Any Oklahomans in the house? Possibly moving to Norman

[nboy22]

Hey all,

Just looking for general advice and things to look out for. I'm on a fast track to possibly getting hired at the University of Oklahoma and would be moving from Phoenix to Norman, OK.

How's life there? It seems pretty good overall at 15% less cost of living than in Phoenix. The climate seems okay but will probably be a lot more humid than I'm used to in Phoenix. Also, how about tornados?

Any crazy stuff I should take into consideration or look out for? Any bad parts of town to avoid? I heard just to avoid using the street named Lindsay during school/football games because it gets crazy.

Thanks!

 

[FeuerFrei]

Hail + Tornadoes = good times. Never been to OK, I'm down in Texas, but I radar shows bad storms up in OK at times. Bunch of weather chasers up there, I imagine.

I see Slaughterville is due south of Norman. Might want to avoid it? Guessing ...

 

[nboy22]

Yeah, I'm wondering what the severity of these storms are. I plan on renting a house most likely, and obviously having whatever insurance I need to cover myself.

I don't think I would ever want to purchase or settle down there, but maybe build up enough money to make a nice down payment in some other state.

Will try to avoid Slaughterville.

 

[Drako]

Frack quake! FRACK QUAKE!! FRACK QUAKE!!!

 

[BurnItDwn]

if you are nervous about Tornados, it might be a good idea to make sure if you rent to find a place with a basement, usually quite a bit safer during those if you can get underground.

 

[ElFenix]

there's nothing to do in norman which is why all the okies back up the buggy and drive down to dallas once a year. and too got-dang many of them stick around once they get there.

 

[blackangst1]

I lived there for 2-3 years, although in 2006, and was completely SHOCKED how often, in normal every day conversation, the N word was said. Not in derogatory ways, just in every day convo. A friend of mine who still lives there (he's in Tulsa now, but I was in OKC) says that hasnt really changed.

 

[Drako]

if you are nervous about Tornados, it might be a good idea to make sure if you rent to find a place with a basement, usually quite a bit safer during those if you can get underground.

But then you're in danger of getting buried by a Frack quake! FRACK QUAKE!! FRACK QUAKE!!!

 

[BurnItDwn]

to defend against frack quake burial, always keep a spade in the basement!

 

[nboy22]

Hmm, AT forums aren't letting me quote anyone today without some sort of weird PHP errors.

I guess I didn't think about fracking, but it makes sense since it's oil pumping country.

A basement sounds like a good idea just in case there are issues with tornadoes. I have heard of that before.

It will be interesting to see how the people talk with racial slurs, because I expect it's going to be more than where I've lived before. I grew up in Idaho, which is deeply republican, but the majority of people seemed to be Mormon, so I didn't hear as many slurs.

 

[local]

Unless it is drastically different from North Texas I really only hear the slurs around low class black people or rednecks and can easily go a month without hearing it. Granted Norman isn't exactly the big city so probably a higher ratio of rednecks there than I am used to in DFW.

The city itself I only visited a few times when my grandfather was in the Veterans Care Center there, seemed like a pretty crap place though. But I am from Texas and we think all of Oklahoma sucks.

As for the tornadoes millions of people have successfully survived them so you probably shouldn't stress out over it, I don't.

 

[MrSquished]

my condolensces