one here is pretty ineffectual because it is largely controlled by the Greek community, which leaves everyone else generally apathetic about it. And as for the poverty that the other poster mentioned, it turns out that Athens-Clarke County is the 5th-poorest county in the nation. There was a story about it in the student newspaper (the Red and Black) a few weeks ago, and I found it shocking because I didn't know it was that bad. That said, crime is not a huge problem, and I have never felt especially threatened. The campus has its own police force (like many other large schools I would imagine).

[rising_star]

The most I ever payed for an apartment was $400 a month, and you can definitely find decent places for less. Sometime over the next couple of months to find housing should be fine, I think.

A couple of other points. I don't know what student government is like at other schools, but the one here is pretty ineffectual because it is largely controlled by the Greek community, which leaves everyone else generally apathetic about it. And as for the poverty that the other poster mentioned, it turns out that Athens-Clarke County is the 5th-poorest county in the nation. There was a story about it in the student newspaper (the Red and Black) a few weeks ago, and I found it shocking because I didn't know it was that bad. That said, crime is not a huge problem, and I have never felt especially threatened. The campus has its own police force (like many other large schools I would imagine).

How far from campus are the apartments that are $400/mth? What do things total to with utilities, cable, etc?

Earlier you wrote that there aren't a lot of minorities. I was wondering if you could clarify and elaborate on that point.

Have you heard any bad crime stories?

[smithigans.wake]

About minorities. The situation is better nowadays, but UGA's history with blacks and other minorities is, unfortunately, not a happy one in many respects. For example, I was in a debate club, Demosthenian Society, which is one of the oldest UGA institutions. It has been alleged by some historians that a major race riot that occured over integration at UGA in the 60's was instigated by Demosthenian members at the time. We recent members have had trouble attracting Afro-Americans into the society because of the lingering memories of that time.

Now, that said, things are DEFINITELY not as bad as they were in the past. There haven't been any hate crimes committed since I've been at UGA, and I would venture to say in decades. The main thing is numbers--there just aren't a lot of minorities at UGA. Being white myself, I can't really speak for their experience, but I think a lot of them just feel that they are underrepresented. Especially given the inordinate amount of influence the Greek community has over student government and affairs. But, to sum up, I think that as an institution, UGA is still trying to come to terms with its past, and it is steadily improving.

The apartments are not far from campus. Buses can take you to and from in a matter of minutes.

Bad crime stories are few. The last major incident was a freshman who died this semester from cocaine and alcohol abuse.

[pace327]

In my experience (I'm a 2nd year MPA student at UGA), most students live 1-3 miles from campus. There are 2 apartment complexes that are right next to campus, each is less than a 10 minute walk from the student center in the middle of campus and also from downtown which is at the north end of campus: Baldwin Village Apartments & River Mill. Baldwin Village is mostly 1 bdrm apts & almost all grad/law students. Rent runs $500-$520 a month I think, doesn't include electric, cable, or phone. In August 2004 when I looked into River Mill it was about $50/month more than Baldwin Village. That complex has a lot more undergrads & is a lot bigger.

Otherwise, many students live on both the east side and west side of campus. There are many apt. complexes that are mostly undergrad- they tend to have free tanning beds, free printer in the office, workout room, large pools, etc. The bare bones ones will be quieter and cheaper. I have never ridden the bus in Athens b/c I live in Baldwin Village, so I don't know how convenient the routes are. Grad students can get parking passes but must do it on time- I think in June? Not sure. Check the UGA Parking Services website in a couple of months. Parking will run you anywhere from maybe $150-$300/year depending what lot you are in.

Other things:

Yes, there are a few grad student type bars. Actually, most bars are fine any night until about 11pm when the under-21s come out w/their fakes. The Globe on Lumpkin St. is a nice, chill bar that attracts a non-undergrad crowd.

Football is sweet, especially the home games. I went to GA/FL in Jacksonville in Oct 04. I wouldn't do it again (lots of drinking/very little sleeping), but it was a really fun trip and a fantastic experience.

The Graduate Student Association does a decent job keeping grad students informed about activities and campus issues that matter to grad students. You have to sign up for the listserv, it's not automatic. You'll hear about that at the Graduate School orientation in August.

[Tiffany912]

I guess I'm the outcast here - but I hate Athens. But then again, I'm used to living in Atlanta, a much bigger city. I just think there's not much to do there other than go to bars and drink beer or go to football games. It's not a very diverse place, either.

[rising_star]

I guess I'm the outcast here - but I hate Athens. But then again, I'm used to living in Atlanta, a much bigger city. I just think there's not much to do there other than go to bars and drink beer or go to football games. It's not a very diverse place, either.

Hi Tiffany, could you elaborate more specifically on what you don't like about Athens? It'd be helpful for those of us considering moving there.

[Tiffany912]

Hi Tiffany, could you elaborate more specifically on what you don't like about Athens? It'd be helpful for those of us considering moving there.

It's just not a place that I would want to live. Almost all the people who live in Athens are students, and almost all of them are white.

Having a life outside of school is very important to me, and Athens doesn't have a lot of things to do, outside of the bar scene.

My cousin went to UGA for a year before transferring to Gainesville. She quickly tired of the drunk frat kids everywhere and the ridiculous emphasis on football, which seems to run the school. She says it's still a "good ole boy" town, where racism and sexism are all too common. Her other complaints wouldn't apply to grad school, like the fact that there are 150+ students in some classes.

Basically, I personally just couldn't live in any college town like that. I need diversity. I need interaction with non-students. I need fun things to do on weekends.

[Guest britt__dreams]

It's just not a place that I would want to live. Almost all the people who live in Athens are students, and almost all of them are white.

Having a life outside of school is very important to me, and Athens doesn't have a lot of things to do, outside of the bar scene.

My cousin went to UGA for a year before transferring to Gainesville. She quickly tired of the drunk frat kids everywhere and the ridiculous emphasis on football, which seems to run the school. She says it's still a "good ole boy" town, where racism and sexism are all too common. Her other complaints wouldn't apply to grad school, like the fact that there are 150+ students in some classes.

Basically, I personally just couldn't live in any college town like that. I need diversity. I need interaction with non-students. I need fun things to do on weekends.

Did your cousin transfer to Gainesville, FL? If so, how did she compare that city to Athens?

I guess I'm just not sure how many of your complaints are specific to UGA and Athens and how many are just general comments about life in the South.

I'm gathering from this that you've never actually been to or lived in Athens. Could anyone else elaborate on specifics about racism and sexism at UGA and in Athens?

[Guest kev44]

Yes, the student body is mostly white, yet that is just because the whites are the ones applying there. Blacks, latinos, asians etc. generally choose to go to different schools in the state. Life in the south isn't much different than life anywhere else in the country these days. Especially in the big cities like Atlanta, where most people that have been moving here in the last 15 years are from the north or west. Willpeople of different races generally hang out with only each other? Yes, but there isn't any bitterness about it and it generally just occurs because of similar interests. I moved to suburban Atl when I was 10 years old and barely any of the kids I grew up with in this area were born in Ga. Most moved here around the time I did from places like Conn, Ohio, Michigan, and Cal. People are not any more racist in the south than they are anywhere else, they may just be willing to admit it if they are but this is literally about 1 % of people. i dont think athens is a racist town at all. When you have a school with close to 40k students, i would be shocked if you were not able to find people that would accept you. As far as the sexism goes, I'm not really sure exactly what you were talking about. One southern tradition that still exists in Athens somewhat is getting married at a young age. Although, this trend is declining, there still are many people that get married right when they graduate from college (21-24). There also are some girls who go to college to get an education yet also to find a husband. Like I said, this tradition is rapidly going away though. If you are concerned about racism, I would not let that be the deciding factor for you. I think you will find after some time that people are generally really nice and that if you have similar interests they willaccept you no matter where you come from. It is true that outside of metro atl, Georgia is mainly white, black and latino and not much else. Yet since there are so many students from metro atl going there, you should be able to find people of your backgorund if it is not one of those. Georgia's population growth in the past 20 years is all from immigrants and people from the north and west and i dont think you should have any problem. If you are still umcomfortable about UGA, look in to Georgia State in downtown Atlanta which probably has the most diverse student body in the state.

[rising_star]

Thanks for the kind words, kev44. It's good to have lots of perspectives on a city before making such a huge decision. If you have any other comments or advice, please feel free to post!

[Tiffany912]

Did your cousin transfer to Gainesville, FL? If so, how did she compare that city to Athens?

I guess I'm just not sure how many of your complaints are specific to UGA and Athens and how many are just general comments about life in the South.

I'm gathering from this that you've never actually been to or lived in Athens. Could anyone else elaborate on specifics about racism and sexism at UGA and in Athens?

Sorry, I meant Gainesville college, it's in northern Ga as well.

Well, I live in the south, and always have, and none of those comments would be indicitive of my experience living in the south.

I have been to Athens many times. I wouldn't be able to tell you that I dislike it there if I had never been.

[Guest curious]

I'd like to know what specific instances you (or your cousin) have had a racist act/statement made towards you at UGA/Athens? I've never heard of UGA currently being a racist campus.

http://www.admissions.uga.edu/diversity.html

[rising_star]

I'd like to know what specific instances you (or your cousin) have had a racist act/statement made towards you at UGA/Athens? I've never heard of UGA currently being a racist campus.

http://www.admissions.uga.edu/diversity.html

Well I don't think any school would advertise being racist.

Sorry if it seems like I'm grilling you Tiffany. I was just trying to clarify about your background so that I could better understand what about Athens you really disliked. So how does Gainesville, GA compare to Athens? Is it closer to Atlanta? More diverse?

[Guest Guest]

My cousin went to UGA for a year before transferring to Gainesville. She quickly tired of the drunk frat kids everywhere and the ridiculous emphasis on football, which seems to run the school. She says it's still a "good ole boy" town, where racism and sexism are all too common. Her other complaints wouldn't apply to grad school, like the fact that there are 150+ students in some classes.

It's interesting that your cousin felt that Athens was more racist and sexist than Gainesville. I grew up in both towns, and there's no question in my mind that Athens is much more diverse than Gainesville. My mother was a graduate student at UGA about 15 years ago, in a traditionally male field, and she's said that she did not experience any sexism.