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I feel like a lot of people on here live in NYC, and are therefore biased towards it. So as someone who used to live in Chicago, I feel like I need to give Chicago some love.
First and foremost, its impossible to avoid generalizations when you're dealing with cities full of 2.5+ million people. That being said, Chicago has way less people, so even though it is crowded and packed (big city vibes), it nevertheless rarely feels congested (except the freeways). Chicago is in the midwest, which means despite being a large urban area, it avoids a lot of the pretension and networking that LA and NYC possess. I found it was a lot easier to make genuine connections without feeling like people were constantly weighing you for coolness and clout potential. Chicago is cheaper, and despite being in the midwest, being right by lake Michigan makes it feel like you're on a coast. It was a great transition to the midwest from the west coast for me, slowly weaning me from my reliance on the ocean. Also the coastline where lake michigan meets the city is beautiful, and its a lot of fun to be able to swim off of the boardwalk right at the foot of skyscrapers. Chicago is also home of the skyscraper, and lets be honest, its a major city, and once you get up past 2 million people, you're going to be able to find all the culture and diversity you want (just at less of a premium and with less washed-up/trust fund artists that rely on the distortion of the hype machine). Oh, and Chicago has great food, parks, public transit, etc.
Anyway, I love Chicago. I feel like its often overlooked (vs. NYC and LA) which makes it the best option. In my opinion, both of those other cities are overplayed and overpriced. However, the good news is, with both of these cities as your options, you can't really go wrong.
Mar 9, 2024
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one: don't think about the amount of aid they give you, but about your cost. If two schools each give you 30k/year, but one charges 5k more per year, that's a huge difference. NYC rent is also more expensive. Life is more expensive. That's the big con.
buuuut it' more expensive because it's better. There's more culture, there's more night life, there's better food, theater, fashion, et cetera, et cetera. Chicago's strong suits are improv and museums... NYC definitely has it beat on museums...
Oh, and I guess the lake might factor in, the water around NYC is not quite as tempting.
But NYC is just the place to be. It's invigorating.
Mar 9, 2024
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Iβm done gatekeeping this. Itβs like New York but cheaper and cozier
Jan 23, 2024
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Phillyβs public transportation is totally hated on and sometimes rightfully so, but you can get to a lot of necessary places taking the two lines and walking or biking
Sep 8, 2024
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I don't know how well this actually answers your initial question, I think it's more of a counterpoint to some of the stuff people have already said, but here it goes.
In the past (prior to social media or search engines) specific styles, specialized knowledge, and niche awareness actually took effort. You had to go out into the world and find a scene, be accepted, participate in it, contribute to it, and learn from others with specific knowledge within the specific sub- or counter-cultural scene. It took time, effort, and experience to craft an identity. Nowadays people cycle through various identities and trends like commodities because it takes no effort (they're sold to them by social media algorithms, influencers, brand accounts, etc.). It comes to you in your phone without you ever even having to leave the house or put in the time to discover it or participate in it (you just follow specific people or subscribe). You can be a passive observer or consumer, not an active contributor. As a result, you're not invested or tied down and committed to that core identity. You can cosplay depending on your mood or who you want to momentarily convey yourself as, because it's easy. Essentially, being a poser has become normalized. An identity is now something to be momentarily consumed and affected, rather than grown, built, and developed over time.
Granted, it's always been different in regards to "mass" culture and popular trends (both in the past and now). Those are impossible to miss and were always monopolized by specific trend setting institutions, but always by the time it gets to that point, the actual initial counter- or sub-culture that inspired it has already been coopted and has started to disintegrate under the weight and attention of mass consumption.
Feb 18, 2024
It's an action deserving of its own nickname. My cat's name is Gomez, but when he crosses his paws like this, he turns into Hodgkins Plumpersocks.
Feb 2, 2024
Please enjoy my attempt(s) to fill the void.
title: "pet; owner"
medium: hair
Jan 30, 2024