re: Honestly, for those that ventured, how much is Tuscaloosa a chit hole?

The campus is pretty decent other than constant construction that never ends. Once you actually venture into downtown Tuscaloosa, you’re likely to be met with vagrancy, buildings that are still standing but haven’t been operational since the tornado, and deteriorating apartment complexes stacked on top of one another. There’s a few shopping malls that play well to certain demographics. It’s like most urban areas, except smaller and with less to do.