Moving soon to Logan, Have lots of questions, Please Help (Beaver: apartment complex, rental)

[littlecap5]

Hello.

My name is Eric and I am 22 years old from Baltimore, MD. I recently have been offered a job in Logan and have some questions about the culture and lifestyle of the area. I am not LDS, but am a very friendly person and get along well with lots of people. I will be moving there with my friend within the next month.

I was wondering what the entertainment in the area consists of? I know that there are a variety of outdoor activities which I love, and was wondering if there were any groups that do activities such as skiing, hiking, etc together which will gladly accept friendly non LDS in their group? Are there other activities like festivals, concerts, art shows, etc that go on?

I am also looking around for a good apartment complex for someone my age. There are a variety of choices from craigslist and internet listings, but I will not have much time to search for one in person before I move there. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Any input would be greatly appreciated on anything that might help.

Thank You

[MOlney]

Logan has a small town feel and has the Utah State University. Because of that, there are a good amount of single young adults in Logan during the fall to spring months and there are several activities associated with this. Logan also has a major antique car show around the 4th of July and a good fireworks display up at the University. If you have looked at Logan city's or USU's website yet, I would recommend doing so. You could see the activities coming up and find answers to some of your questions.

Welcome to Utah State University Home of Logan City

The USU website has a community section that has links to some museums and theaters (plays) in the area.

If you enjoy outdoor activities and a smaller city atmosphere don't mind snow and colder temperatures, then you will probably enjoy Logan.

[Calibelle]

My sister is going to school in Logan right now. She is a very outdoorsie person, and enjoys that aspect of it. It's COLD there though. The nickname is Ice Box Utah

She said it was in the 80's this week, and then the next day it was snowing.

She did say though that she loves it, and there is a fun atmosphere for young adults.

Hope you enjoy it!

[osugirl2]

My boyfriend works in Logan, and says the people he works with are really nice.

[markg91359]

Logan is an interesting community. You have Utah State University with a large student population (much of which is transient) and you have the city of Logan with its old families many of whom have ancestors who came when the Mormons settled the Cache Valley around 1850. Its basically two separate communities that live next to one another often not having alot in common other than where they live.

If I were non-LDS, I would try to meet people and hook up with groups through USU. You'll find that most of the non-campus population are young married people struggling to raise families who will have little time for leisure. Most of their time will center on family and church activities and it may make you feel shut out if you live in the wrong area.

A couple of other comments.

1. It certainly is cold there and there are some nasty winter inversions that trap air polllution in the valley in December and January.

2. There is alot of bad, substandard rental housing in the Logan area. Although, I think alot of new units have been built in the last few years. I'd personally go check out where I was moving too before making any deals over the internet or phone.

3. Jobs in the area tend to pay low wages. If you have a good one, feel fortunate and try to hang onto it. If its a decent job, believe me there are plenty of people who would like it and want to replace you probably right in the area.

[littlecap5]

Thank you so much for your input! All of this information makes me much more comfortable in my transition.

I came from Virginia Tech, where we also had a very distinct community separation with the locals, who had lived there generation to generation with very conservative views. The community interacted very peacefully, and both communities got along well with the other which seems to be the same case with Logan.

As for housing, I was looking at the Maple Valley Apartments as well as similar student housing developments. I was planning on pursuing a masters degree at USU while working. Has anyone had any experiences they care to share about these types of complexes?

I am lucky enough to be coming with job security and a very well paying job. So I don't believe that will be an aspect affecting my decision or transition.

The cold weather will take a bit of getting used to, but I think I will be able to adapt quickly.

If anyone has anymore information they think might help out, I appreciate it and read through all the postings! Thank You :-)

[MrAnderson]

I'm currently in Logan and a recent grad from Utah State. And I'm also originally from Maryland I'm kind of curious where you found a job that inticed you to move all the way from there?

The Logan area is still 'somewhat' small, though it's rapidly growing and has been for a while now. There's a lot of rural history to Cache Valley and still much of the valley is rural today. With that said, the Logan area, and urban area around it are quite developed, and Logan itself isn't rural at all. Still, it has that 'simple life' feel - not sure if you'd like that or not coming out of Baltimore.

Logan's about 5 degrees colder on average than say, Salt Lake. So a bit colder but nothing ridiculous for Utah. Obviously a bit cooler than Maryland. You're pretty much not getting above 35 all winter. And once it snows it usually covers the grass until spring.

Like most of Utah, the majority here is LDS, but there's a lot of diversity that stems from the University. You'll find plenty of people to associate with if you look. I'm not sure what you're into - but there's a few bars, some cool local eateries, and LOTS of art / entertainment if you're into it - The Ellen Eccles Theater, Caine Lyric Theater, and USU have tons of plays, symphonies, operas, etc. year round. Of course, the area is beautiful and great for outdoors. There's multiple canyons to explore with tons of hiking trails, lakes, rivers, etc. If you're into skiing / snowboarding, Beaver Mountain ( Beaver Mountain : Home ) is nearby.

Housing / rental costs are so low in Logan it's unbelievable. If you're making good money I'd even think about buying a townhome of some sort. Maple Valley is a decent place and quite new, as is everything around that area where it's located. Though University students live all over, it's not really student housing - it's not as close and you'll find families there as well as working professionals. I had a friend who lived there with a couple of roommates and none of them were going to USU. A good site if University housing is what you're looking for - http://www.trueaggie.com Almost all the places are pretty nice in Logan, but like mentioned above, make sure to check out what you're getting into - there's a lot of old houses turned duplexes, etc. that aren't the nicest. And because it's a college town, many times rooms are shared, so make sure you look into all that to make sure you're getting what you want.

Anyway, if you'd like some more specific info you can PM me.

[MrAnderson]

Originally Posted by markg91359

3. Jobs in the area tend to pay low wages. If you have a good one, feel fortunate and try to hang onto it. If its a decent job, believe me there are plenty of people who would like it and want to replace you probably right in the area.

If it's more of a high-end skilled position, I find Logan employers will pay more, many times because it's harder for them to find the desired people, and to keep them.

[carlymac]

We lived in Logan for about 7 1/2 years as a young married family. I also spent my childhood years visitng my grandmother and other relatives who lived there. I can't tell you how much it has changed over the past 45+ years. My aunt used to live WAY out in the country on 2200 North surrounded by cow pastures. When we left 10 years ago that whole area had turned commercial. I know it's changed and developed even more since then.

We were part of a cross country skiing group that I think we discoveredthrough a little article in the local paper. I think my husband and I were the only active LDS members in the group but that didn't seem to matter. We all got along fine. I think if you follow your interests whether they be outdoor sports or cultural activities or whatever, you'll find that people with similar interests can easily cross over the religious lines. I was also in a quilting guild that was non-denominational. I'm sure there were many LDS women there but to tell you the truth, we didn't talk religion. We only talked quilting so I never really knew (aside from a few closer friends) what their religious beliefs were. There were a few of the old farmer- anti progress types that lived out in the outlying towns. But for the most part, our neighbors were just normal, busy all American families doing what families do and appreciating when a Gap finally came to town.

[MrAnderson]

Good points carly. Though, I don't think a Gap has ever come to town?