Once you have finished college and are ready to start your new life, and new career off, you might consider moving to Chicago. It is the third-largest city in the United States. It offers a lot of opportunities for employment in the fields of finance and more.
Before you make up your mind and tell your folks you are headed to the windy city, there are a few things you need to know. Some of these things sound derogatory but they are meant to prepare you for the worst so you can enjoy the best the city has to offer.
It gets COLD in the winter.
You might be thinking that it gets cold in the winter in a lot of places, but Chicago is cold and windy. In January it is not uncommon to see snow on the ground, temperatures plummeting to sub-zero levels, and a cold wind blowing that cold through you.
During the winter, which seems to be longer than normal in this city, people often do not see the sunlight. You go to work just as the sun is starting to lighten up the sky and the sun goes to bed before you get to leave the office.
This often leads to a lot of people feeling depressed, lonely, and housebound. If you’re a DIY person then it would be great weather for you with your heat guns and other machines.
If you plan to move to Chicago then get a really heavy winter coat, have heavy blankets for your bed, get you some pocket hand warmers, a good winter hat and scarf, and goulashes to help keep your feet dry.
The CTA is almost never on time.
I hate to say this because the CTA is the fastest and most economical way to travel around the city. Since parking is hard to find, and car storage is costly most people walk, ride bikes, or use the CTA buses and trains to commute.
You need to leave early for everything you plan to do because the CTA rarely is on time, so you need to take the earlier option and arrive ahead of time.
If you do drive then the traffic sucks and if you travel in anything but the left lane you are going to stop frequently behind those CTA buses.
The neighborhood you move to matters, a lot.
You need to do your research and discover what the 77 different neighborhoods have that make them unique. You are going to be defined by where you live so live somewhere that reflects who you are or what you like.
If you live downtown you are going to have to pay more for housing and food. You are going to have an opportunity to live a fancy lifestyle with plenty of art galleries, shopping, and cultural experiences.
If you move to the north side of the city then you should love sports. You will be within an easy distance of the Cubs games, and you should like shopping in boutiques.
If you live on the west side of the city then you will experience a strong Mexican influence on the culture.
If you live on the south side of the city then you will see a strong Chinese influence on the culture.
Final Thoughts
Before you move after college make sure that there is employment available in your field. Find a suitable place to live, and embrace everything that is different about this city.
