How boring is OKC for a young professional? (Tulsa, Durant: 2013, apartments) - Oklahoma City - Oklahoma - City-Data Forum

PickinNgrinin · 07-14-2014, 01:48 PM

I'm a young professional late 20's male from the east coast. I grew up in a small town in the country but have lived in Baltimore and now Philadelphia for the last few years. My employer is looking to relocate me to OKC for a new position but i'm hesitant because I really enjoy city living, especially big city living and everything i've read makes me think OKC is basically a large small town.

Am I going to be bored out of my mind in OKC?
What/where do people go to meet people?
Is there a good dating scene?
Is there a music scene?
Is there anything to do in OKC except basketball games?

Also, where is a good place to look for an apartment, my budget is around $1000/month.

Any/All help is greatly appreciated.

#1soonerfan · 07-14-2014, 03:29 PM

Well if you assume you will be bored just based off of what you read on the internet, you will probably be bored. I don't know how much I will change your opinion if you've already made up your mind. But I guess I'll try LOL.

When we aren't riding around on our tractors

we actually are doing "big city stuff." OKC actually has a very vibrant young professional scene for its size (if you believe the Atlantic it is actually has the 12th fastest growing percentage of "millenials" in the nation).

I lived in OKC until a few months ago and I was single in my late 20's. I never really had a shortage of things to do, but I kind of knew where to be/look. If you should move I would strongly suggest moving to the core city. Yes it is a little expensive but trust me this is the area you want to be. There was one poster on here (bchris?) who was told by me and others to live in the central city. He didn't, and sure enough 6 months later he is on here screaming about how much he hates it here. Focus on neighborhoods like Deep Deuce, Midtown, Paseo area. Your price range may be a little low but you could probably get a 1 BR. Most good bars and entertainment will be in the CBD/Bricktown area.

What do we do for fun here? What do you like? Bricktown is always a sure bet. Yes, Thunder games are taken very seriously here...we have Kevin Durant ya know

They are actually a lot of fun. Also, college sports is big here and will pretty much dominate the local fall social calender. You will be asked to "take a side" between OU/OSU when you get here. I have taken many people down to tailgate for an OU game, including several people who were not college football fans and they've all had a good time. Outdoor festivals are big here. H & 8th (largest food truck festival in the nation-every last Friday of the month), Live on the Plaza, Art Walk on The Paseo, etc just the one's off the top of my head. There's sailing on Lake Hefner and Kayaking on the Oklahoma River (google OKC Boathouse district). Most big music acts will come through OKC, but a lot go to Tulsa as well.

If that is not enough, the Wichita Mts are 1.5 hrs to the SW, Kiamichi Mts 3 hours SE, DFW 3.5 hrs due south, Austin 6hrs south, Kansas City 6.5 hrs NE, Santa Fe NM/Red River Ski area 8 hrs west. All good weekend road trips.

I will add this. OKC is a much smaller city with less things to do, but what is here is far more accessible to the average person. I have since relocated to a much larger city and while there is far more to do, I find it to be difficult to juggle the crowds, traffic, expense, and overall BS invovled in enjoying those things. Like myself most young people who had reservations with OKC eventually warmed to it.

I was just in Philly a few weeks ago. One of my favorite cities, actually. With that in mind, I don't particularly care to live in the east coast...if you are absolutely committed to that specific lifestyle you will not only dislike OKC, but probably much larger cities in this region (Dallas, Houston, etc.). In my time in OKC, I definitely noticed people from the west coast had a far easier time adjusting to this area than those from the east. I would strongly suggest you come for a visit and check out the aformentioned areas and see if it would be okay for you.

Good luck!

Rubi3 · 07-14-2014, 04:21 PM

Seems to me people from the east have a different mindset from any other part of the country. When my sister-in-law from Boston came to visit for the first time many years ago, she expected a city of teepees. She discovered it wasn't, but even with time and maturity I'm not so sure she doesn't see that scene when the thinks about this part of the country.

I'm pessimistic about your situation, PickinNgrinin. You sound bored already and I've never been bored, so I don't know. I can't recommend it as I can already hear your complaints.

PickinNgrinin · 07-14-2014, 05:59 PM

I'm actually very open minded about the situation but I'm worried I will drastically have to change my lifestyle; I hope this isn't a city I have to leave every weekend in order to find fun. I'm sure I will find ways to have fun but knowing myself and the things I enjoy it seems OKC might take more effort to find those things. Basketball and college sports are not exactly my cup of tea, i'm more of a baseball, snowboarding, surfing kinda guy. I also like to stroll around the city for miles at a time and explore new areas which from another thread I read, the walkability isn't so good here. I'm not your average "east coaster", i'm actually nice to people, hold doors, say please/thank you/sir/ma'am and people in Philly look at me like i'm crazy.
I'm going to spend a few days there before I have to decide, can anyone suggest some places to visit? Or areas to check out?

dvxhd · 07-14-2014, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PickinNgrinin

I'm a young professional late 20's male from the east coast. I grew up in a small town in the country but have lived in Baltimore and now Philadelphia for the last few years. My employer is looking to relocate me to OKC for a new position but i'm hesitant because I really enjoy city living, especially big city living and everything i've read makes me think OKC is basically a large small town.

Am I going to be bored out of my mind in OKC?
What/where do people go to meet people?
Is there a good dating scene?
Is there a music scene?
Is there anything to do in OKC except basketball games?

Also, where is a good place to look for an apartment, my budget is around $1000/month.

Any/All help is greatly appreciated.

The boring thing is very subjective and relative. For me, I'm always bored here and I've had a drastic life change since I moved here in 2011. On the weekends I used to go hiking in mountains in and around town, tried new restaurants, took in the nightlife, went to the theater, went shopping, etc. A lot of that has stopped since I moved here either because A) it doesn't exist in OKC or B) the quality doesn't compare. I guess another thing I could point out is that some stuff is actually more expensive here, despite how much it touts low cost of living. For example, there was a live production of Rocky Horror at home for $15, but I went to one here that was $40. Nightlife actually costs me more here than it did at home too. Anyway, I blame that on lack of competition.

I'm probably not the best person to ask regarding meeting people, as the only ones I've talked to regularly have been professional relationships, but I'm a staunch believer in keeping my personal life out of work so I haven't connected with coworkers on a deeper level. People I've "met" outside of work fizzle out quickly, or put more directly, they're flakes. When I go out, I notice large clusters of cliques that don't really mingle with others. I know, I know, you'll see that anywhere... but it seems more pronounced here than it did back home. There are clusters where people congregate (namely churches) but outside of that, there's Bricktown and the Plaza District, but I've heard Midtown and the Paseo are places too. I really don't enjoy the former two, so I don't go. The Plaza District is just annoying because parking is awful, but it would otherwise be okay I think. If you're open to GLBT bars, there's an area around 39th St/Pennsylvania.

I can't really comment on dating too much. Anyone who seemed interesting did the flake thing. I think the average marrying age is relatively young here.

Regarding music, I haven't noticed much independent music and frequently headliners bypass OKC (I would extend that to performing arts, comedians/comediennes, etc. as well). I know it's annoying, but you could go to Dallas if you absolutely must see it, because they will go there.

There are things to do besides basketball, but it depends what you really want to do. And regarding your apartment, that budget will be more than enough for most places. There are some overpriced highrises I wouldn't recommend, because they seem to lure in suckers for what you get out of them.

I noticed you plan to visit, so please, please, please work it out with your company to let you off work so you can come stay here for a full week (I would definitely give it more than a few days, as I would for any place). I would encourage you to spend maybe one day looking at absolute musts (potential apartments, your new workplace, etc.) and the rest trying to discern whether or not it could be home for you. Like you, I wasn't too keen on coming here, and I know what it can do to you if your heart isn't in it.

WaywardCarolinian · 07-14-2014, 09:25 PM

OKC has a very negative national perception but it isn't as bad as most people think. I moved from Wilmington, NC and was scared to death at first but ended up being pleasantly surprised by the place. I don't see why you would have to leave the city simply to find something fun to do. From what I hear that was the case 15 years ago but it isn't now. New bars and restaurants are opening all the time and there seems to be more and more stuff happening catering to creative and "keep it local" types. Those events are excellent places to meet new people. The boathouse district is pretty cool as well.

$1000/month will go a long ways here. Like others have said, its imperative that you live in the urban core. In other cities, young professionals can live in the suburbs and get away with it but not here. The suburbs are mostly dominated by the conservative culture OKC tends to be known for. The urban core is becoming more and more vibrant each year with young people moving in, myself having seen a HUGE change just in the past few years.

If you absolutely must live in a coastal city and have the amenities it provides, then OKC isn't your place. You won't find real mountains here and you will be about 8 hours from the nearest beach. Oklahoma does have some surprises though if you like the outdoors. The Wichita mountains in the Southwest and the Ouachita mountains in the Southeast part of the state are both areas you would never expect to find in Oklahoma. Though compared to the rockies or Appalachians they are really just large hills, they do provide decent outdoor recreation.

You need to ask yourself what you are looking for and what you are willing to sacrifice. Come up with a list of amenities that you would live to have but could do without as well as a list of things that are absolutely non-negotiable. I also recommend visiting for a week to get a feel for the area.

#1soonerfan · 07-14-2014, 11:23 PM

^
Good post.

I have nothing else to add except a lot of people in OKC do go skiing/snowboarding in CO/NM. Its far better than anything out east even though its probably a much longer drive. Very doable though.

You will not be able to surf by any mean here, but wakeboarding here is huge for some odd reason. I don't know why. Yes I know its not the same thing but they're similar. There is actually a huge wakeboarding park in Guthrie. You may have to Google it but is really popular.

With that in mind, understand you are your interests are geared towards a northern coastal location and you are relocating to an inland southern city, so the ability to do certain things will simply be limited. Even the TX gulf coast is pretty lousy for surfers from what I hear. At the same time you may be surprised at the outdoor opportunities in OK and surrounding states. Keep an open mind. Honestly most people who come to OKC usually have a very good impression of it, if for nothing else they are usually expecting some tornado scarred hellscape but they usually see a small but vibrant city.

I don't mean to creep on you, but it looks like you are aiming for a position in oil and gas. As you know OKC has a HUGE O&G sector (I am in it myself) and I think you will have a plethora of networking opportunities. I would really suggest you seek out the Young Professionals in Energy-OKC chapter before you come.

For places to look out while you are here to live, I recently posted for a similar question. Read it here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/35501614-post4.html

OkiePoke · 07-15-2014, 09:06 AM

As a YP myself, I will be moving to OKC in a couple of weeks. I grew up in Oklahoma with friends in OKC. There are a lot of 'hidden' places in town which might be difficult to find sometimes. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions, outdoor activities, bars, softball leagues, etc.