Florida to Chicago

[Michael Scott]

Originally Posted by C. Maurio

The winters here suck. That is the best thing I can say. It does not snow much because we are on the wrong side of the lake for that but it is very very cold and actual temperatures and wind chills can dip well below zero and stay below freezing for weeks at a time. Also, because we are right on the time zone border, it gets dark very early in the winter. Around 4PM in December. I am surprised you would move here from Florida. Most of us are waiting for the golden watch to get the hell out of here and go to Florida or Arizona.

Originally Posted by marothisu

There's people living here from all over the world, and places with worse weather than Florida. There's a lot of people who want what they can't have. People with straight hair want curly hair. People with curly hair want straight hair. People in always hot climates sometimes want to move to cold/colder weather and people in climates where it gets cold sometimes want to move to warmer/warm weather. It's common human nature.

It's all a personal thing. Some people might be fine with it and some people might not be fine with it (the winters). The winters here aren't even that bad. Compared to Florida though, yes they are bad.

I'm sure the winters can suck sometimes, but its a pick your poison type of thing. Florida weather is not this magical paradise its made out to be. We have very few days where you think "AHHHH, thats some nice warm sunshine." I had a BBQ today with my accounting fraternity, we played football, volleyball, just hung out, etc. It was unimaginably hot, and this was one day out from October. The summer can be absolutely brutal. You feel like you've been beaten up.

Sweating walking from your apartment to your car, in your car waiting for it to cool down, and then walking to class/work, gets old real fast. And theres no night time cool down, its humid to the point where you literally feel trapped in the air. Its not as tiring like the sun is, but its gross and sticky. You just sit there outside, you're not even moving, then you realize, wow, I'm sweating for no reason. And don't even get me started on the mosquitoes. Winter for 5 months probably sucks, but not seeing a daytime high lower than 80 for about 9 months (with about half that being in the 90s) sucks just as much, if not more. And 9/10 times, the heat index will read about 10 degrees warmer than the actual temperature due to humidity. In the winter time, we dont get a month or two of cold. We get a few days of a few cold fronts spread across the two months of winter. Those "cold" days are absolutely gorgeous, highs of 60ish, lows of about 45-50. And then its gone.

Right now where I am, its 82, with a heat index of 87. Its 9:30 at night and its 82 degrees.

[C. Maurio]

Originally Posted by dr82692

I'm sure the winters can suck sometimes, but its a pick your poison type of thing. Florida weather is not this magical paradise its made out to be. We have very few days where you think "AHHHH, thats some nice warm sunshine." I had a BBQ today with my accounting fraternity, we played football, volleyball, just hung out, etc. It was unimaginably hot, and this was one day out from October. The summer can be absolutely brutal. You feel like you've been beaten up.

Sweating walking from your apartment to your car, in your car waiting for it to cool down, and then walking to class/work, gets old real fast. And theres no night time cool down, its humid to the point where you literally feel trapped in the air. Its not as tiring like the sun is, but its gross and sticky. You just sit there outside, you're not even moving, then you realize, wow, I'm sweating for no reason. And don't even get me started on the mosquitoes. Winter for 5 months probably sucks, but not seeing a daytime high lower than 80 for about 9 months (with about half that being in the 90s) sucks just as much, if not more. And 9/10 times, the heat index will read about 10 degrees warmer than the actual temperature due to humidity. In the winter time, we dont get a month or two of cold. We get a few days of a few cold fronts spread across the two months of winter. Those "cold" days are absolutely gorgeous, highs of 60ish, lows of about 45-50. And then its gone.

Right now where I am, its 82, with a heat index of 87. Its 9:30 at night and its 82 degrees.

Yeah. I would get tired of that too. I guess ideal would be California or maybe someplace sort of south but not as far as Miami. Maybe Charlotte or Atlanta where they have winter but it is not as brutal as here.

[Michael Scott]

Originally Posted by C. Maurio

Yeah. I would get tired of that too. I guess ideal would be California or maybe someplace sort of south but not as far as Miami. Maybe Charlotte or Atlanta where they have winter but it is not as brutal as here.

I've considered CA, but the CoL is a little too high for my liking. And I think I've essentially ruled out Atlanta and NC.

[Michael Scott]

Just bumping to front page...

Pretty set on Chicago. Any big city area is going to be really different for me coming from suburbs/college towns my whole life. Worried that the city might make me feel a little lost and empty, if I dont make new friends quickly that is. Winter is still worrying me a little, but not much.

[dan1024]

I lived in the suburbs my whole life and moved to the city last year. Really is a great experience and I would not feel lost and empty, if anything the city seems more inclusive to me with all the bars/entertainment/social events happening each weekend. Winter can be rough and dreary (although last winter was a breeze) since the cold weather usually lasts several months, but the spring/summer/fall make up for it.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by dr82692

Worried that the city might make me feel a little lost and empty, if I dont make new friends quickly that is. Winter is still worrying me a little, but not much.

That would be normal. It depends on where you're working too. I hung out with my coworkers a lot when I first moved here. It was easy to make friends in that regard if not everyone you work with is married with kids from the suburbs. I'm not into the frat scene, for which they were, so eventually I went away from them, which for awhile was weird, but now I have a great, tight group of friends here for which I share a ton in common with. Hell, I've even traveled with 3 of them halfway across the world on vacation now.

[mattywo85]

Originally Posted by CincyIowan

Have you looked at other communities close to Chicago? such as the Quad Cities, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal?? all are within a 3 hour drive to the Chicagoland area.

Lol, why? I guess if you are going to ISU or U of I or get a great job then move there but a single professional is way better off in Chicagoland.

[Michael Scott]

Originally Posted by dan1024

I lived in the suburbs my whole life and moved to the city last year. Really is a great experience and I would not feel lost and empty, if anything the city seems more inclusive to me with all the bars/entertainment/social events happening each weekend. Winter can be rough and dreary (although last winter was a breeze) since the cold weather usually lasts several months, but the spring/summer/fall make up for it.

Seasons would be such a nice change. We get very few days of really nice weather throughout the year here in Florida. Glad to hear you really liked the city after living in the suburbs your whole life like me.

Originally Posted by marothisu

That would be normal. It depends on where you're working too. I hung out with my coworkers a lot when I first moved here. It was easy to make friends in that regard if not everyone you work with is married with kids from the suburbs. I'm not into the frat scene, for which they were, so eventually I went away from them, which for awhile was weird, but now I have a great, tight group of friends here for which I share a ton in common with. Hell, I've even traveled with 3 of them halfway across the world on vacation now.

I plan to work in Big 4 accounting. From what I understand, they all seem to bond very well with their coworkers, as everyone is the same age in your audit team. I'm also not a fan of the fratty scene, so I'm hoping there isnt an overabundance of people like that.

Originally Posted by mattywo85

Lol, why? I guess if you are going to ISU or U of I or get a great job then move there but a single professional is way better off in Chicagoland.

Yeah, if I'm moving I'm pretty sure it'll be the city, not any surrounding area.