girls from Michigan (Chicago, Madison, Nashville: spring break, violent crime, homes)

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Thats harsh! I hope you are not suggesting that being a Cubs fan reflects intelligence then. An average night after a game at Wrigley would very much suggest otherwise!

You do realize that Detroit is a city where on "Devil's Night", inhabitants of the city set fire to their neighbors' houses and then are surprised when their own homes go up in flames?

Detroiters believe that Bob Seger is more important to rock & roll than Mick Jagger.

They believe that the Tigers will win the pennant and businesses will then return to metro Detroit. (Cubs fans don't expect them to win. I would even go so far as to say some fans prefer a losing season)

[thePR]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Thats harsh! I hope you are not suggesting that being a Cubs fan reflects intelligence then. An average night after a game at Wrigley would very much suggest otherwise!

The Cubs got their fans from good advertising in the 80s. Being broadcasted on a superstation didn't hurt either.

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

no, you have it wrong. Girls from Tennessee think Chicago is the promised land.

oh wait, that's just me and my best friend.

(by the way, I actually am from Michigan but got forced to move to Tennessee when I was 12.)

You may be on to something. When I vacationed in Nashville last year, people's eyes it up when I mentioned I was from Chicagoland. They may actually believe it is the promised land. I don't understand this, because Nashville is such an awesome little city.

[KSML]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Does it seem that girls (in their 20s and 30s) from Michigan think Chicago is the promised land even more than most people.

Seriously, most people who love Chicago talk about pros and cons, etc. Maybe theres some other places they might like to live.

But girls from Michigan absolutely worship Chicago. (and often bad mouth Michigan). Guys from Michigan like Chicago it seems too, but they're not ga-ga, and they generally have good things to say about Michigan.


Does anyone besides me notice this, or is it pure coincidence?

I am a "girl" from Michigan, who moved to Chicago today, actually. I don't think Chicago is the "promised land" but I think that in Chicago, I was able to find a wonderful job that pays 25K more than my job in Michigan and the chance to try something new.

But my opinion might be flawed because most people who make sweeping generalizations about Michigan tend to be talking about the "Detroit" side of the state...

[alwaystraveling25]

Originally Posted by Anthera

The entire Detroit metropolitan area is a cultural wasteland(no, Ann Arbor is not part of Metro Detroit). I may recover from the cultural depravation someday. Maybe not.

Born and raised in Taylor, MI (aka Taylor-Tucky), I have to disagree that "Ann Arbor is not part of Metro Detroit." Metro Detroit is more then just Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. Generally, the "suburban sprawl" includes Washtenaw and Livingston Counties as well...

If Ann Arbor is not included, does that include all of the County? Or is it not-included because it has U of M and the other aspects about it that would not fit in where I am from (which is an extremely blue-collar, middle-class, $30,000 a year income place).

And to answer the original question:
An overwhelming majority of people from college have moved here after graduation (and I went to a major university in Michigan). There are so many things that the city of Chicago offers that Metro Detroit would never be able to offer a single, 20-something.

If I were to receive a job offer in Michigan, even 10, 15,000 more a year then I make now, I would turn it down. Unless we are talking double my income, there is no way I could give up my quality of life in Chicago to move back to Suburban Hell.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by ManheimMadman

You may be on to something. When I vacationed in Nashville last year, people's eyes it up when I mentioned I was from Chicagoland. They may actually believe it is the promised land. I don't understand this, because Nashville is such an awesome little city.

you weren't LIVING in that area. I actually find nothing special about Nashville.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

you weren't LIVING in that area. I actually find nothing special about Nashville.

I agree. If we're talking about cute, moderately cultural near-Southern cities my vote goes to Louisville over Nashville any day (But I think they both beat Memphis, which I've never been a fan of.)

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

you weren't LIVING in that area. I actually find nothing special about Nashville.

Hear, hear! I didnt either. I gave it several chances, nothing came of it. I seriously find Naperville a lot more fun than Nashville. Annnnnnd, thats bad!

Regarding girls from MI... Ive met a few. One of them actually slept in her car for 2 nights here in IL just to get out of MI as soon as she could, she couldnt move in here yet but couldnt stomach living in MI. Once she got here, she visited MI a few times and now lives in Chicago (Lakeview), but doenst think its any kind of promiseland, although she does enjoy it very much. The other girl from MI (Dearborn I believe it was) does love Chicago very much, but misses her home in MI.

On a side note, if MI's economy was like Chicago's, Id probably move there in a heartbeat, especially the mid-to-upper west coast. One of my fave areas in the country! GORGEOUS!

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by alwaystraveling25

Born and raised in Taylor, MI (aka Taylor-Tucky), I have to disagree that "Ann Arbor is not part of Metro Detroit." Metro Detroit is more then just Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. Generally, the "suburban sprawl" includes Washtenaw and Livingston Counties as well...

If Ann Arbor is not included, does that include all of the County? Or is it not-included because it has U of M and the other aspects about it that would not fit in where I am from (which is an extremely blue-collar, middle-class, $30,000 a year income place).

I was not separating Ann Arbor becasue of any socioeconomic factors, simply geography and function. Having attended UM, I never knew anyone who comuted from A2 to Detroit for a job, internship etc. Kids who went to Wayne State for graduate school were not able to keep their place in A2 and commute into Detroit. I never attempted to drive from Detroit from A2(no possible reason), but knowing the traffic congestion and available routes I doubt it could be done in less than 2 hours, possibley three. Not a very likely commute.

Ann Arbor is an independent city, it is in no way dependent upon Detroit, which is really what a suburb is about. It has great cultural offerings. It has a good business base(was much better whien it had Bechtel, Bendix and other MNCs). The growth associated with the areas surrounding A2 is far more connected with A2 than it is with Detroit.

Ann Arbor has roughly the same relationship to Detroit that Madison has to Chicago.


ETA - looked it up 45 miles A2 to Detroit. At least 2 1/2 hours minimum. I've been in rush hour traffic in Detroit.

[MassVt]

...for college graduates/others who live all over the Midwest? I would think that for IN, WI, MI, MN, IA residents, the "big city" would have tremendous appeal. I know that here in New England, Boston is the magnet city, especially for kids from Northern New England (VT, NH, ME).

In another thread, someone mentioned Madison, WI. I feel that Madison is within Chicago's orbit, albeit with a little more distance, as opposed to being in the orbit of, say, Minneapolis. Chicago newspapers are on sale in vending machines in Madison, and I ran into many Cub fans during my time there.