Has anyone here regretted moving back to Minneapolis?

[StilltheSame]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

One of the things that comes up on this board frequently that I just don't understand is when people complain that when they move here most of their friends also come from somewhere else; why does that matter? I can understand why that matters if it leads to a limited friendship pool, but these days with so many people living here who have come from somewhere else, who cares where your friends come from originally? They're here now, and that's what matters, right? Minneapolis isn't so isolated these days. People move here for work all the time. Even if hypothetically every single Minnesotan-born person had no interest in new friends, that still leaves an enormous pool of potential friends.

And out of curiosity, for those who were born here, how many of you still are good friends with people you knew from school? I think it's a nice idea to have life-long friends, and I'm still friends with some of my high school friends, but plenty of my old friends have moved away from MN. Granted, some may well return -- especially as we have kids -- but this stereotype that everyone born here just sticks around forever and very few new people come in, well, that just seems very outdated.

I agree with this, but keep in mind you are returning in your late 20's to early 30's which means you have been out of MN about a decade before returning - if you stay until or after retirement, that is not a significant period of time.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by StilltheSame

I agree with this, but keep in mind you are returning in your late 20's to early 30's which means you have been out of MN about a decade before returning - if you stay until or after retirement, that is not a significant period of time.

I'm thinking five years; I hope not until retirement! (not that it's a bad place to live, and there is much that I do appreciate about the city, even if long-term I don't think it's the right fit for us.)

That said, you make a good point -- although I would also argue that that decade post-college is one of the most formative, and thus has greater significance than years alone would suggest.

[SForMNLee]

Thank you all for your input. I'm of course not any closer to making the decision.

It's definitely frustrating. I know that I should give it longer out here, but a part of me just doesn't want to. It's very weird. A big part of it is my girlfriend. She seems to go back and forth on the issue too, but she also has much more family, including nieces there. My family there is more extended, so it would be easier to spend a lot of time far away from them. I have most of my life anyway, so it's nothing new.

So I don't know if bringing her back to MN would be a good thing or not.

Very annoying.

[Ghengis]

hmmmmmmm, what to do? what to do?

[unnativeelpasoan]

Originally Posted by SForMNLee

So I don't know if bringing her back to MN would be a good thing or not.

Very odd choice of words. Some reason your girlfriend can't bring herself back to MN??

[lynneph]

I made the decision to move "back home" and have settled into a great and comfortable life here in Lakeville. I moved here after taking a long time to carefully consider all the aspects - weather, smaller town, less culture, colder weather etc - but have not regretted it one bit. I grew up in Superior but moved to Venice beach, CA in 1984 at the age of 26. I lived with family and eventually met my husband but the call of "family " was always in the back of my mind. we traveled back every summer but then to go back to LA and be "alone". Now we want to buy a home (I am renting now) but cannot decide what area. I like the suburbs because of the bigger property. I LOVE Minneapolis but don't want to live in a house where I can look out my side window and see into my neighbors house ( just like Los Angeles). So I am seeking insight and opinions as to how much people like the outskirts of Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Farmington and even Northfild. We want anywhere from 1/2 acre to 1 acre. My handyman says I should look in Northfield. I work from home and my daughter is home schooled so traveling isn't an issue. Looking for opinions. Thanks