Been in Naperville for 6 months, feeling kind of bummed.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by kulik44

How is the Oak Park area? Would you recommend the move to the area? Is it more suitable for relocatees In their 20's. Is sounds like a suburban city hybrid.

Its not the city, but its the next best thing to being in the city. Its close enough that making a trip into Chicago can be done at the spur of the moment without advanced planning. Its close enough that your Chicago friends might consider visiting your place. Its close enough that you can date someone in the city and see each other fairly frequently. If you live close to the downtown of Oak Park (by this definition, northern Forest Park qualifies as well), there's a decent number of young singles that you will bump into randomly when you are out and about. Forest Park (Madison St) also has a lot of bars that are lively on weekends.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by BRU67

How about cooking classes, acting classes, Chicago Sport and Social Club, wine tastings, Museum of Contemporary Art on Friday after work, cycling club, running club, etc., etc., etc. A better effect would be had with a job downtown. Then you'd meet people doing these things and more.

That's what I was getting at. Instead of a blind "go into the city," list some things to do in the city.

[linicx]

It is difficult to relocate to a new area that you are not familiar with. It may take a year. I adopted a cat and gained a lifetime friend who was the president of the local Humane Society and 10 yeas younger than me. Every town has one meeting place. People come for coffee, conversation, and before bad weather. In one town it was Walmart, in another it was Ace Hardware, a third was the hardware store on the square -- mostly because it opened before the court was in session. There was always free, hot coffee.

The Humane Society always wants volunteers; it does in Naperville, too. Libraries and any book store where you can read. One of the most unexpected and unusual places I ever found in Cook County is the Church of Beethoven in Oak Park. It is open Sunday morning once a month. There was book published a couple of years by an author who liked the old bars and the history that is long gone. The Chicago Library should have it. In the book there is a section that lists some of the bars with character (and characters) where writers, readers and poets meet to shmooze. And don't forget the zoo. Most zoo animals have human handlers. Lincoln Park Zoo is free.

I'm pretty sure that Chicago area has a bowling alleys and leagues. I'm pretty sure it has public golf courses and other sports for the average guy and gal. Surely Naperville has some type of hiking/biking/walking/running trails. You're on a lake. You don't have to own a boat to learn to sail. You're in one the largest instant gratification places on the planet. I know you can find ice rinks and roller skating rinks in Chicago. And tours too; a few are free. Like cameras? There is at least one camera club in Chicago that is nearly 85 years old. Maybe you need to work out; there's a YMCA or a Famlly Y for that, too. Do you like birds? You can find the Chicago Audubon Society. IL is in the Mississippi Flyway. Learn to fly a plane. Cambridge doesn't have the only sculling club. Take a non-credit class.

[JuleeM13]

Try joining the site Yelp and post in the message board. They do a lot of meet ups and it's a good way to meet people if you can be outgoing. I was active in the city but there is suburbs stuff too. You can organize your own event and ask people to meet up.

[caverunner17]

Welcome to my life.

Graduated this past May and am back in Naperville (grew up here too). Most of my college friends are all over the country or in the NW burbs. High School friends moved too or lost contact with over the 4 years of college.

I joined one of the local running groups and bike with a group meeting in wheaton. Still looking for things to do on the weekends though.

Shoot me a DM, we could grab a beer sometime.

[ChacoGirl]

I feel for you, I had the same problem in my 20's. I lived in Raleigh, Philly and Pittsburgh and had the same issue you are having in each city - whether I lived in the city of the 'burbs. It's a whole new ball game making good friends after college, it takes longer and people are so busy trying to start careers you don't spend the same kind of time together.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things, but maybe in the wrong places. I love the western burbs, but doing activities closer to or in the city might be your ticket.

[Doglover5]

I live in Oak Park and wouldn't recommend it for a 20-something, especially after you tried Naperville. The only thing Oak Park would give you is proximity to the city, so you can socialize there with folks you know (or meet) who live in the city--so I guess I somewhat agree with what oakparkdude says it would offer. But I don't think you'd find a vibrant 20-something bar or non-bar scene here at all. I actually tend to disagree with the whole "Oak Park is like Chicago lite" argument; in fact, I disagree with it A LOT. I think you'd be bored here. Sorry, just my two cents. I think that 1) this is a whole new time in life where meeting people can be a bit challenging and 2) being in the city would open up your options a lot. I also think that your commute from Oak Park, while reduced, would not be a picnic. I would say if you're going to commit to a somewhat sizeable commute, then choose the city. Just my two cents.