Confused when people refer to “The North”
 

So, I’m brand new to Florida, coming from Colorado. I hear lots of people in TV refer to “The North”, or going back home to “The North”. I usually find out they are referring to the mid-Atlantic, New England or the Mid West. Technically, Colorado is north of Florida, but it is way more west than it is north. It seems weird to me to refer to Colorado as “North”. In conversations with people, they seem to refer to any state other than Florida as “North”. Do those of you from Pacific and Rocky Mt states say you are going north, or going west when going back home?

I usually just say "I am going back to New Mexico." (where I was raised). Sometimes they look at me kind of funny and tell me my English is quite good for a foreigner. lol. New Mexico is "the forgotten state". When I lived in the mid-Atlantic area people I knew well would ask me what it was like living in Arizona even though I had told them I was from New Mexico.

I say "West" if going back to Wyoming. Then people say, "Oh, I've never met anyone from there." But I left there as a young adult because I couldn't tolerate the winter weather.

I would guess up north is referring to northern states.

What still throws me is many folks in Florida referring to the West Coast mean the West Coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, not the the states such as California bordering the Pacific Ocean.

North is anywhere north of FL east of the Mississippi. West is anywhere west of the Mississippi.

very clearly stated, but all very relative interpretation, and an absolute interpretation will be confusing.

That throws me too, something I will have to get used, as being born, raised, and spending my early adult years in California, the West Coast always referred to the Pacific states. The Villages is definitely East-coast centric. When I say I am from the West, people seemed surprised.

You'll probably receive a variety of answers but seems pretty standard that Floridians (for the most part....LOL !) go NORTH before they go East or West.... it might just be as simple as a colloquial thing to say "north". Come to think of it, last time we went to NOLA I'm sure I said we were "heading north" for a week, when in reality we were driving north and THEN heading WEST... LOL ! Local habit more than precise accuracy probably !

Yep

Often around TV it refers to anyplace north of 466A.

When people complain a lot many just figure they are from New York thus the go back north term developed.

I would think that "up North" refers to anywhere where it gets snow and cold temps. Physically, your state and others west of the Mississippi is really west. But, clumped together all states are north of Florida.

It could also be north or SR44? Maybe.

It’s definitely weird and definitely a real thing. I was born and raised here and until I moved to the actual west coast, it seemed normal to say. :a20: Now, I say the west coast of Florida. Or the Gulf coast.

Anything South of Game of Throne's Ice Wall is "South." I think it's appropriate!

Florida is 'south of south'

You have to get a hobby or read a good book!

I find it confusing when folks say they are confused about folks saying they are going up North.

I think he is asking all the correct questions. I remember when I was new here. Don’t be discouraged, keep asking questions.

This is a topic you should spend a lot of time on this subject!! Come on - you have too much time kn your hands!!!

Class, class, class,! Thank you
 

you are where this says you are 🧭.
Bill parcells said it best your record is what your record shows

WHO DOESN'T AS A RETIREE?!!! OP there is an IGNORE option for posters that have "too much time" to be negative.

From "The North"
 

I couldn't agree more w/ur observation about the lack of knowledge about New Mexico. It's common in not only in most areas of the country, newscasters, and in particular those that report on the weather. NM often has extensive wild fires w/thousand of acres burning but who gets the reporting but CA with 50% less fire. It's like there's not even a state b/w Texas & Arizona! Consider the source a d their lack of education in geography!

To be fair, the greatest # of people who settle in the Villages are from the east coast, w/24% from NY in particular.

I'm from Maryland but have lived in several states & Europe, so it doesn't bother me to hear the reference to "North." I refer to wherever I'm going when going out of town.

I was going to say 466, but with so many "down south" it probably is 466A now.

I live in Mallory and when I golf in the Fenney area this time of year I tell them I'm from "up north" and
that it was snowing when I left in my cart. They usually just ignore me....;o)

My sense is when people use the term, "Up North", they mentally are saying it in a derogatory manner...... more like with a sneer. I automatically turn those people off as being close minded and lacking the ability to articulate their thoughts clearly.

People from the South north of us say they’re going “down North” when they come to Florida. Lol.

North
 

. .
Being from CT, I just say "up in New England"!!

Don't get me started on the "mid-west".... that should be Nevada...

North is the other side of the Mason Dixon line.

We are West
 

We snowbird from Alaska and are 5000 miles northwest from the villages more west than north

I consider anything north of Gainesville to be, "The Frozen Tundra".

If they say they’re going “up north” they are likely from NJ

yes, i use the term 'up north' when referring to Ct., aka former homestate

Where in Wyoming are you from? I'm from Cheyenne. Left when I was 18 because I wanted big city life, lol. We've been here a year in Florida

We are driving “up north “ for Christmas in Ohio. My “home home” where I grew up is way up north to the northern point of MN.

Well, realistically you can't go too far south, east, or west in Florida and call it home
unless you live on a boat.
Traveling north in Florida is the flood gates to the U.S.

Hi Michael, we are snowflakes from Colorado! I always say we are going back to Colorado...but I was born and raised in Michigan. I had a bad habit of asking people if they were going "up north" when they were going to the mountains Here! To me it represented a vacation in norther Michigan....or a vacation in the mtns of Colorado! LOL

I think most native Floridians would consider "North" to be anywhere in the east north of Dixie. Maryland and Pennsylvania for instance. The upper Midwest would be included such as Illinois and Michigan. Anything west of the Mississippi is "West". Most southerners would call people from California, Oregon, and Washington "left coasters".

Maybe even 44.