How Do You Like Living In Minnesota? (Minneapolis, St. Paul: environment, travel)

[dennis s]

Hey golfgal I went to Sibley for a year when My family moved to Eagan from N.Y.C. and they finally "released" me in 1980 (with a diploma). Great school. Do you know "Gordy H. OR Sean M.? they were golfers in the school from that time. I'm happy to here that Eagan and Apple Valley have great schools . What happened to Sibley? I was so lucky to have gone to a real highschool as N.Y. schools are VERY urban. the "school yard" was blacktop and no one ever heard of homecoming or even prom.
Thanks for the information.

Dennis S.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by dennis s

Hey golfgal I went to Sibley for a year when My family moved to Eagan from N.Y.C. and they finally "released" me in 1980 (with a diploma). Great school. Do you know "Gordy H. OR Sean M.? they were golfers in the school from that time. I'm happy to here that Eagan and Apple Valley have great schools . What happened to Sibley? I was so lucky to have gone to a real highschool as N.Y. schools are VERY urban. the "school yard" was blacktop and no one ever heard of homecoming or even prom.
Thanks for the information.

Dennis S.

No, I don't know them. I graduated in '84 so they would have been gone when I got there. I didn't golf in high school either, wish now that I did but it is something I picked up later.

I think what happened to Sibley was that the population got older and when I was in school, Mendota Heights was THE place to live so a lot of people moved there, had a lot of money and the school benefited. Again, the school is still good, just not #1 like when I was there.

Did you hear about the time those kids broke into the school, fall of '84 I think, and trashed the school? They broke a bunch of computers, spray painted a bunch of walls, sprayed fire extinguishers, opened fire hoses, etc. It took them a YEAR to clean up the damage. Pretty sad!

[dennis s]

they were just angry because they heard I moved away

Kids these days! at least there were no guns involved. There are always a handful of messed up kids in every school as we know from recent events concerning schools and violence.

[MinnihahaGal]

Originally Posted by blakeb99

I will be moving to the Midwest soon and am considering Minnesota. I am wondering from the people who live there, how they like it? I know I've heard a lot about the cold and mosqutios. Anyone who's lived thruout the midwest, is it a major difference between minnesota and other midwest states? Are there extremely more mosquitos or cold weather in minnesota then say iowa?

I've lived in Minnesota all my life. Until I was 16 I thought all of the US save maybe Florida and California were covered with snow 6 months out of the year lol. I traveled to Florida with my aunt and uncle and the snow was gone halfway thru Wisconsin. SHOCKED ME!!!! It was February. I've heard Rochester is a very nice city ) Mosquitoes can be bad if there is water by you and lots of lawn. I had a nice house in Champlin, was a nice suburb I thought. Often wondered why we built this huge deck on our house, couldn't sit out on it in summer, was either too hot or in the evening you would get eaten alive by mosquitoes. I love Minnesota, but it's all I know

[Imissthefall]

Minnesota is the best state ever!! Born and raised there. Like most people born/raised in the Midwest I always had the urge to live somewhere where it did not snow or have a winter.. I have lived in so many states!! FL, CA, NJ, and am currently in AZ! My husband is in the Navy so that is why we have lives so many places....I really miss MN, and yes I know a lot of it is my family and friends that are there, but I really miss the 4 seasons!!!!

[Yorkie_Mom]

I am from the far southern part of Minnesota, just across from the Iowa border. Albert Lea is a very nice town with beautiful lakes. It has about 1900 people, cozy but just the right size, Austin is to the east of us, it has more stores to chose from and just as nice.
The cost of living here is low and the town is growing so I am sure that will change in the future. MPLS. is about 100 miles from us straight north, the four seasons we have a lot of people live here for that reason only.
We plan on moving out west to get away from the cold due to health problems, but all in all Minnesota is a nice state.

[Imissthefall]

Are Minnesotans that reserved where it would be hard to make friends? That is what i am lacking here in Md.<which i hate btw, but that is my opinion> People all live on top of one another, yet no one talks to each other..The winters here are also dead because no one comes outside. In pitt, we made the long winters fun by having get togethers and hanging out w ith people in are neighborhood..that is what i am looking for...Can I not get that in MInn?"

I really think Minnesotans are really friendly. Of course this might depend where you live in MN and of course there will be mean people but overall for the most part I think Minnesotans are really nice.. I've lived in NJ, PA, CT,CA, and now AZ and of all the states MN is def the friendliest. My husband grew up in Phoenix and thought it was weird that strangers would wave to us while we went for a walk in MN, I told him they are just really nice!!!

[MidniteBreeze]

Originally Posted by Imissthefall

Are Minnesotans that reserved where it would be hard to make friends? That is what i am lacking here in Md.<which i hate btw, but that is my opinion> People all live on top of one another, yet no one talks to each other..The winters here are also dead because no one comes outside. In pitt, we made the long winters fun by having get togethers and hanging out w ith people in are neighborhood..that is what i am looking for...Can I not get that in MInn?"

I really think Minnesotans are really friendly. Of course this might depend where you live in MN and of course there will be mean people but overall for the most part I think Minnesotans are really nice.. I've lived in NJ, PA, CT,CA, and now AZ and of all the states MN is def the friendliest. My husband grew up in Phoenix and thought it was weird that strangers would wave to us while we went for a walk in MN, I told him they are just really nice!!!

Minnesotans do have a reputation for being friendly and polite, but I've heard some newcomers complain that it's sometimes hard to get established with "real" friendships because of our tendency to be reserved and "mind our own business." Minnesotans DON'T like to impose or offend and sometimes will err on the side of "keeping to yourself" rather than enter into an awkward social situation. I think that comes from some of the old Scandinavian values of stoicism, self-reliance and "live and let live."

Like most anywhere, as the "new kid", you'll have to put forth some effort to build friendships. The good news is once you DO have some established friendships, you will most likely have very loyal, lifelong friends! These are people you can seriously count on to help you move, or to plow your driveway out after a big storm...that sort of thing...and not expect anything in return (well, a 12er of beer is always nice, lol.)

As far as winter...things do slow down a bit, but we HAVE to stay active otherwise we'd go nuts! Lots of people like to get together to go skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc. Others will host poker games and such to pass those cold winter nights. In the summer everyone is out fishing, having BBQs, going to the cabin, etc. Our summers are short, so we make the most of them!

Of course (again, as with most places) smaller towns/cities tend to be friendlier than big metro areas, but REALLY small towns can be kind of "clique-ish" and moving there means you might be considered an "outsider" for quite some time.

Overall though, I'd say yes, MN has good, down to earth, hardworking people who are generally accepting and friendly.

[dennis s]

I moved ther in '78 at 15 years old I was a senior. That was tough. I had many problems coming right out of N.Y.C. the kids thought that I was a disco fan and gave me a lot of trouble. (I had never even seen Sat.Night Fever). After a while and a couple of near fights I finally got through to them that I was O.K. and everything was fine. But you're right. They will be civil but it takes a while for a native Minnesotan to "warm up". I learned how to ski and fish and hunt, drive in the snow and most of all I learned to be nice. I still am. I still fish too only now I catch snook in the ocean and not waleye in child lake (up north Minn.)

[Yorkie_Mom]

My town has 1900 people living in it and they all seem to be friendly, never had any problems. If you go to the really small towns under the 1900 it is very different, they tend to be more snobbish until they get to know you, but it might take up to a year, some one I knew moved from Montana to a little town east of us and it took her about a year to fit in, she now loves it and wouldn't think of moving.
Speaking for myself I like people and have always went out of my way to make them feel at home, it is the way I was raised. Good luck! Hope this helps, the town I am from is Albert Lea, if you were wondering.