Quality of Life at University of Houston Forum

waverider · Post by **waverider** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:25 pm

It seems like UH ranks pretty low on most quality of life rankings...

I know that rankings in general often have very little validity, especially ones that deal with such subjective matters. But does anyone have an idea as to why? I know the facilities are less than ideal. Anything else?

Does anyone know what parking is like on campus? What's the culture like on campus?

kalvano · Post by **kalvano** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:45 pm

Because Houston pretty much sucks.

*Not flaming. I know I am down on Texas in general, but Houston's not a great place.

madmartigan · Post by **madmartigan** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:15 pm

Are we talking QofL at U of Houston, or Houston in general?

U of H is located in a bad part of town, and I hear the facilities need some maintenance.

Houston is a pretty cool place tho. It's not NYC or anything. But in terms of TX... I would say Austin wins hands down, then Houston, then Dallas.

nealric · Post by **nealric** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:17 pm

*Not flaming. I know I am down on Texas in general, but Houston's not a great place.

I'm from Houston and lived in a few other places as well. I think Houston gets a bad rap, but It actually has a lot going for it. It takes some time to gain appreciation and to figure out what the interesting stuff to do there is. You can't argue with the good economy and low cost of living (but I suppose you could argue with the summer).

As pointed out above, UH is in a crappy part of town, but Houston is such a car-based city that you will be driving in from elsewhere anyways. I would recommend west U, midtown, or montrose.

waverider · Post by **waverider** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:46 pm

I guess I'm mainly asking about the university.

As far as Houston I know I like the city. The weather is actually a plus for me. I'm from Florida so I'm used to hot and humid weather. In fact anything lower than 75 is too cold for me

I read somewhere here on tls that parking is often a problem at UH. Does anyone know to what an extent that's true?

I really don't know anyone in Houston so if I go there it would be comforting to know that it is relatively easy to become emersed into the law school environment. Are there a lot of student activities? Sports? Bar review? Parties? How conjoined is the law school with UG and/or other graduate programs? Not that I'd choose a law school based solely on its social scene but it is a factor.

Thanks for the input!

kalvano · Post by **kalvano** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 12:38 am

madmartigan wrote:Houston is a pretty cool place tho. It's not NYC or anything. But in terms of TX... I would say Austin wins hands down, then Houston, then Dallas.

Really?

I'd say SA, the Dallas, then Austin, then Houston.

happy187 · Post by **happy187** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:36 pm

kalvano wrote:
madmartigan wrote:Houston is a pretty cool place tho. It's not NYC or anything. But in terms of TX... I would say Austin wins hands down, then Houston, then Dallas.

Really?

I'd say SA, the Dallas, then Austin, then Houston.

SA gets old really quick. After the riverwalk, six flags, and sea world there is nothing but cheap tacos and terrible drivers. My list is as followed:

1. Austin - most fun to be had and its a nice area. always something to do.
2. Houston - lots to do, stay out of some areas to avoid getting murdered, but quality of life and fun downtown give it the nod over Dallas
3. Dallas - Weather sucks at times, tornados, very windy and cold winters (in comparison to the rest of TX). And you have to deal with cowboys fans.
4. San Antonio - City is a great vacation spot but i lived there for 6 months and hated every day past the 3rd one.

FunkyJD · Post by **FunkyJD** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:51 pm

happy187 wrote:
kalvano wrote:
madmartigan wrote:Houston is a pretty cool place tho. It's not NYC or anything. But in terms of TX... I would say Austin wins hands down, then Houston, then Dallas.

Really?

I'd say SA, the Dallas, then Austin, then Houston.
SA gets old really quick. After the riverwalk, six flags, and sea world there is nothing but cheap tacos and terrible drivers. My list is as followed:

1. Austin - most fun to be had and its a nice area. always something to do.
2. Houston - lots to do, stay out of some areas to avoid getting murdered, but quality of life and fun downtown give it the nod over Dallas
3. Dallas - Weather sucks at times, tornados, very windy and cold winters (in comparison to the rest of TX). And you [strike]have to deal[/strike] get to hang out with cowboys fans.
4. San Antonio - City is a great vacation spot but i lived there for 6 months and hated every day past the 3rd one.

ftfy

scionb4 · Post by **scionb4** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:55 pm

Ok, here's what you have to know about Houston. First of all, and most importantly, it is not a single city for several reasons. Most cities have a single, concentrated skyline. Houston has about five that are spread out from each other. It is really weird to look at when you're flying in. Also, what would be suburbs to most larger cities are part of the Houston city limits, and still are technically Houston. My dad lives in such an area that for all pretense and purposes should be a separate town considering it takes longer to drive from his house to what people would call "downtown" Houston than it takes to drive from Naperville, Illinois to downtown Chicago. I know because I have spent a significant amount of time in both areas. Why am I boring you with this shit? Because quality of life in Houston is extremely inconsistent. It is urban sprawl unlike any in the country with perhaps the exception of LA. It is so fucking spread out that two areas of Houston will feel polar opposite from each other. Where my dad's house is feels like a suburb. Downtown, it's well, downtown. Then, there are the shit areas, and let me tell you buddy, they are everywhere. Houston has no zoning laws, so you'll see churches and XXX rated bookstores side-by-side. It is the weirdest, most schizophrenic city I have ever been in. I didn't like the people there. They're very "we're gonna kick your ass cuz we're so tough, don't mess with Texas" kind of people (which is so cute because so many of them are fat and out of shape, so it's like looking at an angry, tubby beagle barking its head off at a calm and collected German Shepard who would annihilate the beagle) Anyway, getting off track. The point of all this crap is that if you aren't prepared for Houston, DO NOT GO THERE. To avoid all the bullshit, you would basically have to never leave the nicer (ie, far more segregated) areas. I know the school is in a fairly rough area. Anyway, sorry to all those Houstonites I'm offending right now, but I just have to say overall, when you factor in the bronchitis inducing pollution, the absolutely god awful heat, the insane asshole drivers, how much it blows to go from one place to another, and the combative nature of the people, oh and added the fact that the city is fugly, I would say the quality of life there is pretty shit-tastic. I'm done.

Zojirushi · Post by **Zojirushi** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:03 pm

scionb4 wrote:Ok, here's what you have to know about Houston. First of all, and most importantly, it is not a single city for several reasons. Most cities have a single, concentrated skyline. Houston has about five that are spread out from each other. It is really weird to look at when you're flying in. Also, what would be suburbs to most larger cities are part of the Houston city limits, and still are technically Houston. My dad lives in such an area that for all pretense and purposes should be a separate town considering it takes longer to drive from his house to what people would call "downtown" Houston than it takes to drive from Naperville, Illinois to downtown Chicago. I know because I have spent a significant amount of time in both areas. Why am I boring you with this shit? Because quality of life in Houston is extremely inconsistent. It is urban sprawl unlike any in the country with perhaps the exception of LA. It is so fucking spread out that two areas of Houston will feel polar opposite from each other. Where my dad's house is feels like a suburb. Downtown, it's well, downtown. Then, there are the shit areas, and let me tell you buddy, they are everywhere. Houston has no zoning laws, so you'll see churches and XXX rated bookstores side-by-side. It is the weirdest, most schizophrenic city I have ever been in. I didn't like the people there. They're very "we're gonna kick your ass cuz we're so tough, don't mess with Texas" kind of people (which is so cute because so many of them are fat and out of shape, so it's like looking at an angry, tubby beagle barking its head off at a calm and collected German Shepard who would annihilate the beagle) Anyway, getting off track. The point of all this crap is that if you aren't prepared for Houston, DO NOT GO THERE. To avoid all the bullshit, you would basically have to never leave the nicer (ie, far more segregated) areas. I know the school is in a fairly rough area. Anyway, sorry to all those Houstonites I'm offending right now, but I just have to say overall, when you factor in the bronchitis inducing pollution, the absolutely god awful heat, the insane asshole drivers, how much it blows to go from one place to another, and the combative nature of the people, oh and added the fact that the city is fugly, I would say the quality of life there is pretty shit-tastic. I'm done.

Houston is like every other large city in the US except its hot. I grew up there and have traveled the world since. The school is, like you said, lacking in facilities. Everyone I know who attended there, enjoyed it. Good luck.

fathergoose · Post by **fathergoose** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:16 pm

I've lived in Houston my entire life (except for college) and I'll agree with some of what scion said. It's hot as hell here in the summer, of all the cities I've been to only Rome has drivers who drive more aggressively, and 'sprawl' doesn't even begin to describe a city that extends 20-40 miles in every direction from downtown.

That being said I love the city. You won't find a city with better food (Tex-Mex, BBQ, Asian, European), cheaper cost of living, and friendlier people. I have good friends who go to UH and they enjoy it. If you are looking for a prestigous ambiance then it isn't the place for you but it gives you the opportunity to get a great legal education at about half what you would pay at most places.

Just my two cents

mpasi · Post by **mpasi** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:32 pm

I like Houston, but I prefer Dallas. It's my hometown. Cost of living is cheaper, there's tons and tons of stuff to do, and it has a lower crime rate. Also, the drivers aren't total maniacs on the road, and you can actually breathe here. Houston is humid pretty much all the time, the driving population is full of lunatics, and the air is polluted with tons of smog. Dallas is cold for all of two or three weeks out of the year...the winters are very, very mild. It's in the sixties today, and up until yesterday, was in the seventies. We occasionally get cold fronts that Houston gets as well, but they don't last. It'll snow for a few hours, and if it sticks, it's gone by the end of the day. It rarely snows in Houston, but they've had more wintery weather than we have had this winter. Dallas is also far less prone to flooding than Houston is, and they're both susceptible to tornadoes. I've lived here all my life, and the worst I've experienced is the shittastic sirens. Tornadoes are not that common here. Cowboys fans can easily be avoided. I don't care for the team or football, for that matter, so it's not a huge factor for me. I'd say Oklahoma has a way worse problem with OU fans...I went to undergrad in Stillwater and had to put up with shit from OU fans constantly.

If any one city in Texas trumps the rest, I'd say it's a toss up between Austin and San Antonio. Dallas and Houston are business-oriented metropolises...the other two are purely tourist cities. I prefer San Antonio, because I love Sea World and the Riverwalk, plus the culture there is just amazing. Austin is a melting pot to be sure, but like in Dallas and Houston, it's all just one big jumble.

tsub · Post by **tsub** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:39 pm

mpasi wrote:I like Houston, but I prefer Dallas. It's my hometown. Cost of living is cheaper, there's tons and tons of stuff to do, and it has a lower crime rate. Also, the drivers aren't total maniacs on the road, and you can actually breathe here. Houston is humid pretty much all the time, the driving population is full of lunatics, and the air is polluted with tons of smog. Dallas is cold for all of two or three weeks out of the year...the winters are very, very mild. It's in the sixties today, and up until yesterday, was in the seventies. We occasionally get cold fronts that Houston gets as well, but they don't last. It'll snow for a few hours, and if it sticks, it's gone by the end of the day. It rarely snows in Houston, but they've had more wintery weather than we have had this winter. Dallas is also far less prone to flooding than Houston is, and they're both susceptible to tornadoes. I've lived here all my life, and the worst I've experienced is the shittastic sirens. Tornadoes are not that common here. Cowboys fans can easily be avoided. I don't care for the team or football, for that matter, so it's not a huge factor for me. I'd say Oklahoma has a way worse problem with OU fans...I went to undergrad in Stillwater and had to put up with shit from OU fans constantly.

If any one city in Texas trumps the rest, I'd say it's a toss up between Austin and San Antonio. Dallas and Houston are business-oriented metropolises...the other two are purely tourist cities. I prefer San Antonio, because I love Sea World and the Riverwalk, plus the culture there is just amazing. Austin is a melting pot to be sure, but like in Dallas and Houston, it's all just one big jumble.

Nice to see a fellow Cowboy (OSU) on this board. It's always difficult to convey the general nuisance OU fans provide to the state to people who aren't from Oklahoma, or more specifically, Stillwater. When I decided to apply to law school I could not bear the thought of throwing an app fee towards that law school in Norman, no matter how different people have told me the grad/professional school population is.

Anyways, are you graduating this year mpasi? And how 'bout those Cowboys (basketball)?

mcflooter06 · Post by **mcflooter06** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:45 pm

kalvano wrote:Because Houston pretty much sucks.

*Not flaming. I know I am down on Texas in general, but Houston's not a great place.

+1,000,000

I'm a Texan who loves Texas and I HATE Houston

Zojirushi · Post by **Zojirushi** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:55 pm

I am surprised San Antonio gets any love here. The only city worse than SA in Texas is El Paso. Leave the river walk, and you discover miles of dilapidated housing projects and strip malls. At least Houston has nicer areas intermingled with their sprawl.

colemf · Post by **colemf** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:02 pm

I visited U of H law center about a week ago and really liked what i saw. The school is in need of some repair and it's self is not much to look at but they built these massive lofts right next to the law center along with a huge parking garage so i don't believe parking will much of an issue anymore. Overall U of H is a great bargin if you can stand the heat in the summers.

mpasi · Post by **mpasi** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:03 pm

Zojirushi wrote:I am surprised San Antonio gets any love here. The only city worse than SA in Texas is El Paso. Leave the river walk, and you discover miles of dilapidated housing projects and strip malls. At least Houston has nicer areas intermingled with their sprawl.

Every city has a shithole, but you can't judge the whole thing based on how crappy the not-so-nice areas are. Go to Rodeo Drive in LA...one side is glitz and glamor, the other side is shit and vinegar. Parts of San Antonio are nice. Parts of Houston are horrid (5th Ward, anyone?). It's all relative.

mpasi · Post by **mpasi** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:10 pm

tsub wrote:
Nice to see a fellow Cowboy (OSU) on this board. It's always difficult to convey the general nuisance OU fans provide to the state to people who aren't from Oklahoma, or more specifically, Stillwater. When I decided to apply to law school I could not bear the thought of throwing an app fee towards that law school in Norman, no matter how different people have told me the grad/professional school population is.

Anyways, are you graduating this year mpasi? And how 'bout those Cowboys (basketball)?

I'm graduating in May, and you are so right on how annoying the OU love is. The Daily Oklahoman ran an article on OU fans v. OSU fans a few years ago...OSU fans were three times more likely to be college-educated than were OU fans, so I find solace in that. They are morons, to be sure. I don't know if you're from Texas, but the state hate/envy Okies have for Texas is even more annoying than the OU shit. I've never met so many ignorant motherfuckers in my life. It's not my fault that your state sucks and you can only buy 3.2 beer! :p

EDIT: I don't follow OSU basketball...the Sean Sutton thing was the last straw for me. Eddie deserved to go, but they didn't even give Sean a chance.

kalvano · Post by **kalvano** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 6:38 pm

Zojirushi wrote:I am surprised San Antonio gets any love here. The only city worse than SA in Texas is El Paso. Leave the river walk, and you discover miles of dilapidated housing projects and strip malls. At least Houston has nicer areas intermingled with their sprawl.

Texas is pretty much made of strip malls.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tear down the Governor's mansion to build a strip mall.

mpasi · Post by **mpasi** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 6:54 pm

kalvano wrote:
Zojirushi wrote:I am surprised San Antonio gets any love here. The only city worse than SA in Texas is El Paso. Leave the river walk, and you discover miles of dilapidated housing projects and strip malls. At least Houston has nicer areas intermingled with their sprawl.

Texas is pretty much made of strip malls.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tear down the Governor's mansion to build a strip mall.

The small towns are, maybe. Hillsboro and Frisco definitely are. The major cities are made up of suburbs, skyscrapers, and apartment buildings.

Stringer Bell · Post by **Stringer Bell** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 7:09 pm

I'll try to answer a few things I have seen ITT.

I went to UH for undergrad after a cameo at UT. It's historically been a commuter campus, but over the last decade the people in charge have really been working to change that. Basically there is a void after UT and A&M and with a growing population in the state UH is trying to stay ahead of UTSA, Texas State and maybe move past Tech to establish itself as the third major public university in the state. They are constantly building new housing and there is a nice fitness facility that's 6 or so years old. The school's president is on a mission. All that said, it is still currently going to have nowhere near the campus atmosphere after classes let out as a school like UT. There is somewhat of one though, which is a huge change from 20 years ago.

Talking to some people I know that went to LS there, there are definitely bar review type activities among the students like you will find anywhere. As has been mentioned, Houston is spread out, so there is not a social scene right next to the campus although I have seen they recently built what looks like a pretty nice bar next to the campus.

The football program is up and coming and folks are really excited about the future. The attendance is not great, but usually there's 20-30k per game and tailgating is good. They are currently doing a feasability study to build a new stadium. Basketball is pretty apathetic right now (3k or so at each game) and the coach is probably going to be let go after the season. There are rumors that Billy Gillespie will be a candidate to take over.

As for Houston itself, the city has some cons, but the night life is decent. COL isn't going to be as cheap as somewhere like Lubbock or Athens, GA, but it's going to beat alot of metroplolitan cities. I think the food in Houston is better than most places. It gets hot, but I have friends that moved here from places like Minnesota and Iowa that have said they would never move back because they love not having freezing cold winters.

This got longer than I intended. My main conclusion is that the QOL at UH is probably not going to be as good as at some other schools, but it will be decent and I wouldn't let that scare you into not going.

kalvano · Post by **kalvano** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:29 am

mpasi wrote:
kalvano wrote:
Zojirushi wrote:I am surprised San Antonio gets any love here. The only city worse than SA in Texas is El Paso. Leave the river walk, and you discover miles of dilapidated housing projects and strip malls. At least Houston has nicer areas intermingled with their sprawl.

Texas is pretty much made of strip malls.

I wouldn't be surprised if they tear down the Governor's mansion to build a strip mall.

The small towns are, maybe. Hillsboro and Frisco definitely are. The major cities are made up of suburbs, skyscrapers, and apartment buildings.

And strip malls. And really big malls.

I had a buddy drive down from Michigan, and it was the first thing he commented on, the sheer amount of the obnoxious 5-7 store roadside building.

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