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I know I'm comparing a city to a few different states but hear me out.
I am going to apply for grad schools and the only places I'm considering are the Chicago area.. or the states of Connecticut/New Jersey. I'm a 24 year old female going for a master's in social work. I will be moving from Michigan.
I love the chilly fall weather and snow doesn't bother me. I love Halloween and Fall. Fall is my favorite season. These two things are the reasons I'm interested in moving to either New Brunswick for Rutgers University or New Haven for Southern Connecticut State. These two states, and the Northeast in general seem to have a strong Halloween/Fall/Hauntings appreciation. It seems like there are a lot of haunted places here and I love the unexplained and paranormal. So yes, while I love chilly weather I don't like cold people. And I hear the Northeast is full of cold people. Which is a big red flag for me. I want to move to a new state to get a fresh start and from what I've read people in the Northeast don't really accept newcomers and it is really hard to make friends/relationships. School is my main priority but what about when I get my master's and finish? I don't want to be friendless. Now I'm hesitant on moving to CT/NJ, which is a shame because everything else it has to offer is what I'm looking for.
Chicago is the other option. It's closer to home (I can see family more often), and it's a big city with friendly people (from what I've read). I'd attend either U of Chicago or University of Illinois - Chicago. But it's still in the Midwest so it could feel like Michigan still... not sure if that would be a good or bad thing. Also cheaper than CT/NJ.
Also I'm not really a girl that cares about the latest fashion and I don't like the materialistic keeping up with the jones attitude. I'm not sure how any of the cities above are like in that aspect.
I'm 30 years old and have lived in CT almost my entire life, with a brief period after college in NYC.
First of all, it's not true that people are cold in the northeast. In fact, last night, I made the effort to make friends with this other guy who recently moved here from Michigan. I enjoy welcoming people to my state. When I was growing up in a small town, there was a family who had moved from Michigan as well and my family completely welcomed them into our lives and become life long friends and had many dinner parties, etc. The guy from Michigan that I hung out with last night was telling me that CT people were surprisingly friendlier than MI people. He said that we were more talkative and able to have deeper conversations, and showed some interest in getting to know someone new, or something along those lines. I've heard similar feedback from my friends from the South, who were shocked to find that we New Englanders were not rude people. Fast paced, straightforward and blunt at times, but not rude. I've actually come to appreciate it, because people are more real, in a good way. But people aren't trying to be rude unless they absolutely have to. It's a non issue, really.
New Haven, CT is a major college town, because of Yale, primarily. There are lots of young people and pretty good nightlife. Excellent restaurants and the best pizza in the United States of America (Frank Pepe's).
The only area of CT that has a keeping up with the Jones' mentality is Fairfield County (extreme southwest CT). But New Haven is in New Haven County, which is normal.
Anyway, don't believe the whole thing about northeast people not accepting newcomers. It's baloney. We simply don't care either way! I would say it is true that we're kind of resistant to new development (roads, subdivisions, etc.) because we like to preserve nature and history, but over the years, I've known many people who migrated from the Midwest for career or school reasons and it's just fine.
Fall and winter are exciting in New England, probably more than any other region in the U.S.
I would say that CT in general is more similar to Michigan than NJ.
Now, as for Chicago, if anything, it would probably be somewhat less of any culture shock for you, since it's already in the Midwest. Obviously, Chicago would be more exciting than NJ or CT. But it's probably more hectic and expensive, too.
Now, as for Chicago, if anything, it would probably be somewhat less of any culture shock for you, since it's already in the Midwest. Obviously, Chicago would be more exciting than NJ or CT. But it's probably more hectic and expensive, too.
Unless you plan on living downtown in a decently nice high rise, it won't be more expensive than those. Most of Chicago is not as hectic as most people think either. While there certainly are busy areas, it's not like NYC in that regard.
I do want to live in a safe area. My idea of exciting is probably different than others. I like shopping and browsing around in stores, bowling, restaurants, going to the movies, bars (once in a while), i go to aquariums and zoos like once a year. Also like professional baseball and hockey. I don't care for museums or art galleries.
Unless you plan on living downtown in a decently nice high rise, it won't be more expensive than those. Most of Chicago is not as hectic as most people think either. While there certainly are busy areas, it's not like NYC in that regard.
I can agree that you can find many small villages within 30 minutes of the loop and feel like you are in a small town American story-book, ie. Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Willowbrook ... as long as you avoid the major arteries that are inevitably plowing through the area ... but I also think that New York and CT are full of small outer urban hamlets just like this.
I always preferred the small, established, inner suburbs, as opposed to the suburban giants like Naperville, etc... It's like there's an area of calm between two storms.
Depending on where OP is from in Michigan, Chicago will just feel like "the city close to home." I may be biased but the OP sounds similar to me - so I'm going to recommend Downers Grove, Westmont, Willowbrook, even maybe Orland Park. These are all suburbs not far from the city at all - you can easily take the train in, or be downtown in less than 30 min. I found the people to be incredibly friendly ... many of these areas are very affluent - however there are a lot of everyday Midwesterners who aren't trying too hard to be "trendy"... That's what I absolutely love about a lot of Chicagoland.
I can agree that you can find many small villages within 30 minutes of the loop and feel like you are in a small town American story-book, ie. Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Willowbrook ... as long as you avoid the major arteries that are inevitably plowing through the area ... but I also think that New York and CT are full of small outer urban hamlets just like this.
I'm not talking about villages outside of the city. I'm talking about places in the city itself. People who are not familiar with Chicago would be surprised to find that you can even find quiet areas where you can hear nature downtown (well at least north of the river) even a few blocks from some hustle and bustle. The reason for this is that Chicago has tons of trees which naturally block sound out as long as you're below the tree line.
In the summer, go to the intersection of State & Division. There's thousands of people out there bar hopping every weekend and it can be loud with cabs and people. Walk along State St just a few blocks north and you can't hear a thing from that at the street level. I did that with my Aunt and Uncle (who grew up in NYC) and they were shocked by it.
Almost every part of town is like this. Even where I live downtown is a quiet residential street full of rowhomes and it's very quiet, yet you can walk just a few blocks and have tons of people out.
I don't know where this "Northeast = unfriendly" stuff comes from, especially as pertains to Connecticut. Sure, maybe a few folks in Greenwich and Darien don't want to rub up to the unwashed, but CT is the type of place where if you meet someone a couple of times and let on that you're new to the area, you might easily find yourself invited over for a cookout.
I grew up in CT and go back regularly. I live in Pittsburgh now, which has a reputation for being friendly. Which it can be - if you like what Pittsburghers like. But if you don't, well, you're on your own. Folks in CT don't care what you like as long as you're not an a-hole. Very open and socially libertarian.
None of this is a knock on Chicago. I'd have loved to go to school in Chicago. Only reason I've never considered moving there is that I don't like "flat".
I'm 30 years old and have lived in CT almost my entire life, with a brief period after college in NYC.
First of all, it's not true that people are cold in the northeast. In fact, last night, I made the effort to make friends with this other guy who recently moved here from Michigan. I enjoy welcoming people to my state. When I was growing up in a small town, there was a family who had moved from Michigan as well and my family completely welcomed them into our lives and become life long friends and had many dinner parties, etc. The guy from Michigan that I hung out with last night was telling me that CT people were surprisingly friendlier than MI people. He said that we were more talkative and able to have deeper conversations, and showed some interest in getting to know someone new, or something along those lines. I've heard similar feedback from my friends from the South, who were shocked to find that we New Englanders were not rude people. Fast paced, straightforward and blunt at times, but not rude. I've actually come to appreciate it, because people are more real, in a good way. But people aren't trying to be rude unless they absolutely have to. It's a non issue, really.
New Haven, CT is a major college town, because of Yale, primarily. There are lots of young people and pretty good nightlife. Excellent restaurants and the best pizza in the United States of America (Frank Pepe's).
The only area of CT that has a keeping up with the Jones' mentality is Fairfield County (extreme southwest CT). But New Haven is in New Haven County, which is normal.
Anyway, don't believe the whole thing about northeast people not accepting newcomers. It's baloney. We simply don't care either way! I would say it is true that we're kind of resistant to new development (roads, subdivisions, etc.) because we like to preserve nature and history, but over the years, I've known many people who migrated from the Midwest for career or school reasons and it's just fine.
Fall and winter are exciting in New England, probably more than any other region in the U.S.
I would say that CT in general is more similar to Michigan than NJ.
Now, as for Chicago, if anything, it would probably be somewhat less of any culture shock for you, since it's already in the Midwest. Obviously, Chicago would be more exciting than NJ or CT. But it's probably more hectic and expensive, too.
You do realize the parts of New Jersey (Hudson County) that is closer to Manhattan than a lot of the outer burroughs, and therefore closer to even more excitement than Chicago is easily as hectic and expensive as Chicago (IE: Hoboken).
I do want to live in a safe area. My idea of exciting is probably different than others. I like shopping and browsing around in stores, bowling, restaurants, going to the movies, bars (once in a while), i go to aquariums and zoos like once a year. Also like professional baseball and hockey. I don't care for museums or art galleries.
If you want to be in a world class city that loves its sports more than people in other world class US cities then you would love Chicago.
If you want to be in a world class city that loves its sports more than people in other world class US cities then you would love Chicago.
I agree with this - the OP would like Chicago based on what they said.
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