Austrian German?
Is there really a big difference between German and Austrian German, or is there just a big rivalry between them? I'd like to know if it's just people being childish about things, or if the differences are really that monumental. It seems as if Germans dislike Austrians, but since I'm going to attend the University of Vienna I must know.

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I am living in Austria and of course there are big differences. I speak German really good and I can usually understand everything... but not here in Austria.
They say "baba" to say Tschüss. They say "ga" to say "oder". Every "a" vowel is pronunced like a "o". They say "Topfen" and they mean "Quark"... and so many other words I am trying to learn here.

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Really they do? :-ʃ
Instead I love Austria! yes, I know... I'm not a German...

Austrians are able to speak German (Hochdeutsch) as Germans are. Usually they have some different words, most of all in cookery (you can see some of them here: http://www.italki.com/discussion/77998) but they are also able to understand and use German ones.

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Added note: There is not ONE Austrian language. There are lots of regional languages that are very different from each other. Even native German speaker should get ready for a challenge and often understand nothing at all.

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And they speak kinda slow

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Remember the TV series "Kottan Ermittelt"? Some scenes in real Vienna language had subs.

BTW, google the movie 'Die Aufschneider', lovely deep black comedy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMHGxMFq9ec