might move to Madison next year (Marquette: low crime, safe area, school)

[Tex?Il?]

Hi everyone, regular poster here (just not on the Madison forum),

I'm an adjunct community college teacher, but I'm looking to go on for my PhD, since I really want to teach at the four year university level.

Now that I have a much clearer sense of what I would focus in on as a grad student, there is a faculty member in my field who's research interests are really on par with mine, so I'm going to go ahead and apply for fall'09.

I lived in the Chicago area (NW suburbs) most of my life but I have gone to college in two different towns, that were great to "find myself" in but a little small to spend the rest of my life in. (Both places were under 30,000 people).

I have kind of love-hate relationship w/ NE Illinois. Most of family and friends are here, I do have a good life here, but I after trying and trying I just don't feel like I vibe with the Chicago area, I always restless having a hard time just accepting the area as it is.

So heres the thing Madison attracts me SOO much for so many reasons. Thing is, I want to move to a place on a relatively permanent basis. After really looking into it, I've actually have a hard time getting to sleep a couple nights the past few weeks thinking Madison is the right place for me.

Here are the reasons:

1. I teach college, I love the college atmosphere, therefore I love towns and cities that are oriented around a major university and have a very high percentage of educated people. But like I said the places I went to school before were too small, Madison is a little more like a city, and has segments of the population and economy which are less directly associated with the university. (Other places that have always attracted me are Austin, TX

2. All the cheap cultural amenities because the university is right there.

3. The low crime rate: Most areas of Chicagoland are perfectly safe, and I've even ventured into bad areas on the job in the past (before I taught). Its just that I personally have a hard time feeling proud of an area I live in, when there are too many less than safe areas of people who are disullisioned. It makes me want to call it a "Detroit that got lucky." I don't really think grittiness is "cool." Its just ugly. Another reason why I'm excited about Madison, I want a place that I can truly embrace and say an unhibited "I'm proud to live here!"

4. Very important: Outdoors! In Chicagoland you really have to look around for people that are into hiking, biking, etc. Is Madison significantly more outdoorsy than Chicagos culture?

With the downtown unobstructed by skyscrapers on hills, with the four lakes with peninsulas jutting out, with public parks I think Madison can be romantic.

5. Basically, I'm a single. And my dating life is much better in a place that has hills, lakes, and other natural beauty right in the middle of the vibrant urban core. With the countryside and trails only 15 minute drive away.
I don't feel like I do as well in this department in flat sprawling areas that are more known solely for the man-made beauty.

Basically I love how I can be only two hours away from my family and existing network of friends, so I'm less interested in moving out west ( Lived out that way "I'm here, now close the gate" attitudes and the parched treeless landscape wasn't for me).

6. I don't care if I'm from Illinois. Everyone I know from Wisconsin has like me. I respect and love the state and the people, and so people treat me like their own.

7. I know Madison is known for hippies. I'm far from a hippie, rather moderately liberal, although I do like places with a "hippie vibe" because they're fun and interesting. While I'm no metrosexual, I am fairly well-groomed.

8. Did I forget to mention I like a place with a vibrant, young people-filled small urban core with hills, forested parks and lakes, with the boonies only 15-20 minuted away instead of an hour away?

9. I really like how Madison and accepting and welcoming toward diversity but is still kind of "whitebread." Native born white Americans are still the ones I feel like I have most in common with, and their is nothing wrong with that.

10. So what do you think? Do I have it right on about Madison. Does it sound like its the place where I can truly feel at home? Anything I'm missing?

I welcome any and all comments.

[mad420]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Hi everyone, regular poster here (just not on the Madison forum),

I'm an adjunct community college teacher, but I'm looking to go on for my PhD, since I really want to teach at the four year university level.

Now that I have a much clearer sense of what I would focus in on as a grad student, there is a faculty member in my field who's research interests are really on par with mine, so I'm going to go ahead and apply for fall'09.

I lived in the Chicago area (NW suburbs) most of my life but I have gone to college in two different towns, that were great to "find myself" in but a little small to spend the rest of my life in. (Both places were under 30,000 people).

I have kind of love-hate relationship w/ NE Illinois. Most of family and friends are here, I do have a good life here, but I after trying and trying I just don't feel like I vibe with the Chicago area, I always restless having a hard time just accepting the area as it is.

So heres the thing Madison attracts me SOO much for so many reasons. Thing is, I want to move to a place on a relatively permanent basis. After really looking into it, I've actually have a hard time getting to sleep a couple nights the past few weeks thinking Madison is the right place for me.

Here are the reasons:

1. I teach college, I love the college atmosphere, therefore I love towns and cities that are oriented around a major university and have a very high percentage of educated people. But like I said the places I went to school before were too small, Madison is a little more like a city, and has segments of the population and economy which are less directly associated with the university. (Other places that have always attracted me are Austin, TX

2. All the cheap cultural amenities because the university is right there.

3. The low crime rate: Most areas of Chicagoland are perfectly safe, and I've even ventured into bad areas on the job in the past (before I taught). Its just that I personally have a hard time feeling proud of an area I live in, when there are too many less than safe areas of people who are disullisioned. It makes me want to call it a "Detroit that got lucky." I don't really think grittiness is "cool." Its just ugly. Another reason why I'm excited about Madison, I want a place that I can truly embrace and say an unhibited "I'm proud to live here!"

4. Very important: Outdoors! In Chicagoland you really have to look around for people that are into hiking, biking, etc. Is Madison significantly more outdoorsy than Chicagos culture?

With the downtown unobstructed by skyscrapers on hills, with the four lakes with peninsulas jutting out, with public parks I think Madison can be romantic.

5. Basically, I'm a single. And my dating life is much better in a place that has hills, lakes, and other natural beauty right in the middle of the vibrant urban core. With the countryside and trails only 15 minute drive away.
I don't feel like I do as well in this department in flat sprawling areas that are more known solely for the man-made beauty.

Basically I love how I can be only two hours away from my family and existing network of friends, so I'm less interested in moving out west ( Lived out that way "I'm here, now close the gate" attitudes and the parched treeless landscape wasn't for me).

6. I don't care if I'm from Illinois. Everyone I know from Wisconsin has like me. I respect and love the state and the people, and so people treat me like their own.

7. I know Madison is known for hippies. I'm far from a hippie, rather moderately liberal, although I do like places with a "hippie vibe" because they're fun and interesting. While I'm no metrosexual, I am fairly well-groomed.

8. Did I forget to mention I like a place with a vibrant, young people-filled small urban core with hills, forested parks and lakes, with the boonies only 15-20 minuted away instead of an hour away?

9. I really like how Madison and accepting and welcoming toward diversity but is still kind of "whitebread." Native born white Americans are still the ones I feel like I have most in common with, and their is nothing wrong with that.

10. So what do you think? Do I have it right on about Madison. Does it sound like its the place where I can truly feel at home? Anything I'm missing?

I welcome any and all comments.

To be honest you sound a little giddy. I don't think you mentioned specifically visiting here, but I think you should to draw your own conclusions.

There are plenty of ugly parts of the city and our lakes reek. You couldn't pay me to swim in them and boating should be done with close pin on nose LOL!

I think for most of what you're looking for you could be very happy. Just remember the excitement may wear off.

[katreese]

Sounds right on to me.

4) I'd venture to say that in fact you WON'T be happy in Madison if you're NOT into the outdoors.

6) No one will care that you're from IL.

[Tex?Il?]

Thanks for the input,

mad420:

I've been through Madison a couple times (both on Interstate as well as through the isthmus. I have relatives that live in a town 1/2 hour west. Oh I'm sure there are ugly parts, I streetviewed some of them. I'm sure Lake Mendota and Menona are no worse than Chicago beaches.

Katreese,

I lived in Marquette, MI for school. The biggest town in the U.P. of Michigan. Only 20,000 people. Too small for my taste. Madison just seems to be a great compromise between a place like Marquette and Chicago.

As long as there are single, cute girls in their 20s and 30s in Madison that are into the outdoors, I'm fine.

I'm totally sterotyping here: but girls in Chicago are "tomboy" enough to be a Cubs/Sox nut, but hiking is something almost foreign to them.

[mad420]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

I'm totally sterotyping here: but girls in Chicago are "tomboy" enough to be a Cubs/Sox nut, but hiking is something almost foreign to them.

Hmmm I can see why that would suck! I can only speak for myself but I love to hike, especially with my dogs. There should be plenty of singles in that age range. I can't vouch for their cuteness Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Plenty of cleaner lakes around the area and good places to hike.

[katreese]

Well, everyone is definitely into the outdoors here, and there seem to be a lot of cute girls on campus, so you might be all set. I'm older and female though so I can't really vouch for the dating scene for ya .