Meeting people in Minneapolis... (St. Paul, Ely: neighborhood, community college, living in)

[Bill_B]

Originally Posted by MSMCGirl

I relocated to the Twin Cities from Los Angeles 1 year ago and it is SO hard to make friends!! People here are "Minnesota nice" for the most part (meaning they're not mean)...but they're not friendly or very welcoming. I work downtown and it's so hard to get a smile or "hello" from people. It might be because people in L.A. move around more and this naturally makes them more outgoing...while Minnesotans stay put and stick with their long time friends instead of seeking new friends.

I moved to the Twin Cities area 2 years ago from Oregon and my experience here has been the same as what you described, which is why I am really longing to get out of the Twin Cities and move back to Oregon. I have heard the same thing from many others who are fairly new to the Twin Cities and I have read many articles in various publications saying that the Twin Cities is the hardest city to relocate to and feel at home.

I am into bicycling and the one exception that I have found has been getting involved with the Twin Cities Bicycling Club. That has been my only good experience with getting to know people who are friendly and are willing to accept me as a "non-Minnesota native"

I have visited the Duluth area often and have found the people up there to be MUCH more friendly than what I have seen around the Twin Cities. I would love to live up there if the employment situation was better there.

[Pickle Spears]

I'm confused... Why don't all of you transplants who are having a hard time meeting people all get together???

Don't take it the wrong way, but it makes perfect sense to me!

I think that us Minnesotans, most of us being reserved Scandanavians, just keep to ourselves and the familiar more than others.

[astroline95]

maybe i should reconsider moving to minneapolis then, i don't know how well i would fare if that's really how it is.

[midwest456]

This sounds a lot like the social climate in Kansas City. The last few years, the local papers have been delving into why KC gets rated among the worst cities for singles (ie meeting other people) by Forbes magazine and others. The articles mentioned the same thing about how KC is heavily made up of adults who grew up there and stuck with their friends from grade/high school and even when they go out to places like bars that are ostensibly about meeting new people, people would be reluctant to talk to anyone else. It certainly seems true for most people I know. Having spent a fair bit of time in both places (due to visiting family) I would say that at least Minnesotans on the average have better manners. A friend I took a computer class with had moved up from urban Texas and said he found KC much less friendly than his hometown area as well.

[wildfan]

was knockin em down at the clubs in the 90's...its not that hard come on people I must of lived until just last year in a different MPLS than the rest.

[Connor Heim]

Let me throw in my $.02 here if I may. I am moving to Minneapolis this summer, and I will be transfering my Junior League membership to the local chapter. I've found that was a great way to meet folks in my current community.

With respect to getting invited along with folks, my best friend has a catchy little line that works wonders! In conversation with co-workers or acquaintances she simply says, "so, what's going on this weekend?" Then they reply with whatever (going to cabin, lake, movies, etc...) and she says, "gee that sounds like a blast!" The conversation just goes from there.

Also, don't be afraid to invite others to do something as well. When they say "nothing's going on this weekend" feel free to say "me too. Not much planned. But I was thinking of trying out this new restaurant/movie/play/biking trail this weekend if you'd care to join me." Very non-intimidating and believe it or not, many many many folks really don't have a huge social circle and would welcome the invitation.

My husband and I decided to throw a party the Saturday before Labor Day last year. We sent out cute invites to our neighbors -- many of whom we'd only met once -- and would you believe we had over 60 people at our place? So I really believe that people are open to new social relationships, but often we're too intimated to initiate.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Connor

[wildfan]

like your style connor. i think mpls is easy matter of fact the whole state lived all over it and NEVER had a problem w/ meeting people and I'm NO socialite either.

[nmflynn34669]

I have to agree, moving here from FL to MN six months ago has been hard. Yes same situation I have friends between work and school. But its seems that people here are so busy in there lives and the cliques that adding a new one just doesn't happen. Again not that any of these people are bad by any means.

[smltwngrl]

I have lived in minnesota my entire 26 years and have always found it difficult to make friends, after reading some of these messages I think it is because I havent really tried. I'm always waiting for my husbands male friends to get a girlfriend so I have someone to hang with. I would love to join a gym, club, sport group, something where I can meet fun women with the same interests as me, however I cant seem to be brave enough to join something on my own.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Here are my thoughts on meeting people in Minnesota. I have lived in Minnesota for 23 1/2 years of my life. I lived in Mexico for a year and I have more friends there than in Minnesota. You do the math.

However, most of the friends I've made in Minnesota are lifelong so there is definitely an advantage there.