For The New Arrival
I don't know if she took my advice or not. But the incident did get me thinking. So many people are moving to Reno these days, it would be a great public service to let them in on a few of the local quirks that it took me a while to figure out when I first moved here in 2001.
First, that ubiquitous sticker:
This is actually the most recognizable symbol of the League To Save Lake Tahoe, a well-established environmental group that has been working to protect the Lake and the surrounding Basin for over 45 years now. This is a great cause. Unfortunately, putting one of these stickers (or one of it's many parodies) on your car is thought by a lot of people new to the area to be a good way to blend in. It isn't. Slapping one of these stickers on your Toyota Land Cruiser that still has California plates on it looks exactly like what it is: trying too hard to fit in. If you really care about the Sierra Nevada and the Great Basin then you should actually join the League or another conservation group, or perhaps volunteer your time. Putting a sticker on your car is literally the least you can do.
Second, don't pronounce the name of this state "Ne-vah-da." The middle syllable in "Nevada" should rhyme with the 'a' in "gamble." Mispronouncing the state's name is the surest way to reveal the fact that you are a newbie. And for God's sake, whatever you do don't try telling someone who lives here that "Ne-vah-da" is correct because Merriam-Webster says so or because it's closer to the original Spanish. That just makes you look like a smart ass.
Third: It's cold here in the winter and windy most of the time. Shut up and deal with it.
Fourth: Not only should you not expect any road construction project to be completed on the predicted date, you really shouldn't expect it to ever get done at all. That way, if it ever is completed, it's like a nice bonus.
Fifth: Don't ever, ever, ever, ever, ever brag to someone that you were able to sell your house in Santa Clara and buy two homes here with cash left over. I'm serious, don't do this. That nice young person that you're telling this to might very well be one of Reno's legions of hardworking local young people who may now be permanently priced out of becoming a homeowner because of our over-inflated, California-influenced marketplace (i.e. because of people like you, Mr. Santa Clara). Trust me, he or she isn't going to be as pleased about your good fortune as you are.
Sixth: Even if you have only been here a few months, you should immediately get involved in Reno's favorite pastime, which is complaining about the rapid pace of growth and the huge number of people moving here. Really, I don't care if you've been here a couple of weeks, one of the best ways to start a conversation with anyone in Reno is to start waxing poetic about how Reno's just not a small town anymore, how quickly the north valleys are filling up with sprawling housing projects, how bad traffic is these days and how it makes your jaw clench when people who just moved here mispronounce "Nevada." Complaining about growth is a bonding experience all Reno residents love to share in, and practicing it is the surest and fastest way to achieving the status of being a "local."
That's all I've got for now. If anyone else has any other tips they'd like to submit, please leave 'em in the comments section.
posted by Yukon Sully | 4:55 PM
15 Comments:
Number one way to fit in: Always refer to the Reno Hilton as "The MGM" no matter what.
Number two way: Drop some knowlege like "Don't plant your vegetables until all the snow has melted off Peavine." That's old school.
Number three way: Tell people you miss UNR being in the Big Sky conference or that you liked watching the games at the convention center better than Lawlor.
Just three quick tips...
Sugafree9, you should be beaten with a fish...you said UNR. Everyone knows that a true local would never say that. Instead it's either Nevada, University of Nevada or the University. If you really want to seem hard core, refer to UNLV as Nevada Southern. Also, the Nugget downtown is JK's, you go there to get an awful-awful, on your way out of town to visit the city (aka san francisco).
That was so my bad.
Yes, how could I forget the whole "University of Nevada, not UNR" thing. That's very important.
Sully:
At least Reno has the foresight to build some infrastructure to attempt to keep up with the growth. I recall when 395 was South Virginia Street.
Both my Father and I were born and raised in Portland and have witnessed similar growth (perhaps not quite as fast as Nevada) and associated traffic.
Portland has dealt with growth by making commuting by car pure torture. There have been no major highway improvements to solve the major choke points in Portland in over 25 years. Our solution is to spend all of our highway money on very expensive and inflexible "light rail" which carries less than 1/2 of 1 % of all commuters. Voters vote light rail down, politicians build it anyway.
As a result, there's little money left for any other projects. If anything is built, it's more likely to restrict traffic instead of facilitate it. Money is no object when it comes to bike lanes, traffic "calming" techniques and mass transit.
The "Spagetti Bowl" has nothing on I-5 through the heart of Portland during the 5 HOUR RUSH HOUR!!
JD
Or EE gone
I almost forgot...Here is a nifty website to check out property values.
It works best in older, well established single family homes with slow turnover.
http://www.zillow.com
Just type in a street address and it will give you a ballpark estimate of current market value. Take it with a grain of salt, it does have some flaws but entertaining and maybe useful.
JD
Funny---those working at other institutions (and UNR)refer to UNR as UNR. Maybe that's the insider name that separates UNR folks from the locals. I wish Reno would get bigger---quick! I'm so not a local.
Yeah, there's a strange duality about The University of Nevada/UNR. You'll see sweatshirts with "UNR" on them, but then some people will lecture you about how it's actually The University of Nevada and absolutely NOT UNR. There does seem to be an odd inconsistancy at work. I always say "The University of Nevada", simply because "UNR" sounds like a commuter school. Being from Alabama, I can tell you that absolutely no one would ever refer to the University of Alabama (which happens to be located in Tuscaloosa) as "UAT".
As for wanting Reno to get bigger, I actually want it to get bigger but not to FEEL bigger. I know that makes no sense, but what the hell, it's my blog.
If the University of Nevada was built in Reno before there was a University of Nevada in Las Vegas, then the Reno campus is THE University of Nevada. Any subsequent state schools are then designated as UNLV or wherever. That's how it works in Alabama (there's the University of Alabama in Birmingham, or UAB; the U. in Huntsville, or UAH.) Same in Texas (UTSA in San Antonio, UTEP in El Paso) and Wisconsin (UWM in Milwaukee as opposed to the U. of Wisconsin's main campus in Madison).
can someone explain to me why people that went to ohio state call it "THE ohio state university" with a serious emphasis on the "THE"? sounds so pompus, like there aren't any other universities in ohio. get over yourselves, it ain't harvard.
The difference between UNR and Nevada is one built by the athletic department and the head football coach, Chris Ault. Throughout the 80's and 90's UNR was very common. Then, as the uniforms got darker, the name changed from UNR to Nevada. Mostly this was due to the rivalry with NSU (Nevada Southern), but it also had a lot to do with Sully's commuter school angle. UNR sounds dumb, and Nevada sounds traditional. Also, and I may be killed for this one, the north has a complex in Nevada much like the north does in California when it comes to sports. Giants fans hate the Dodgers. Dodger fans have no idea there is even a team in San Fran. Nevada was much like that in the 90's due to NSU's basketball (and mafia) success. So the north adopted a policy, from within, to be the traditional University of Nevada. And it should be that way. The University of Nevada is almost 100 years older than UNLV. Oh, and if we're on the university, make sure everyone knows Wolf Pack is two words.
The University of Nevada was founded in 1874 and retained that name until 1969 (almost a hundred years later) when "Nevada Southern University" (formerly a satellite location of the University in Reno) changed it's name to "Univesity of Nevada, Las Vegas". It was changed at a Board of Regants meeting in order to ensure that the state's new University did not feel inferior. This became an even more hot topic in the last couple of years when former University President Lilly directed that employees do not refer to it as UNR, only to have Chancellor Rogers respond by stating that it should go by the UNR acronym (although you may note the NCAA refers to the school as Nevada). The student paper responded by changing its from the University of Nevada, Reno Sagebrush to the University of Nevada Sagebrush. When it comes down to it, the University is the state's land grant instituation and is just trying to maintain a sense of history and tradition, whereas most who do not know the history think they are trying to be elitist.
When my pops went here, it was Nevada. UNR as UNR had a relatively short run as the name goes. Also, the uniforms were a darker silver back then too. Its like we came full circle.
Just out of curiousity, did your pops go to Nevada before NSU started?
Before and after. 68-72.
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