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So, I know that you guys have probably already had these questions asked a hundred times before, but I'm wondering if Seattle is the right city for me. I realize I'm ultimately the only one who can decide this, but it doesn't hurt to get input from current residents. So, that being said ... here I go.
I'm a 23-year-old "femme" lesbian recently receiving my BBA in sales and business marketing. I live in Michigan and have been trying to leave since graduating high school. I realize that the U.S. economy as a whole is going through a rough patch, but Michigan is especially suffering due to the automotive industry. Basically, it's time for a change.
I am interested in working for a college or university in either recruiting or marketing. I’m eventually planning on getting my MBA, but I’m still not sure what I want to specialize in. Are there good business schools in the area?
I love being outside, and the 6+ months of freezing temperatures here definitely make that difficult for me. I don’t HATE rain, but the way people talk about Seattle and the never ending downpour does make me a little nervous. I’m a firm believer in seasonal depression, and I wonder if that’s a problem in your area.
Would you say the lesbian scene in Seattle is mostly butch girls, or is it a mixture of all kinds? I’m absolutely not against my more masculine counterparts, but I find that I relate to the lipstick ladies a little better
I also know a total of ONE person in the area so I wondered if it’s easy to meet people in places other than bars. I’m not a HUGE bar fly myself, so it would be kind of nice to have the opportunity to socialize in other settings as well.
Okay, that’s probably enough for now. If anyone has advice they'd like to share, I would truly appreciate the input.
The forecast is rain and highs near 60 all this week. Some of those days it might rain for only an hour. Most people here don't use umbrellas because it's usually just drizzly and not enough to soak you. Some days it stays overcast all day, but we had lots of sun this winter. Still, many people do get depressed about it and even move because of it. You probably won't know until you try it out.
I think few people can plan to have a particular job type now. You should either have the job in hand before you arrive, or be able to last several months without a job and be prepared to change your plans. (Being young, though, you should do fine in the long run, as all businesses need youth.) I think the Univ. of WA has a good business school. When I was your age I moved here for work mainly and have not regretted it. For certain personalities, esp. those who love nature, it's a slice of heaven.
As to the lesbian scene, I suggest you do a google search for a more specific forum on that. There's gotta be one, given so many techies here.
No worries on asking these questions...that's what this forum is for (I think). I'm actually considering moving out of the area for a job (would love to stay, but it's tough these days) and the forum for my destination city has been VERY helpful, so I figured I should return the favor.
I LOVE Seattle...been in the area for my whole life so I am biased, but oh well. If you like nature, it's awsome. Hiking, waters sports, skiing/snowboarding, you name it, it's all within 45 minutes of the city, or much closer. The weather isn't as bad as some make it out to be.
I can't answer any of the question about the Lesbian community, but I do beleive is fairly prevelant in certain areas of the city.
There are some pretty good business schools in the area, especially the University of Washington...I think Seattle University is pretty good as well. Both very close to downtown seattle.
I hope this helps. I'd also be very happy to answer other question about the city if you'd like (i.e. businesses, neighborhoods).
Thanks so much, you two, for your input. I'll definitely have to look around a little more for the in depth information I need to make my decision. Ultimately, I think that I need to just dive in head first and give it a whirl. If I don't like it, I can always move to Hawaii
There all types of LGBT, ***** and gender ***** girls here. Head to the hill for drinks on Pike Street, go check out some festivals and parades to get some local flavor. Also Seattle PRIDE is a huge event here and totally fun to meet and greet.
I'm not sure if you have all the information that you're looking for but here are my two cents:
Seattle weather, personally, is FABULOUS. Yes it does rain a lot and the weather is quite crazy. Rain one day, SUN, then rain, then 3 glorious days of sun, then snow.... It's insane. BUT since we are in a rather temperate zone, it means that the weather rarely gets in the extremes. During the winter, we may see a few days of freezing temperature but nothing compared to the midwest. I think the coldest it got this year was 27 degrees and that was really rare for us. Plus in the summer, it's warm, but not sweltering. If you get used to the rain and the gray, then you should be fine. When I say rain, I mean drizzles and sprinkles, not downpours. It doesn't downpour here often, once in a while, but it's usually just a little bit of rain for 9 months. In any case, it's gorgeous here, the nature is spectacular and if you're outdoorsy, then you're in luck.
Friends: I am going to give it to you straight. Being from Seattle, it's easy to make friends. I have heard though, that it is hard for non-Washingtonians to make friends. Seattleites tend to be super nice and friendly, but really hard to get to know well. Friendships take time and you have to work on them.
Gay scene: No problem here. You'll find all kinds of lesbians. From my own group of friends, we are mostly butch, androgynous, gender ***** type folk. But Seattle is so diverse that you will find lipstick lesbians and butch lesbians... butch gay men.. anything really. The "gay" area is capital hill but Seattle is kind of all gay really.
Working: It's tough here too. It's tough everywhere, it may be hard to find a job but since you're looking for a job in a university it might be easier. There are a lot of universities and community colleges in the city and MANY more outside of the city limits. The UW business school is in the top 30 for MBA's and it's an excellent program and really hard to get into. A warning though, Washington state is making HUGE budget cuts to higher education and as a result most of the universities are doing some major restructuring. So keep that in mind. Our higher education system is suffering more than in other states. I work at the university and everyone is terrified of losing their jobs. Michigan, from what I hear, is very generous towards higher education and Washington tends to take away from it the most.
Other advice: Seattle's like anywhere else. There is always a readjustment period and it will take you a while to settle in. I hear that Seattleites are cold and distant, it makes me sad because I don't feel that way, but I think it's just like anywhere else. It takes a while to feel like a new place is your home. It takes a while to establish a group of friends and to know the city. So don't be discouraged. It great here. There is FANTASTIC food, especially asian food. The people are friendly and loyal. And everything is very relaxed.
Hope this helped. And if you have more questions, ask me!
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When is it exactly?
Seattle
