Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Sorry, but there were actually quite a few posters (earlier in the thread) that have mentioned this...it is obviously not just me thinking it. I think a lot of people like to lie to themselves a bit as to the true reason(s) they are really in the city.
I read the entire thread before I posted. DubbleT and you are the only ones that posted this. The other posters that said young people like to be around other young people either implicitly, or explicitly state it's for making new friends or having a good dating pool, not to 'look cool.'
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodachrome919
As for the 'convenience' factor of being able to do things spontaneously with friends, in my case, having many friends who live in the 'burbs myself, it is actually very easy to hop in a car and drive to them, or vice versa. I suppose if all of your friends live downtown, then it's another story...but doesn't that just confirm my hypothesis that all this is just following the crowd (i.e. your friends).
Again, I think for someone moving to a new area for work, and then wanting to form a new friend group, it makes sense just because of the sheer density of young people in the city
Moving for work is how I've always come to new cities, so I've generally never known anyone when I arrived in a new city. Living in the city is better for making friends if you're young, since that is where most of the young people you work with are going to end up living. Some live out in the burbs, but if you randomly decide to live in the Northern burbs when you move to a city, you may find that someone you have a lot in common with lives in the Southern burbs 45 minutes away without traffic. If you live in the city, it's still convenient when they come in to hang out. Unless you have a job out in the burbs, it's pretty hard to meet new people out there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodachrome919
, but other than that situation, it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me for you and your friends to pack up and move to the city together just so you don't have to taxi home after a night out of drinking.
Is this a thing? Are there places where big groups of friends from the suburbs are packing up and moving en masse to the city together? When I've met people in the city, they may be originally from some suburb of that city, but generally they didn't move from that suburb with a bunch of HS friends. The usually came from wherever they went to college or from another city where they had been working. Is this different in Philly and Charlotte?
I guess it just depends what people like to do. If your ideal day is spent eating at 8 different organic ethnic restaurants, going to the dog park for a few hours and making friends with new, 'progressive' people, then going out to another 5 different bars at night, the city might be worth it; from these responses that's what it seems to be lol.
Im talking more broadly. "Things to do" also includes jobs. If I'm doing marketing, I'm going to the city, and ill have more to do and more to see in relation to my job. Im not going out to the pastures to analyze trends and conduct focus groups.
Things to do is a bunch of things to me, and the beauty is you dont always have to spend money. I hate being out in the middle of nowhere. Its boring. Most people feel the same way. They need bustle of the suburbs at least.
What you listed sounds very stereotypical. I dont know anyone who does that routine or would want to.
Moving for work is how I've always come to new cities, so I've generally never known anyone when I arrived in a new city. Living in the city is better for making friends if you're young, since that is where most of the young people you work with are going to end up living. Some live out in the burbs, but if you randomly decide to live in the Northern burbs when you move to a city, you may find that someone you have a lot in common with lives in the Southern burbs 45 minutes away without traffic. If you live in the city, it's still convenient when they come in to hang out. Unless you have a job out in the burbs, it's pretty hard to meet new people out there.
I wouldn't say it's difficult to meet new people in the suburbs.
I moved to an affluent suburb of Indianapolis from east Tennessee three years ago in April. I decided to move to the suburbs due to the crime reputation and not knowing anyone at all who lived in the area. I was only 28 then, but I made friends through work and the community, though admittedly many of the folks I met in the community were 45+. I also wouldn't consider central Indiana a very friendly place to live either.
I really don't think city living is truly that much different on a day to day basis. Most of us go to work, come home, watch TV/take care of kids/maybe go to gym for a few hours, then restart. Going out a few nights per week can quickly get expensive.
I really don't think city living is truly that much different on a day to day basis. Most of us go to work, come home, watch TV/take care of kids/maybe go to gym for a few hours, then restart. Going out a few nights per week can quickly get expensive.
Thank you, this is really the crux of my argument, for all it's supposed benefits, people are really doing the same general things in the city vs the suburbs on a day to day basis. Now if you have no job, are on a trust fund, and have unlimited time and money to only do 'fun' activities, then maybe the city makes sense.
Thank you, this is really the crux of my argument, for all it's supposed benefits, people are really doing the same general things in the city vs the suburbs on a day to day basis. Now if you have no job, are on a trust fund, and have unlimited time and money to only do 'fun' activities, then maybe the city makes sense.
That may be, but it completely ignores individual aesthetics. I would rather claw my eyes out than have to live in a cookie cutter subdivision. I like houses to be unique, old, and have some character. That is a feature decidedly lacking in any of the new suburbs being built around my city. In addition, I just like the density afforded by city living. I like having other people in close proximity to me. I'm a social animal and people is what I thrive off of. If my only interaction with them was at work, or during my commute home I'd be a rather sad person.
I don't think you've really made an argument at all. You've simply stated a preference and a lack of understanding of those who have different preferences.
Thank you, this is really the crux of my argument, for all it's supposed benefits, people are really doing the same general things in the city vs the suburbs on a day to day basis. Now if you have no job, are on a trust fund, and have unlimited time and money to only do 'fun' activities, then maybe the city makes sense.
If you can't afford to live in the city then just don't. Are you just trying to justify to yourself something? I'm not sure what your argument here is since this is all a matter of preference and the type of lifestyle you want to lead. I prefer high density cities i.e. DC, SF, NYC because of the amenities and opportunities they provide. I don't want to have to drive into the city and plan ahead, I want everything at my fingertips.
Jobs. Not just a particular job, but plenty of opportunities. At that time of life, you might move around from one job to another fairly quickly. And typically, you don't have much of an emergency fund in case the job doesn't work out and you can't get another one right away. You need someplace where there are some similar jobs.
For the same reason, you also need someplace with apartments or other multiple-renter housing. It is likely to be cheaper than renting a house. Cities have more apartments than suburbs or rural areas do.
Going out at night is often more important to young people than older people, especially after they have kids or other commitments that leave little or no time for nightlife.
Another reason is that, after spending childhood in school, you want to see more of life than...school and your hometown. More people. More distractions. More all-hours activity going on. More ways to scratch that Curiosity Itch which is so healthy for a young one to feel. Cities are perfect for that.
I grew up in Midwest suburbia and live in NYC and would never go back.
There are a million reasons while I enjoy living in NYC, but some of the major ones would be the vibrancy, energy, convenience, architecture, transportation, and international outlook. I love living without a car, never having to see (much less go to) a WalMart, having fantastic food right outside my door and having attractive, smart, healthy driven people everywhere.
I don't think suburbanites get how convenient it is to live in NYC. Basically every grocery store, major retailer and restaurant delivers within a hour or so window. Almost everyplace from four star restaurants to McDonalds deliver; almost every retailer from Saks to Whole Foods to Bed, Bath, Beyond, delivers.
This isn't even an internet thing; it's been happening for like 60 years. The whole city is set up for convenience. You could get everything to do your doorstep, decades before e-commerce. Nowadays, of course, with FreshDirect, Amazon, Seamless, Jet, and all the others, it's even easier.
I prefer living in the country best. But I spent many years living in close-in burbs and not-so-close-in areas around cities, as well as a few years in later life that really cemented how much I detest being in the city, even a very small one.
But in no way do I regret having lived and worked near or in a large city during my 20s. It was a good place to be at that time. Among other things, it gave me some perspective and it allowed me to save money so when I did leave, it was voluntary.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
