Indianapolis from Denver? (Fort Wayne, Columbus, Lawrence: appointed, new home, school)

[Ghostgecko]

Hello new posting world! I am originally from Fort Wayne, but joined the Navy back in 2000 which sent me to Florida, Mississippi, Hawaii. When I got out I decided to return to FL (Keys) than jumped over to Denver. Which I am starting to wonder if it was a mistake...

My entire family still lives in the Indiana area (Ft Wayne and Indy) with exception to those deployed. I am considering moving to Indy as Fort Wayne just doesn't have a future market for where I want to go in life, and Chicago may be too big a leap for me.

Coming from Denver, the traffic is stupid. No, not thick, just stupid. People drive without lights on, don't use signals, drive terribly slow in the fast lane, just have no regard for other people on the road. It's as if everyone is on cough syrup, and just drifts around in their head while driving.

That's not all, they are also just rude people in general. People are reserved, seemingly uncaring about your opinions or even to engage in a simple smile. It's getting to me coming from an island life for 8 years.

So why did I choose Denver? Good job opportunities it being a large city. Which has proven to be wrong, and the Front Range of the Rockies. After a few fun hikes, and wanting to enjoy even more of the Rockies, I am starting to ask myself if being two hours from my hometown would be more ideal.

What I am worried about is me blending in. It just didn't happen here at all! The only time people are ever nice to me is while we run into each other hiking. The city, surprisingly to me, is just unfriendly. Look and read some of the CD posts...you'll see! (Mine is newcomer's perspective 6 months, if you read my prior posts, you'll see I came into Denver with a great attitude and focus to make it happen here.)

So, Indy, let's hear it...What's great about living there. Yes, we all love the Colts (even in Bronco Country...heh heh) and the stars are pretty too...Want to hear what sets INDY apart from the other major cities in the area. I am not looking for a comparison to MAJOR cities. That wouldn't be fair, and could start a war based on previous posts!

Thanks in advance for reading my periodical!

[domergurl]

I think that by virtue of you having family in the Indy area will make the transition that much easier ... built in social circle! Plus, you're a Hoosier, you'll always be a Hoosier. Plus, liking that football team of theirs will win you more friends than enemies.

Come back home!

[Michelle Morris]

You'll find bad drivers everwhere, unfortunately, but at least people are mostly nice here in Indiana! It is rare to encounter outright rudeness.

[Ghostgecko]

I hear that, I guess what I'm worried about is the "grass is greener disease" It's gotten me before. I am thinking IUPUI...So tell me, what do you like about living in Indy?

Seems like a lot of people are rude here, but I've also recently encountered like ten nice people. It's as if they KNEW I was feeling this way. I've always been open to Denver, but it seems to have taken time to open up to me...

Hmmm...As far as living goes, it's a world cheaper in Indy then Denver, but then, since College is cheaper, you also get less for the GI Bill...It would be nice to be a couple of hours from the family, but I have some big thinking to do...

I would like to hear your thoughts...

1. IUPUI...or where you go..Good place to get an education (undergrad) at 30?
If any suggestions on other locations, other than online, would love to hear them.

2. How's living in downtown? Is it vibrant? i don't have to get drunk everynight, not my thing anymore, but living in a vibrant community is nicer than living in a brick doldrum. I'm not accusing, I just don't know. Circle Center always looked nice, but you should see PARK MEADOWS out here!

3. It's coming down to money and family, and unfortunately, with school, I may have to put my dreams of living in the mountains aside. I've found studios in Indy and studios in the foothills with 120 acres of land and trails for the same price. My question is, other than my obvious social circle, which can happen but WILL take time out here, what makes Indy INDY? (We all love the colts, yes, even in Bronco country)

[LIS123]

In this weak economy, you're unlikely to get a very good ROI on an Undergraduate College Education unless you study a more technical field (Math, Engineering, Economics, etc). If you're going to College just to go to College, it may not be worth the effort.

I think distance learning (i.e. online) is a horrible idea. It's convenient, but losing the personal interaction is a big deal, IMO. DO NOT get an online degree; it won't get you anywhere. There maybe people who advance with online degrees, but it's mainly going to be people who were gainfully employed and somewhat successful to begin with (and went online for convenience).

I'm moving to Indy later in the year, so my knowledge of it is limited. It has a reputation for being clean, fairly safe and a good place to raise a family. For the younger crowd (esp those from outside the area originally), I get the sense it's not quite as enjoyable as some of the other American cities.

[Haaziq]

Originally Posted by Ghostgecko

Coming from Denver, the traffic is stupid. No, not thick, just stupid. People drive without lights on, don't use signals, drive terribly slow in the fast lane, just have no regard for other people on the road. It's as if everyone is on cough syrup, and just drifts around in their head while driving.

There are certain areas in Indy that have drivers like that too. I live in Lawrence (5 minutes outside) and I hate the fact that all the action is in the city. Everytime I drive within city limits, I immediately notice the change in driving.

As far as what's nice in Indy, it really depends on you and what you like to do. The downtown area is boring in my opinion. Parking down there is hell and you smell sewage all over. If you like the college scene, then you'll love the Broad Ripple area. Really liberal part of town. Has music stores, clothes shops, bong shops, comedy clubs, hookah bars, etc. Indy is really into sports. During the summer, you will always see baseball games wherever you go. Then of course, there's the Colts. I must say though, their fanbase is highly annoying. If you're into jazz or blues, they have a lot of that here. During the summer, there are many free music festivals.

I don't know what the weather is like in Denver, but it gets pretty cold around here, so that could take some getting used to.

[Zoo Animals On Wheels]

You've only been in Denver six months?

My advice to you is this: give it more of a chance.

Six months is not enough time to make the huge adjustment of living in a completely different environment. Hawaii to Denver? C'mon...that's an enormous change. Of course you're feeling lost and even depressed. Somehow in modern times, we assume that because we are logistically able to move thousands of miles rather easily, our bodies and emotions will be just as capable of making that switch within a matter of hours. Doesn't happen.

I really think you'd be doing yourself a disservice to once more pick up and move to a place you've never lived essentially on a whim. I hope I don't sound like I'm lecturing, but I truly think you'll experience the same sense of displacement and unhappiness for the first several months of such a gigantic move...no matter where you've moved to.

OK, that said, what do I like about Indianapolis?

*Very affordable housing and relatively low property, sales, and income taxes.

*Not as densely populated as you would expect, considering it's the 12th or 13th most populous city in the U.S. (probably because Indy is also geographically HUGE, so its population is fairly spread out).

*Great museums, historical houses, and other cultural activities that you don't have to be wealthy to avail yourself of. (People love to unfavorably compare Indy's museums to NYC's or Chicago's. Yes, those cities have more and better museums...expect to pay about $20 per person to get in, plus parking if you didn't take public transportation. Indy's museums cost between $7-14 per person...or, in the case of the IMA, admission to the permanent collection is absolutely FREE.)

*No mountains or coastline, but a number of interesting places to hike or camp nonetheless - Turkey Run, the Shades, the Dunes, the Mounds, Brown County, McCormick's Creek...the list goes on.

*People are very polite and courteous, if not incredibly friendly to strangers. What I mean by that is this: expect to be waved into traffic when you are stuck trying to turn onto a busy street; expect salespeople on the floor of a retail establishment to be helpful and smiling; expect to get a smile or even a wave from a person you don't know who's walking down the street as you go by (not downtown, of course, but in the "doughnut counties" just outside Marion county, this is not unusual). Here's what NOT to expect: People warming up to you immediately and telling you all sorts of things about themselves and making "instant friends." Strangers receive courtesy, but the kind of intimacy that is a hallmark of real friendship is earned over a period of time, not instantly kindled by telling someone you've just met all about your recent operation (or whatever). However, once you've made a friend, expect to be friends for a lifetime.

*Indy is close enough to a number of other cities to visit them for a weekend whenever you get tired of what Indy has to offer. Chicago, Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, Dayton, Columbus...heck, even St. Louis, Nashville or the Smoky Mountains would be suitable for a long weekend.

I enjoy living in Indy, but again, I would very much encourage you to stick around Denver for at least a full year and really make an effort to get out and get involved in the community, meet people who seem likely to have similar interests, etc. Do you have any religious affiliation? If so, church can be a wonderful place to make new friends and get involved. If not, you could seek out organizations on your college campus. Whatever you choose to do, it's important to remember that adjusting to a new environment is never easy...and the single most important factor in doing it successfully is YOU.

[hapaleeretired]

I am not a native Hoosier but I have spent my adult life here. Indy is big enough without being too big. We retired and moved south but missed midwesterners so much we moved back.
The cost of living is lower. It is in a central location, and if you have family here, it is a no brainer.
Good luck.

[mlt73]

I come from a military background, too and I lived in Aurora near FAMC (did they close it yet?). Though I loved the mountains, Denver is really out in the middle of nowhere. When we got bored of the city or the mountains, there was no place else to go unless you wanted to drive all day or fly somewhere. What Zoo said about being a close drive to other cities is an important point.

But you know that it's actually pretty easy to pick up and move when you don't stay in one place all your life. And being close to your family is something you'll appreciate more as time goes on and everybody gets older...

I agree with much of what other posters said, but I want to address your concern about blending in because that was the one thing that convinced me to move here. I was unhappy living on the east coast and had simply been passing through Indy on a road trip. I decided this would be my new home when I saw how well Indy combined Big City Life + Small Town Attitude.

I love that people here are friendly without being too nosey about your private life. I'm a bit antisocial - not that I don't like people, just that I like closer relationships better. All my life, it's taken an extra effort to make friends until I moved here ten years ago. In general, people here are very accepting of others and just like to relax and have a good time. They seem to have a more laid back attitude than other places I've lived and I really like that.

The weather here is similar to Denver - if you don't like the weather, wait a week.

Good luck to you.

[awood34]

I recently moved to Denver from Chicago 7 months ago. All of my family is in central IL and Indy. I have been disappointed with the dating and social scene in Denver. It has the feel of Indy ten years ago. I do not find it progressive in Denver at all. Instead I think people associate a more liberal lifestyle with being progressive. I lived in Chicago for ten years and had a great time partying, but I moved to Denver to build a future. I feel that Denver lacks the professional groups that infuse the Indy social scene, because CU Denver campus downtown does not have the professional programs that IUPUI offers. The scene and lifestyle here is about having a good time, and I have found this to be the same obstacle I faced with dating in Chicago as a woman. The grass is always greener mentality. I want to date for fun, but also for the possibility of a future. The men I have met here are living the Peter Pan lifestyle, and are surprisingly not in any better shape than midwestern boys! I do not know if Indy will be better, but at least I will be closer to family and attending a professional program on a a campus with a large professional graduate population!