Young and excited to come to Memphis (Adams: city hall, living) - Tennessee (TN) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Kabluey · 09-25-2007, 07:32 AM

If you want to get to meet people, attending some young professional events sponsored by MPact might be helpful; they are geared toward helping companies recruit YP's to Memphis, and helping newcomers acclimate themselves, so I'd think they'd be pretty welcoming. MPACT MEMPHIS

Pearlbob · 09-25-2007, 07:57 AM

I do agree too that downtown Memphis may not be what you're expecting. I have never been to Grand Rapids, but I have lived in smaller cities where "downtown" was basically the college crowd out for a good time and it was a relatively calm area of just loud drunk young kids and by 5am, everyone was gone. Downtown Memphis is much more urban culture. Very loud, obnoxious people, lots of bums, really shady people walking around all the time....

I'm not putting it down for sure. But the fact you live in what you call a VERY SAFE downtown area in Michigan....well, Memphis is more like Detroit probably. A pretty urban culture.

tigergal · 09-25-2007, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

I do agree too that downtown Memphis may not be what you're expecting. I have never been to Grand Rapids, but I have lived in smaller cities where "downtown" was basically the college crowd out for a good time and it was a relatively calm area of just loud drunk young kids and by 5am, everyone was gone. Downtown Memphis is much more urban culture. Very loud, obnoxious people, lots of bums, really shady people walking around all the time....

I'm not putting it down for sure. But the fact you live in what you call a VERY SAFE downtown area in Michigan....well, Memphis is more like Detroit probably. A pretty urban culture.

The Detroit - Memphis comparison is a very apt one.

CaseyAnnWMU · 09-25-2007, 09:11 AM

I'm pretty sure that the 2 downtown areas aren't close to comparable. I have to be to work by 4:30 AM, and I felt safe during the 10 minute walk alone in downtown GR from my apartment to my office. There is one couple down there I know in their early 40s with no kids and a bunch of dogs who live in Cordova. This couple also knows my parents, and all 4 are insisting I live in East Memphis, but I'm afraid I won't meet anyone or I'll get real bored real fast.

tigergal · 09-25-2007, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyAnnWMU

I'm pretty sure that the 2 downtown areas aren't close to comparable. I have to be to work by 4:30 AM, and I felt safe during the 10 minute walk alone in downtown GR from my apartment to my office. There is one couple down there I know in their early 40s with no kids and a bunch of dogs who live in Cordova. This couple also knows my parents, and all 4 are insisting I live in East Memphis, but I'm afraid I won't meet anyone or I'll get real bored real fast.

I'm not sure why you wouldn't meet anyone. We in East Memphis go outside too.

What are your interests? Memphis is a large enough place to be able to find a place/hang-out/group/activity that houses your passion where you can meet people.

Pearlbob · 09-25-2007, 09:35 AM

Well, downtown isn't unsafe. But if you grew up/live in a smaller town with no crime, no shady people, etc then it might be a little uncomfortable to you. I have never felt unsafe downtown during the day. At night it can get unsettling; so many young kids converge on downtown, blaring rap music in their cars, screaming at you, causing problems, fights, etc. That is unsettling. But I have never personally been attacked or had anything bad happen to me.

I personally would be bored in East Memphis, but that is my personal preference. I like to be within walking distance of bars and restaurants.

CaseyAnnWMU · 09-25-2007, 09:39 AM

I love to go out at night and eat and drink...that's been GREAT here in GR because I never have to worry about a driving situation when I'm hammered...I just have to remember how to get home! :-D I also want to get back into doing Yoga...I was pretty hardcore at one point. And I just want to get out and meet young people like myself because, let's be honest here, I'm probably not going to meet my husband whilst out at the bar. I love live music, I love the arts, and I generally just want to expand my horizons.

Pearlbob · 09-25-2007, 09:52 AM

The only place you can really walk home from the bars like that is downtown. Midtown is big, spread out. There are two areas that have a few bars in a cluster - Overton and Cooper/Young. But they are residential areas so you'd have to buy or rent a house nearby.

There is also a yoga place on South Main downtown, actually on GE Patterson/Main. Of course there are places in Midtown too.

Downtown is pretty urban, young professionals. Midtown is more neo-hippie, alternative lifestyle. Midtown has a relatively large gay population, grad students, college students, older artsy people, all types of people.

Midtown is more of the sitting on a patio bar drinking beer type of crowd, downtown is more the martini and dancing crowd?

You can find art in both areas.

Pearlbob · 09-25-2007, 09:56 AM

How about another analogy - downtown is more grad students in law or med school. Midtown is more grad students in sociology or literature.

But really, you'll find that the same people hang out in both areas. Midtown is just quieter, more residential, peaceful.

tennreb · 09-25-2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyAnnWMU

I'm pretty sure that the 2 downtown areas aren't close to comparable. I have to be to work by 4:30 AM, and I felt safe during the 10 minute walk alone in downtown GR from my apartment to my office. There is one couple down there I know in their early 40s with no kids and a bunch of dogs who live in Cordova. This couple also knows my parents, and all 4 are insisting I live in East Memphis, but I'm afraid I won't meet anyone or I'll get real bored real fast.

I went to college in a small town with zero crime problem, but I love living downtown. I grew up in Germantown and East Memphis, and I'd never go back. There's just so much more going on downtown. All my friends out east come out downtown on the weekends, and several of them have gotten DUIs on the way back out east. There are bums downtown, but they don't really bother me. I dislike bums and don't feel sorry for them, but I've gotten use to them. The nightlife and the culture are great. There's always events going on, and there are great restaurants to walk to. It is the only walkable neighborhood in the city. Everywhere else you have to drive to get to anything, excluding a small area centered around Cooper-Young. Don't listen to anyone in Cordova. Downtown is actually safer than Cordova. Just look at the crime statistics for the downtown precinct and the Cordova precinct. Even the young people I know in Cordova come to downtown to go out. There are a few bars in Cordova (including some copies of downtown favorites), but those bars have a different crowd (not the professional types that hang out downtown). The social scene in Cordova is dominated by Fort God. You'll figure out what that is soon enough. If you don't want an urban environment but want to be close to the action, then live on Mud Island. However, I prefer being right downtown because I can walk to everything.