In my opinion....Seattle Freeze is Fake Fake Fake!!! MY CHALLENGE TO YOU! (Starbuck: transplants, house) - Washington (WA) -Seattle and King County Suburbs - City-Data Forum

seattlefun · 11-12-2014, 10:00 AM

I'm sure I'm gonna get a dozen or so people that sit behind their computers and completely disagree with me. But I truly believe that the Seattle freeze is an urban legend and is absolutely fake! So for anyone that disagrees with me. I will be happy to give you social lessons.

My experience is that Seattle is one of the friendliest places that I have been in the United States. I bought my house in April. I was here for two weeks in July and moved here permanently August 15th. So cumulatively I have lived here for 3 months and 2 weeks. With that being said.... I have made friends with four couples and 3 single guys. The couples I have met were not friends with each other. So it wasn't a situation where I met one and was introduced to the rest. But since we met I have had them all over and they have all met. Which is a total blast! I am totally friendly with my daily people that I run into such as Bankers, Waiters, grocery store people, etc. So much to the point that I have run into a few of them out and about and they have approached me to say hello. That doesn't seem very FREEEEZY to me.

I think the big difference is this....
I am an initiator! I make things happen in my life. I make things happen in others lives as well. So, if you are the type of person to wait for people to come to you. Then I believe you will experience the Seattle Freeze in full effect. But that would be the same anywhere you go in life. However, if you want to change your views on the Seattle freeze I would suggest that you change YOUR personality and not blame it on the area. All you have to do is be friendly. Say "hello" to people! Now with that being said..... I CHALLENGE YOU!

MY CHALLENGE:
I challenge each and everyone of you that has experienced this freeze to make an effort to break it. Say "Hello" and start a conversation with someone. When you are at Starbucks or your local coffee place and they ask for your name to write on the cup. Ask them what their name is! Then say hello! When you are at the grocery store say "hello" and talk to the grocery checker. Give them a compliment and ask them how their day is going. My point is this... You are the person in charge of your own world. If you want people to interact with you.... Then you start the conversation. You be the first one to say something. It truly works. Try building relationships with everyone you run into. Say "hello" and give a compliment! Do it with everyone you meet. You might find some people that don't respond. But, don't give up. Talk to the next person. I promise you that you will find a huge difference in your life. Not only are you making a huge difference in your life. But you are passing it on to others and starting a chain of people being friendly.

Seattle is a great city and the people are amazing. It's up to you to be a part of this amazing city! Get involved. You'll be so happy you did.

David

GraceKrispy · 11-12-2014, 10:09 AM

While I've never held stock in the idea of the Seattle "freeze," and I do believe life is what you make of it, I will say there is a marked difference between here and Kona (HI), from whence I moved

In Kona, I'd get an almost 100% return on friendly overtures (and I wouldn't be starting all of them either- chances are the other person starts it). Here, I find I get around 70% return if I choose to start a conversation. Higher if it's at my kids' school events or somewhere in my neighborhood or near my work (people who might recognize me), lower if it's a complete "cold call" in a random place.

The odd thing to me is that I can initiate and have a lovely conversation with someone, say at the bus stop- someone I see more mornings than not- and then the next day when I say hello, I might get a grunt or hello in return, but no apparent recognition that we spoke the previous day. It's happened a few times in a few locations. And I've never been one who gets a negative reaction because of my personality in general. I just think they probably don't want to be bothered, and we said all we had to say the time previous

But I don't think I'm your target audience- I'm happy with the quality and frequency of my social interactions, and I love Seattle

Hemlock140 · 11-12-2014, 10:44 AM

I would say that a 70% return is solid evidence that the freeze is a myth. We have had similar results. Being in Maui on vacation this week, I can see a difference, though. Everyone here is happy and relaxed, as they should be, and that makes for more friendly interaction I guess. As for the real freeze (weather) I'm not sorry to be missing it, not yet 8am here and 76f.

BaconBurgerTaco10 · 11-12-2014, 10:50 AM

I love this post.

seattlefun · 11-12-2014, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seattlephil

I love this post.

and I love you for loving my post!

Ruth4Truth · 11-12-2014, 10:57 AM

I notice you're from CA, OP. Californians tend to be outgoing and friendly. I pretty much was when I lived in Seattle, and it didn't get me anything. IME people aren't comfortable chatting with strangers. That's different in some of the suburbs, as others have noted on this forum. But for some reason, people in Seattle are stand-offish. I'm glad things worked out for you, though.

seattlefun · 11-12-2014, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I notice you're from CA, OP. Californians tend to be outgoing and friendly. I pretty much was when I lived in Seattle, and it didn't get me anything. IME people aren't comfortable chatting with strangers. That's different in some of the suburbs, as others have noted on this forum. But for some reason, people in Seattle are stand-offish. I'm glad things worked out for you, though.

Excuse my ignorance... But Californian's tend to be outgoing? lol That's like saying all gays are faaaaabulous! That has to be the most ridiculous statement I have heard this week. lol... but don't worry... It's only Wednesday!

Ruth4Truth · 11-12-2014, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seattlefun

Excuse my ignorance... But Californian's tend to be outgoing? lol That's like saying all gays are faaaaabulous! That has to be the most ridiculous statement I have heard this week. lol... but don't worry... It's only Wednesday!

Sorry, but for many coastal Californians, it's a cultural thing. Most transplants posting on the Freeze threads agree that the friends they made in Seattle were other transplants, mostly from CA.

But, whatever.

seattlefun · 11-12-2014, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Sorry, but for many coastal Californians, it's a cultural thing. Most transplants posting on the Freeze threads agree that the friends they made in Seattle were other transplants, mostly from CA.

But, whatever.

So now it's "coastal" Californians? okay well we all have an opinion!

The couples I met are like this:

Couple 1 - Both are Seattle natives
Couple 2 - Both are Seattle Natives
Couple 3 - One is Seattle native and the other is from New Zealand
Couple 4 - One is from San Francisco and one is from Ohio

The single guys I met are from all over the place.....

Bottom line is..... you make it what you want it to be and I choose to make it fun and meet as many people as I can. If they don't all want to be friends than there is someone else to take that place.

flyingsaucermom · 11-12-2014, 12:05 PM

Well, isn't this such a faaabulous post...

Great for you. I'm glad you've found Seattle to be such an accommodating home.

I'm appreciative of the Freeze. I don't like superficial chit-chat so please don't try talking to me while I'm buying groceries or coffee. Serve me my short drip, no room and move on to the next-in-line.