22 year old male looking to move to Chicago (Evanston, Champaign: condo, hotel)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

Why is it stupid? I was once a 22 year old single guy, who liked to party and chase girls. Yeah, I guess I don't know what I am talking about.

You're older than 22? You could have fooled me...

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

The OP is open to advice, that's why he posted here, to hear a "diverse" set of opinions, not a bunch of status quo, reactionary, groupthink, orthodox multi-cult responses lip-synched out of the "anti" and media brainwashing playbook.



Yeah, but not until the 6th paragraph, so it's NOT on the top of his list, now is it? Besides, the OP has never even lived here, I have. So, I think it's good he hears from someone who knows, not from the indoctrination and imagery the status quo has been pushing in his brain for 22 years via the TV and Hollywood.

Got any more tired dittohead chestnuts to trot out, big guy?

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

Why are so intolerant of what I say? Do you see me bugging you and calling you names???

Jeez, just make your case and give your advice to the OP, nobody is stopping you, certainly not me.

"The OP is open to advice, that's why he posted here, to hear a "diverse" set of opinions, not a bunch of status quo, reactionary, groupthink, orthodox multi-cult responses lip-synched out of the "anti" and media brainwashing playbook. "

My point is that you're just pulling out equally tired responses from the other side. Furthermore, the fact that they're thinly veiled racism is doubly tired. It's the old "Love that dare not speak its name" trick, in which you steadily imply (or even state) that white people are better, somehow, than people of color, but will probably bluster when I actually call you on it.

It's just silly.

Furthermore, I get a little weary of the "If you're so TOLERANT, then you should TOLERATE my INTOLERANCE!" act. It's crap.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

It's hard to communicate with someone who is utterly close-minded and just parrots the diversicrap party line.

The feeling's mutual, bub. And who cares, really? You're not goin to change my mind, and I'm not going to change yours. I think your opinion's foolish, and you think the same of mine. Even stevens. Have a good one.

[Champion Willis]

May I start off by saying, thanks to almost everyone who replied. I have gained opinions of some people who give excellent advice.

Originally Posted by surlycue

'Tis typical in the burbs, my friend. He should keep his options open.

OP - are you trying to keep the rent to $650 all inclusive or can you pay up to $700-725 including utilities? If you have that option, it definitely opens you up to studios in good areas but if you don't know very many people here it would probably behoove you anyway to get some roommates.

I'm looking for $650 all inclusive at the moment. I'd prefer my own place if I'm being honest with myself. It just feels more 'mature' to have your own spot, but again, it depends on the circumstances that are availiable.

Originally Posted by cdubs3201

My biggest concern is with the OP's first paragraph.

First off I wouldn't move here unless you've already locked in some sort of job or stable income. Eventhough Chicago is huge, and has a lot of jobs, it's still hard to find one (Unemployment is at 9.6% and still climbing).

Secondly, there's a ton of people here like yourself, from a small town, trying to run away from something, thinking Chicago is the answer to their problem(s). It's not. No matter where you go, you're still going to have the same problems you think you left in your small town, and you're only going to pile on more problems when you get here.

Getting settled in Chicago isn't easy. It's a big adjustment. Small town life and big city life are COMPLETELY different. I grew up in the suburbs, not urban, but far from small town, and Chicago took me about a year and a half to finally get settled and adjusted to the lifestyle. You said you will only be here 1.5 years. It's going to be a hassle for you. Whatever you think you know about living in a big city, there's probably a lot more you don't realize.

Definitely a viable argument concerning the unemployment. I have been looking uneasily at the statistics quite a bit. Where I reside currently has the reverse trend where many people are underqualified for the jobs so it is easy pickings. I plan on picking up a 2nd part-time job soon to stock up for what could be a cold winter.

As for your views on small towns-> big towns, I won't disregard it, but I don't think it has quite as much weight in my situation as it seems to have had with yours. When I first decided that I wasn't cut out for my current residence, I worked twice as hard to enjoy it so that I wouldn't be the cliche that you are referring to. Things have been looking up here and I'm currently having the best summer of my adult life yet I still feel passionate about moving to Chicago. So although it was a bit presumptious to assume that I am running away from a problem, it is definitely a characteristic of many small town inhabitants.

As for adjusting to city life. I think I can handle it. I'm not running away from the past but rather towards the future

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

I know plenty of people in Logan Square (mostly dudes) who finally realize that a bunch of taco stands and being surrounded by low-education people isn't "culture", and they really lose touch with higher forms of culture and women. For some reason, hot women don't fall into this "multi-cult" trap as much as men, and they waste far less time in those locales. So that's my advice.

So, because some Lincoln Park women say "Eww, Logan Square creeps me out," you go there so you can lick the Chihuahua crap off their boots? What a man you are.

Oh, but it's because they're into high culture that you follow them wherever they flock. So that means...what? That there are tons of girls in Lincoln Park who make excellent music, literature, and art in the western tradition (the non-white contributions to said tradition excluded)? But I thought the musicians, writers, and artists lived in Logan Square. I'm really confused. It's almost as if, by white culture, you mean "no culture."

[Champion Willis]

Also, can we steer away from the ethnic and socio-economical debates? Please don't tempt me to post the pirated, pdf version of some English Literature juggernauts or I'll be forced go on some long rant about class and its fickleness as shown in Pride and Prejudice or how George Shaw's Pygmalion artfully pokes fun at 'higher culture' before decapitating it.

To settle things, when I say I prefer diversity, I mean diversity as in different races and religions (especially the lack thereof concerning the afforementioned for the Nietzsche in me). Intelliegence is a characteristic I look for when I am not drinking myself unconscious but the people I live next to don't need to know who Jean Paul Satre was married to or enjoy the transcendentalist movement. That stuff is for my pleasure although it is fun talking about it with others. Anyways at the risk of this sounding like a profile on plentyoffish.com I'll just leave it at that.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by Champion Willis

Also, can we steer away from the ethnic and socio-economical debates? Please don't tempt me to post the pirated, pdf version of some English Literature juggernauts or I'll be forced go on some long rant about class and its fickleness as shown in Pride and Prejudice or how George Shaw's Pygmalion artfully pokes fun at 'higher culture' before decapitating it.

To settle things, when I say I prefer diversity, I mean diversity as in different races and religions (especially the lack thereof concerning the afforementioned for the Nietzsche in me). Intelliegence is a characteristic I look for when I am not drinking myself unconscious but the people I live next to don't need to know who Jean Paul Satre was married to or enjoy the transcendentalist movement. That stuff is for my pleasure although it is fun talking about it with others. Anyways at the risk of this sounding like a profile on plentyoffish.com I'll just leave it at that.

Done and done.

[JoeyPants]

I would say that for your price range your best bet is Logan Square. If you are lucky you will find a studio in Lincoln Park the size of a large minivan. Take your pick.

[paytonc]

Originally Posted by Champion Willis

I'd prefer my own place if I'm being honest with myself. It just feels more 'mature' to have your own spot, but again, it depends on the circumstances that are availiable.

It does feel more mature to have your own place, but it's perfectly socially acceptable to have flatmates* here. It's supply and demand: there just aren't enough studio/1-BR apartments out there** for everyone, so they end up being quite expensive relative to larger places. At least Chicago has plenty of 2-BR apartments -- a lot of young people in newer cities live four or five to a single-family house. Imagine splitting yardwork chores!

Since convenience to nightlife sounds important to you, I'd take a weekend to go out, find out which neighborhood's scene you like best, and then focus on that area. The generalizations thrown around here and elsewhere online never really capture the particulars of any given place.

* sorry for sounding pretentiously British, but I don't like "roommates" if you're not actually sharing a room.
** especially on the northwest side; there are more small apartments along the lakefront.