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July next year I will be moving to the United States for 6 months to study at Arizona State University in Phoenix or University of Illinois- Chicago and I have never been so indecisive about anything in my life and it is incredibly hard to make a decision as I haven't been to both of these cities.
Both sides seem to offer pros and cons from the research I have done.
Chicago Pros -
Great public transport system with two train lines that run 24/7
There appears to be an abundance of centrally located restaurants
The whole large city living in a sky rise experience.
Multicultural
Close to NY
Phoenix Pros -
The heat and the sun (I love the heat)
Multicultural
The city looks really clean on Google maps. Hahahaha
Very cheap
Close to Las Vegas and L.A
I hear Phoenix has large malls as well?
Important aspects that will help me decide would be:
Abundance of centrally located bars (not nightclubs)
- I imagine Chicago would win here, but Uber is really cheap now yeah, so I could just catch Uber or Taxi's in Phoenix after drinking?
I would love the option for 24 hour food, I don't mind if I am required to drive.
Italian food is my favourite food but stereotypical Mexican drinks are my favourite drinks.
Outdoor dining, I really really like outdoor dining or restaurant strips.
I live in Melbourne, Australia and here we have a street called Lygon St which is pretty much just Italian restaurants, with a fair few of them open all night. They have outside seating where there are heat lamps if it is cold and in summer it is perfect.
I'm also gay so I'm a bit curious of Phoenix and Chicago's mentality towards that, it isn't that important on where I choose to live because no one can ever tell, nor would I say anything in an area where I don't think it is appropriate. I respect peoples opinions and beliefs but I just don't want to go to a place where I will be preached at.
From what I will understand Phoenix will be suburb life and Chicago will be city, I like the idea of both. If you know good areas for someone who likes all these aspects to live, recommendations would be amazing.
It seems that, based on most of your criteria, Chicago would be better for you. The biggest downside to Phoenix, in my opinion, is thst downtown can be a ghost town many days of the week and at many hours. I was just there five months ago and it took us quite a while walking around downtown just to find an open restaurant. Chicago is just more bustling all around and a better big city experience.
If you go to ASU you'll live in or near Tempe which has a downtown full of bars and whatnot, all walkable/bikeable. Part of central Phoenix is the "gayborhood" , 15 minute drive away without traffic.
Chicago wins on things open all night, big city stuff, Italian food.
Phoenix wins on nature/outdoors, hot weather/mild winter, Mexican food.
Chicago-big buildings
Phoenix-mountains and canyons
Chicago is always in the news for all the shootings and murder there,
Phoenix is always in the news for having the stupidest politicians in America.
Side note: tens of thousands of people have relocated from Illinois to Arizona in the last 20 years but that migration has been one way.
If you go to ASU you'll live in or near Tempe which has a downtown full of bars and whatnot, all walkable/bikeable. Part of central Phoenix is the "gayborhood" , 15 minute drive away without traffic.
Chicago wins on things open all night, big city stuff, Italian food.
Phoenix wins on nature/outdoors, hot weather/mild winter, Mexican food.
Chicago-big buildings
Phoenix-mountains and canyons
Chicago is always in the news for all the shootings and murder there,
Phoenix is always in the news for having the stupidest politicians in America.
Side note: tens of thousands of people have relocated from Illinois to Arizona in the last 20 years but that migration has been one way.
The one way migration is because older people go to Ariizona to die, and cannot physically come back unless they come back in a box or urn. The cause of death: boredom.
The one way migration is because older people go to Ariizona to die, and cannot physically come back unless they come back in a box or urn. The cause of death: boredom.
Phoenix isn't a bad place to go to college at all. The nightlife along Mill Avenue in Tempe and Old Town Scottsdale is quite good. There are a lot of "day trip" opportunities to Flagstaff, Sedona, Payson, Prescott, the Salt River (tubing), etc. There is also a growing gay community in central Phoenix. However, Phoenix certainly isn't as cultured as Chicago.
Having been around both campuses I'd pick ASU. I spend the past 2 summers in Illinois and hung around some fun places in Chicago like Wrigleyville a decent amount. However, I think for the short period of time the sun/heat plus Mill Street makes it a better place. Like the other user said, going to ASU you'd be in Tempe, which is where people from Phoenix go downtown. There is a lot to do, plus it will be warmer. Tempe is also probably the most liberal city in Arizona.
Also this shows that 4% of ALIVE Arizonans are from Illinois, while the other way around is less than a percentage. Link
When you're talking about Phoenix as a college student, what you should really focus on is downtown Tempe and Old Town Scottsdale. Excellent nightlife in both cities, and Scottsdale has 2 really nice malls (Fashion Square and Scottsdale Quarter/Kierland). You're probably gonna be living in Tempe, so check out Mill Avenue if you get a chance. And if you want anything Mexican, Phoenix beats out Chicago. Other than that, I don't anything about Chicago so I won't comment on that. ASU is the largest university by population and with so many students from diverse backgrounds I would bet that the culture is very accepting of all differences. Plus there's so many things to do within a days drive: beach in San Diego, snow sports/Grand Canyon in Flagstaff, Sedona, mountains surrounding the city...Anyway, my choice would be ASU/Phoenix.
I'd personally pick Phoenix. You couldn't pay me to live in Chicago! So segregated, so much racism, so much crime, so much Government oppression (high taxes, anti-2nd Amendment gun laws etc...), flat landscape, brutally cold winters, high cost of living.....the list goes on and on.
Phoenix on the other hand has a strong economy, more freedom, low cost of living, and beautiful Arizona mountainous scenery. Only downside is that the summers are brutal!
Move to Phoenix if you want to get ahead, move to Chicago if you want to become trapped in a cesspool.
Wow, the stupid and wildly inaccurate partisan posts are really starting to pile up in here.
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