Penn vs. Michigan Forum

[landshoes]

I was shocked when I realized that Hyde Park is an actual neighborhood and not a euphemism for "the South Side of Chicago but we want to make it sound fancier and safer"

(Don't get me wrong it's still on the south side)

[fliptrip]

LOL! Quite right, but don't you love the folks who distinguish between Kenwood and Hyde Park? Barack Obama lived in Kenwood!!!!! Don't you tell me I live in Hyde Park!!!

[Budfox55]

I was shocked when I realized that Hyde Park is an actual neighborhood and not a euphemism for "the South Side of Chicago but we want to make it sound fancier and safer"

(Don't get me wrong it's still on the south side)

Same with Morningside Heights and Harlem. Im like 99% certain that Morningside Heights is a fake neighborhood that Columbia just made up so that parents wouldn't be scared about sending their kids to school in Harlem.

[Budfox55]

Real talk: my SO was ridiculously over-worried about the crime rate in Philly to the point that he thought we would get mugged immediately after getting off the airplane after spending a few days there and jumping at everything, he's finally come around lol

University City is a reasonably safe neighborhood. Someone who lived in Philly longer than I did might tell you, "don't go past x street", but I can speak for the neighborhood immediately surrounding the university. You've already mostly settled on your decision, so obviously you didn't let the city's reputation sway you, but I wanted to add that it's the factually correct position and it would have been unfortunate if you had let that sway you.

God bless the euphemisms we give neighborhoods with bad reputations so that people don't get scared..."Oh no, my child, Penn's not in West Philly! It's in University City!!!!!" This is related to "Columbia's not in Harlem (though this would have been more meaningful 20 years ago when Harlem scared folks)! It's in Morningside Heights!!!!"

Ha, didn't see that you already addressed Columbia.