Cleveland is the most depressing/boring place on earth(MOVER BEWARE) (Columbus: fit in, sales)

[Bimmer_Rich]

You really need to get on Yelp and start going to better places.... Going to Beachwood Mall and complaining about how Cleveland sucks is comical. If you're spending your free time at Beachwood mall, you're putting much shooting yourself in the foot. Beachwood Mall is pretty much the last place to go.

You need to get to the right places. There's a ton of cool local stuff going around in Cleveland. Start following the restaurants, bars, art galleries and stores around Tremont, Ohio City, Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, etc. on FaceBook and Twitter. This way you will keep updated with things that are going on. People here are into local and independent businesses.

In the summer Wade Oval Wednesdays are an example of things going on. It's an open lot around University Circle where they have live music, food, etc. on Wednesdays. There's also a ton of street festivals like the Hessler Street Festival, there's one on Coventry. In the summer you also have the Feast in Little italy.

Trivia nights at the bar are are really popular and a great way to meet people. Don't go to lame national chains like Bar Louie and get upset when you don't meet people. What did you expect? Check out some where like Happy Dog in the Detroit Shoreway. ABC Tavern is another good spot - awesome, cheap food too.

There's a ton of places around W. 25th. Heck you could even go spend a night or two at the new hostel on W25th. They'll help you get a better idea of where to go around here....

[Cleveland_Collector]

Bimmer, why would you even bother?

Originally Posted by mistakeonthelake

Tampa is way more diverse, multicultural than Cleveland. Don't even compare Austin with Cleveland, that's like comparing a surging future big metro to a dying has been city. I have had positive experiences from all the places I have listed except Cleveland. I am not born and brought up in USA and my daddy doesn't live at all in the US, so there goes your theory about daddy's relocation. While you were living in your mom's basement, I came to this nation at a tender age to chart my future so don't jump the gun making assumptions about me.

I'll make all of the assumptions I please, mallboy. But, really, it sounds like you are infatuated with southern cities which present the illusion of diversity (i.e. they have a lot of hispanics). So, by all means, please move to one of them. The faster the better. Go, go, go... Don't waste another second. Quite clearly, nobody will miss you.

[Bimmer_Rich]

Originally Posted by mistakeonthelake

You don't have to stress that too much, I would have loved to leave this place if I could tomorrow. However, since I have a decent job that just started here, my hands are tied at the moment. I plan to compensate for this by either driving or flying to Chicago or NYC every other weekend, it's not easy keeping in mind the expensive flight tickets or gas prices but that's my best option to keep my sanity in check while living here.

I think you should see a psychologist.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

People are generally the same everywhere, even with cultural tweaks. This idea that any particular city is drastically more or less friendly seems to be the refuge of those who can't hack it where they live and wish to blame everyone else for why they're personally unable to adapt. Anecdotal, but I've never had trouble making friends or meeting nice people anywhere I've lived or visited. I'm sure most people have had similar experiences. You may meet a person here or there that is "hostile" or rude or perhaps just a bit anti-social, but on the whole, you will get back the effort that you put forth. Cleveland is no different.

Ehh, I don't know about that. I think cities with large numbers of transplants tend to be friendlier, for the simple reason that you have a lot of people in the same boat -- newcomers who have an immediate need to make new friends.

Cities like Cleveland, in contrast, that have only a small trickle of transplants coming in, can tend to feel more provincial and insular -- people who grew up in such cities have a circle of friends that they've "always" known, and don't feel the need to meet new people and make new friends, and can appear standoffish to newcomers. (No way I'm saying everyone in town is like this -- I'm simply observing general tendencies).

Of course, if you're a naturally gregarious, extroverted person -- and can handle rejection without getting too sensitive about it -- you'll make lots of friends everywhere you go, regardless of the local culture. But not all of us are like this.

[DSS94]

There are much better progressive cities like Austin, Dallas, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Tampa etc with great weather compared to this place.

Summers in the South are oppressively humid. Jacksonville is like living in a swamp.

The people in Cleveland in my observation are mostly un-friendly, don't want to make new friends and are usually quite suspicious and unwelcoming towards people that just moved here. It's a surprise considering that the influx of people from Cleveland is actually one of the highest in USA, yet people are hostile towards outsiders and new comers. I have been to many a bar in Cleveland on the weekends and tried to engage in a conversation but people here don't want to talk to anyone outside their little circle.

You seem pretty quick to judge. And you wonder why people don't want to talk to you? Despite what you may see on TV, most people go to bars to get drunk, not make new friends. Don't you have a job you can meet people at? Maybe get a hobby and join up with people with similar interests?

Let me not even talk about the weather, the very thought of it depresses me.

I have no sympathy for you whatsoever. I find this hilarious, actually. Did you do ANY research before moving? News flash: it snows. Despite that, there are FAR worse climates to be in.

(even third world countries have better roads)

I can't STAND people who say this, and for some reason people make the claim about various cities' roads all the time. Have you ever BEEN to a third-world country?

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Ehh, I don't know about that. I think cities with large numbers of transplants tend to be friendlier, for the simple reason that you have a lot of people in the same boat -- newcomers who have an immediate need to make new friends.

I've found the opposite to be true. Just my personal experience. Could be a generational thing? I've had a time making friends with people my age (20s) in different cities.

[ZnGuy]

Originally Posted by andrew61;28712839[B

]Ehh, I don't know about that. I think cities with large numbers of transplants tend to be friendlier, for the simple reason that you have a lot of people in the same boat -- newcomers who have an immediate need to make new friends.[/b]

Cities like Cleveland, in contrast, that have only a small trickle of transplants coming in, can tend to feel more provincial and insular -- people who grew up in such cities have a circle of friends that they've "always" known, and don't feel the need to meet new people and make new friends, and can appear standoffish to newcomers. (No way I'm saying everyone in town is like this -- I'm simply observing general tendencies).

Of course, if you're a naturally gregarious, extroverted person -- and can handle rejection without getting too sensitive about it -- you'll make lots of friends everywhere you go, regardless of the local culture. But not all of us are like this.

You are 100% correct. We've lived it. We moved to an area that has a huge transient population which was a major attraction to us. My wife made the anology that it's like college where everyone has same agenda to meet people, make friends, lots of parties, etc. I can tell you that our social calendar has been on steroids the last 8 years since we moved to Charlotte.

[BayArea32]

I think it's unfair to criticize this man for hating Cleveland. I used to travel to the city for work on a consulting project for two years, and have to admit that his gripes aren't unwarranted. Coming from a sunny climate and growing region, it's depressing to live in a place with long, gray winters, and an overall sense of stagnation and depression. In my mind, Cleveland positives are:

- great art museum and cultural scene (granted not ideal activities for a single man trying to meet women)
- low cost of living and cheap to dine out and drink
- no traffic, meaning commuting is never a problem
- decent quality food and drink, with some truly hidden gems
- specific neighborhoods (shaker, little Italy, tremont, etc) with real character that retain ther beauty and authenticity


The bad

- the locals are definitely insular and have a suspicious attitude to outsiders
- ethnicities are limited to some Eastern European remnant groups. Most of the city sees itself as black or white
- growing asian and Hispanic communities, but nothing to make a person of either origin feel part of a community when they're newcomers
- limited career opportunities unless you're a physician and (maybe) a lawyer. Hard to meet a large group of young professionals
- shrinking airport with expensive options to get out of town

Overall I think the OP should focus on leaving ASAP, cause things won't improve unless he meets his future wife in the next couple months

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by BayArea32

The bad

- the locals are definitely insular and have a suspicious attitude to outsiders
- ethnicities are limited to some Eastern European remnant groups. Most of the city sees itself as black or white
- growing asian and Hispanic communities, but nothing to make a person of either origin feel part of a community when they're newcomers
- limited career opportunities unless you're a physician and (maybe) a lawyer. Hard to meet a large group of young professionals
- shrinking airport with expensive options to get out of town

None of this is actually true. Maybe it is for you, but this really isn't as accurate a picture as you personally think it is.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Yeah, pretty much none of that is true.

- the locals are definitely insular and have a suspicious attitude to outsiders

Maybe in the 70 and over crowd.

- ethnicities are limited to some Eastern European remnant groups. Most of the city sees itself as black or white

You mean those Eastern European remnants like the Irish, Italians, Germans, Indians, Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Lebanese, etc., etc., etc.?

Also, the actual Eastern European population is far from just being "remnant groups."

- growing asian and Hispanic communities, but nothing to make a person of either origin feel part of a community when they're newcomers

Way to just completely bury your previous statement.

- limited career opportunities unless you're a physician and (maybe) a lawyer. Hard to meet a large group of young professionals

Ummm, really? Granted, medical is huge here, but so are a host of other industries. The GCMA has 12 fortune 500 headquarters and an additional 14 more fortune 1000 headquarters. It also has an international presence of more than 150 different firms. There are also about 25 different colleges and universities. So, if you can't find an opportunity here, the likelihood of you finding one in many other places is probably pretty slim.

- shrinking airport with expensive options to get out of town

The airport has actually expanded in the last 20 years and is still a hub for United/Continental. It's also the busiest airport in Ohio and the second busiest by far between NYC and Chicago.