Norfolk, VA

[Need Coffee in an IV]

My brother went to ODU for his undergrad and my family still lives around the area/virginia beach. Tbh I wouldn't live too close by if you can help it. The undergrads can be very noisy and there is some petty crime. Parking has been a nightmare for sometime but I'm not sure if they have fixed it. The pros is that everyone I met while visiting my brother was friendly. Also if you are passionate about sports, ODU has a lot of school pride. There are a lot of places to eat, shop, and explore. If you are into concerts the NORVA can't be beat. The tickets don't cost a lot and well known bands play there frequently. The Macarthur Mall is pretty nice as well. Virginia Beach and its boardwalk isn't too far away if you like the beach. Seafood is super awesome and if you go to Virginia Beach, go to Rubys. Its amazing. There are also museums and an aquarium nearby. Overall, Norfolk is fine if you like a city environment and beaches aren't too far away. I'm more of a mountain girl so I won't settle back after grad school. Traffic in general is awful but the people are ok/friendly for the most part. Hope I helped!

[tvethiopia]

23 hours ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

Tbh I wouldn't live too close by if you can help it. The undergrads can be very noisy and there is some petty crime.

are there other surrounding areas you can recommend?

[Need Coffee in an IV]

On 12/24/2016 at 0:29 PM, tvethiopia said:

are there other surrounding areas you can recommend?

It really depends on your budget! I would recommend if you can, you should visit the city and apartments. That way you can get a feel to see if you like it particularly at night. Unfortunately I don't have any personal experience on recommending apartment complexes though. My brother never left that particular area when he was going to school there. But I think its better to pay a little more to get a secured building.

[Yanaka]

2 hours ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

It really depends on your budget! I would recommend if you can, you should visit the city and apartments. That way you can get a feel to see if you like it particularly at night. Unfortunately I don't have any personal experience on recommending apartment complexes though. My brother never left that particular area when he was going to school there. But I think its better to pay a little more to get a secured building.

Plus a guy's experience of security will generally greatly differ with that of a girl's...

[Need Coffee in an IV]

2 hours ago, Yanaka said:

Plus a guy's experience of security will generally greatly differ with that of a girl's...

That's true! I would have to say (not relying on any data, just personal experience) crime in norfolk wasn't gendered skewed that much. Crimes around the area were primarily petty robbery and car break ins.

[Dr. Old Bill]

On 12/24/2016 at 1:29 PM, tvethiopia said:

are there other surrounding areas you can recommend?

I lived in the Norfolk area for a couple of years, and while it's a bit of a cultural backwater, there are some decent pockets. I lived in Old Town Portsmouth, which largely consists of 19th century houses that have been separated into duplexes etc. Things are very sketchy even a mile away, but Old Town is quiet and quaint, relatively "safe," and only a ten minute drive (or a short, free ferry ride across the river) to downtown Norfolk. 

Ghent's fine, though pricey. Some of the newer neighborhoods around Suffolk and Chesapeake are cheaper, but of course further away from Norfolk itself. 

I didn't exactly love my time in Hampton Roads -- there's an odd atmosphere that saturates the area -- but you can find some good locations, and there are some interesting things to do in the area. Being a two-hour drive from the Outer Banks isn't a bad thing either.