When you’re choosing where you want to attend college in the fall or where you want to move after college in the summer, living in a big city might seem to be the hands down best option. I mean, big cities have so much more to offer than smaller towns can in terms of opportunity, entertainment and adventure; three things that most young adults live for.
As many positive qualities as city life has for new and graduating college students, there are also a number of negative aspects that may be too much to handle for many. If you’re struggling to decide whether or not a large city is the perfect place to call your next home, here are some pros and cons to weigh against one another!
First, lets start with big city flaws:
If you love enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors, you probably shouldn’t consider living in a big city too strongly.
Big cities do often have large public parks with trails to walk, bike or Rollerblade through and a body of water to fish in or go for a swim, but it will be far from the same as being in a smaller town or out in the country.
City lights will take a lot away from enjoying the stars of the night sky, and all the sounds of bustling city life will drown out the natural songs sung by mother nature’s finest musicians.
You won’t be entirely removed from it, but living in a big city will greatly limit how much you get to enjoy the beauties of nature.
Everybody seems to know everybody in small towns. This will never be the case in the cities.
There’s hundreds of thousands of people living in the same environment as you when you’re living in a big city. Unless you want to sit down and introduce yourself to every single one of these individuals, they’re going to remain a stranger, and this can be uncomfortable for some.
Having this many people in one place can make some people feel bunched up in their own homes because residential areas are so tight in order to allow for high amounts of people to populate the city. High populations in a given area also increases the rate of things like crime, poverty, and other unfortunate circumstances to live around.
If you’re not comfortable being around a ton of people, you might never be comfortable living in a big city.
A high population with a higher rate of demand for necessities means a higher supply which leads to higher rates for a city’s citizens; simple economics if you ask me.
Rent prices in major cities are usually through the roof compared to the rates found in smaller towns. Rates for utilities such as electric and water bills are also generally higher living in a big city.
Prices for high demand products like gas and groceries may also see an uptick in cost due to the high volume of people. Miscellaneous purchases for things like parking meters and laundry may also be included in your city life experience as well.
College students tend to struggle coming out of the gate post graduation. You just might not be ready to jump into an apartment downtown if this is the case.
One word. Many headaches.
The infamous traffic jams that big cities are well known for. Traffic obviously slows traffic to stand stills at some points, but can also bring additional noise to the inner city. Car horns, police sirens and loud music leaking from low windows. These sounds are completely non existent on small town back roads, but are all regular, often annoying everyday noises that come from frequent traffic.
Yes, traffic is an everyday occurrence in big cities. If you’re not into all of that, you shouldn’t move into a big city!
And now the cities get to defend themselves with some pros:
Options will be plentiful living in a big city!
Major cities offer restaurants that can only be found in that specific city as well as all of your favorites. Buildings to study and explore like museums and research centers in addition to on campus locations. Stores specific to the city as well as your go-to shops. Public transportation if you don’t have your own way to get around. Cities seemingly have it all.
You will have so many resources at your disposal should you decide to move into a large city, you just might not know what to do with them all!
Large cities give you so many different ways to go out and have fun!
You want to go out for a drink with some friends? There will be a selection of bars and clubs downtown for you to take some shots or get your groove on in basically every big name city.
Big sports fan? If the city you want to live in has professional teams, you can purchase some tickets and head out to the ballgame.
Anything else peak your interest for fun? Each city offers different types of entertainment, from casinos to theaters to amusement parks to concerts to festivals to conventions. And the best part of it all is that you’ll be a few minutes away from it all living in the cities!
You won’t know boredom if you live in a big city!
On the flip side of being around a ton of people you don’t know, it gives you the opportunity to meet a ton of new people as well!
While some may feel crowded by the amount of people living in the cities with them, others will feel curiosity in finding out who some of these people are. City populations are some of the largest communities in a given state, and being able to interact with all sorts of people from different backgrounds who have lived very different experiences can give you a whole new perspective and understanding of life.
Living in a big city puts you around lots of people. Take this opportunity to make new connections and learn new things!
Jobs. Clubs. Recreation. All of these things have one thing in common…
They are all opportunities for you to take advantage of while living in a big city!
There are endless job options just waiting for you to apply in large cities. There are book clubs waiting to hear your thoughts on the latest novel. Basketball teams looking for more players to join their rec league. Take these opportunities to bring in that money, take up your favorite downtime hobbies or keep your competitive juices flowing!
If you’re simply looking for a fresh start in a brand new place, a big city is a great place to hit the refresh button. Immerse yourself into an unknown community and embrace these unfamiliar surroundings. Take the opportunity to experience something new in life!
No matter what you’re interested in, there are plenty of opportunities to choose from if you choose to live in a big city!
City life has its ups and downs, advantages and disadvantages like any other populated area. It really boils down to what your own personal preference when deciding whether the city life is the life for you or not. Hopefully these pros and cons of living in a big city help you think through your decision!
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