AIBU to ask you some questions about the USA?

[BreakfastInAmerica]

I've been reading lots of US fiction over lockdown, I've never been there.

What's the big deal with joining a fraternity house at College? What is the benefit of it? Why the Greek frat house names?

Is public access television still a thing?

Why do they call savoury muffins English Muffins when I'm more likely to see a blueberry or chocolate muffin when I'm out and about?

How do Americans eat things like thick pancakes with cream for breakfast, even the people who are slim?

What are grits?

Why are Automatic cars so prolific in the US, rather than manual/stick shift?

I'm sure I've got lots more questions and please pitch in with your own questions and answers.

AIBU to ask for your answers and questions about the small differences between the US and the UK?

Do all students study all subjects until they leave at the end of 12th grade?

Do students choose which classes/subjects to take?

Do students have a lesson in every subject every day - so first period for one person would be the same subject every day?

No. It depends on the area and how much money the district has at its disposal. If I remember correctly, we had the four main subjects English, Math, History, and Science that was everyday, but you could choose once you hit sophomores year what kind of those classes you wanted to take. Electives were Art, Foreign Language (French, German, or Spanish (Mexican), Music/Theatre, Physical Education, Computer, Chorus/Choir or Study Hall and you would choose from 3 of those and take them everyday and could change them or drop them after the semester was finished.

I think I understand that AP classes are for bright students and equal college credit?! Do students choose to take these classes or are they selected?

Students can choose AP classes but had to have an A/B from a previous class to take them to the school I went to. I didn’t take any, but I did graduate high school a semester early because I had met all the requirements needed to graduate. I was also able to do work experience which had me only going for four hours of school a weekday that last semester. I then went on to a local community college that same school year and transferred to a university further away afterwards. I considered doing AP but I was already doing after school clubs and outside of that doing dance lessons my first three years of high school.

@kierenthecommunity

Oh another one. This may be based on watching Sweet Magnolias on Netflix 😂

I think it’s more a southern thing but is it common for adults to call adult acquaintances/unknown adults sir/ma’am?

Is it common for children to call adults, such as a friend of their parents, this?

Is it common for children to say ‘yes sir/ma’am’ to their parents? I notice this is usually in reply to being disciplined.

It does sound nice and civilised 😂

Yes, it's considered rude if children don't address adults and their teachers as sir or ma'am in the south. My dc found it hard to get used to.

I think it’s more a southern thing but is it common for adults to call adult acquaintances/unknown adults sir/ma’am?

Is it common for children to call adults, such as a friend of their parents, this?

Southerner here. Sir and Ma'am is the default for people whose names you don't know. So, for example, if someone dropped something in the street, I would approach them with "Ma'am (or Sir), I believe you dropped this." I don't address people I know that way.

Many children in the South are still taught to call adults Sir and Ma'am, even their parents. I was taught that as a child, but I didn't make my children do it at home, but suggested to them that they do it at school.

Some old fashioned shops in the UK still address people as sir and ma'am. I am always 'ma'am' at the local butcher!

Back to laundry: why do people in hot areas in the US still dry all their clothes in the tumble dryer? I know people in Arizona and Florida who do this!

Back to laundry: why do people in hot areas in the US still dry all their clothes in the tumble dryer? I know people in Arizona and Florida who do this!

We're just lazy.

(I'm also allergic to pollen, but it's much more fun to just say I do it because I'm lazy.)

Back to laundry: why do people in hot areas in the US still dry all their clothes in the tumble dryer? I know people in Arizona and Florida who do this!

Florida's HUMID. It'd never get dry!

Re laundry drying in the dryer, yes it is humid in the summer, but also some townships actually prohibit drying laundry outside so as not to lower the tone of the neighbourhood

Ours does and it drives me insane that I can't get lovely smelling line dried laundry. The best I can do is put it on an airer to dry with open windows. It's just not feasible to dry towels and sheets that way so they have to go in the dryer. Very sad and environmentally unfriendly

I remember driving through an area of Maine with a lot of Amish people one beautiful sunny winter's day. It was about -20C. All their washing was out on the line.

They'd washed it all by hand then hung it out to dry.

It made me realise that actually we don't need washing machines or dryers if we're determined enough.

I'm not...

I have a question.

Are high schools really like that? Split into very distinct groups/sub cultures? Jocks, emos, nerds, stoners, popular, band, mean girls etc.

Are high schools really like that? Split into very distinct groups/sub cultures? Jocks, emos, nerds, stoners, popular, band, mean girls etc.

Yes. I mean in many cases it's exaggerated in media for effect, but the strata are there.

I don't imagine that US high schools are much different to U.K. secondary schools, really. My oldest spent time in both. There are definite camps of kids in all schools, isn't it all about finding your tribe anywhere?

That said, as sports are so much more of a deal in US high schools, because of the college scholarship possibilities, good student athletes are often a big deal at high school as they can bring a lot of good attention to a school. It's common for local news programmes to feature high school sports on a Friday night broadcast. It only really applies to football (American) and boys' basketball where we are, possibly girls' basketball if they have some outstanding players.

In my kids' high school there were the sports kids, the clever kids, the rich kids as the main tribes. There was some crossover between each one, not really any bullying across the groups. There were a surprising number of kids, I found out through my kids, who took and dealt small amounts of drugs at school.

Ooh, the band kids. Lots of them go on to play in college, and they do a lot of halftime shows at college football games. They do some amazing formations while they're playing, it takes a lot of work every week

Another one. What exactly is in an Ambrosia salad, is it sweet and if so why is it called s salad?

What exactly is in an Ambrosia salad, is it sweet and if so why is it called s salad?

So it's a "salad" in that it's a type of fruit salad -- it's not served with a savoury course, it's usually a dessert.

There are regional variants of it, but it's generally fruit & nuts cherries, pineapple, oranges, bananas, grapes with a creamy, sweet dressing made of some kind of sweetened dairy (whipped cream, cream cheese, etc.) and marshmallows.

Many children in the South are still taught to call adults Sir and Ma'am,

In the Midwest I've had to dissuade dc of my friend's and other dc I know through work from doing this.

I can't get them to use my first name only so they use miss first name it sounds sweet and seems as informal as they can manage. ( I've explained I'm not the queen as really cannot be called ma'am)

My dc now call people sir/ma'am automatically they must have picked it up as school.

American here. The sir/ma'am is used very infrequently in the north and often just as a sign of respect to people in crappy service jobs. The south is very different and frankly, I have always felt far more in common with Canadians than I do with Americans who live in the south. I dated a man from the south who's grandmother would write "Master" in front of his name. That's so racists and disgusting...and odd.

What's the big deal with joining a fraternity house at College? What is the benefit of it? Why the Greek frat house names?

Depends on the school. Again, it's much bigger in the south of the country.

Is public access television still a thing?
Yes, but it's waning

Why do they call savoury muffins English Muffins when I'm more likely to see a blueberry or chocolate muffin when I'm out and about?
No idea!!

How do Americans eat things like thick pancakes with cream for breakfast, even the people who are slim?
My family immigrated from Scandinavian countries so the sweet American pancakes are similar to those in Sweden. Eating in Belgium or Denmark or Germany is similar to how I grew up eating in America.
What are grits? It's a southern breakfast food and I've never tried it.

Why are Automatic cars so prolific in the US, rather than manual/stick shift?
Americans want convenience

Horrid, is what it is, IMO. Check out also the delightfully named congealed salad!

That's so racists and disgusting I can see that it could take on those connotations but in origin it's a much older term and nothing to do with southern slavery.

@MissConductUS That Churchill Tavern looks wonderful. They've got a better selection of real ales than most restaurants in the UK! If I ever visit NY I will definitely try to go there, even though it might sound mad to eat in a British-themed restaurant when you've just come away from Britain.

@lakesidesummer can you explain why Master is racist ,it must be something lost in translation because in the UK it ,s an old fashioned term for a male child under the age of 18 akin to Miss for female .

I'll add that if a Northern or west coast man calls a woman not from the south or places in the East "ma'am," there's a good chance he's being a jerk. The only time I don't bristle at being called "ma'am" is if the user has a southern accent or they are a service worker and I know they're trained to do it. If a non-southern younger male co-worker did it, he's trying to goad you.

Sorry @Delphiium20

....the occasional official correspondence my DC get from the UK addresses them as "Master DC" so I don't think that's particular to the southern US or racist just formal address?

Oh that's really interesting about not being allowed to dry laundry outside in some areas. Lowering the tone. How extraordinary!

@x2boys it's racist because of slavery and its social repercussions. A "Master" was the name of any man who owned slaves. During and after slavery, southerners (and I'm sure others too) would call adult black men "boys" as a way to keep them at a lower class. It was derogatory and patronizing. White families from the south, regardless if they'd owned slaves, wanted to keep their class superiority by emphasizing their white race so they would address their young boys as "Master." It was a way to show disrespect to black people. If grown black men could be called "boy" by actual white boy children, then you reinforce this disgusting practice by calling your white boy "Master."