Long rant. TLDR at bottom. Before moving here for work, I bought into the trope that NYC offers something for everyone. I'm mainly outdoorsy, not really into nightlife, and find most museums and art insanely boring. Of course, just about everyone I meet is, without fail, into bars, clubs, and raves. The suggested non-alcoholic activities are, 80% of the time, art museums, exhibitions, and history museums. Every time I go, I nod off while upright. I've tried and tried various suggestions like aimlessly walking through random neighborhoods, staring at random architecture, and frankly, I feel nothing. Meetups (the app) for hiking here are filled with people a decade, or two, or three, older. I know, I'm one uncultured bastard. But I don't have the acting abilities to pretend to enjoy what I don't enjoy. No knocks on nightlife or arts either. If you appreciate that, as most people do, lovely for you. Dating apps are a dilemma too because I don't dare to write any of this on my profile in fear that everyone swipes left and my rating plummets to hell. Should I be more honest? I get matches but obviously, I'm not helping me find a long term relationship. It's probably no surprise that I've also struggled with finding friends, though it's not that I have none. I've made a few from sports, but rarely if ever see them outside. Outside, it's all the same. Let's go to bars, clubs, and raves. And don't worry. No need to tell me to just leave if I'm such a stick in the mud. I'm leaving ASAP for Seattle if I can. Judging from online reviews, I know that's an uphill battle if not downright disastrous choice for making friends and dating. If I couldn't find a solid friend circle in NYC, can I in Washington with the infamous Seattle freeze even if my hobbies match? I'm almost 30 and not getting younger. Will I be able to date at all? I don't have a problem getting dates here, but I haven't met anyone I have much in common with. Honestly, now that I've made up my mind to leave, is it even worth dating if I'll (ideally) be gone in a few months? Anyway, not sure where I was going with this. Just another vent from another loser on Blind. It feels good to write this out. None of my friends here can even try to empathize, and say I shouldn't leave because ~ there's so much to do. ~ Yeah, no. If I'm forced to stay here another year, I might finally be tempted to act out some dark thoughts. . . . TLDR: NYC sucks for me because I'm one uncultured nature lover. I'm trying to leave ASAP. I'm an idiot who hopes it'll be easier to make friends and date in Seattle, where there'll be similarly outdoorsy people. On the flip side, Seattle is infamously bad for both. Am I crazy for wanting to move there? TC = 310 🥜.
You're in the worst city if you like outdoors stuff lmfao
Yeah, I know. Everyone told me before moving that NYC had something for everyone, even nature, so I thought I should at least try out as many activities as I could in the hopes that I'd find my own niche here. I guess on some level I even feel bad seeing how the grand majority of people here seem to be in love with life here, and I wonder why I couldn't find that happiness for myself too. My optimism has ran out now. Ha.
The nature in NYC is Central Park, which isn't even a natural park. It used to be a stone field. You can either learn to love the "human made" nature i.e. architecture and cycling/skating, or move. Come out to Austin as someone else suggested, there's plenty of lakes and hiking and bouldering.
NYC is shit for outdoors so I get why you want to move. I built a good social circle by doing outdoor activities here in Seattle and a lot of people I have met have done the same. So if you put effort in, join meetups and shamelessly reach out to anyone you meet doing outdoor stuff, you should be fine. You might not meet a lot of Seattle locals (freeze mostly applies to them) but who is not a transplant these days. Seattle is actually the complete opposite to what you described, here once you have gone to the 3-4 good bars in cap hill or Ballard, you have seen them all. There is a good amount of shows and culture but the outdoors definitely have much more to offer year round. Weather can get tricky from November to March (not as much cold but overcast days, lack of sunlight), but nothing vitamin D and a happy light can’t help with.
I lived in NYC for six months. It's one of those cities you should try before deciding to move there, because I'd say that most people grow to hate it after a few months. Lots of people see it on TV, know the boroughs, love the idea of bodegas, chopped cheese, and fresh bagels - and then they meet the reality. It's dirty as fuck, there's a smell that's almost indescribable, the infrastructure is terrible compared to basically all major world cities, and you're paying an unbelievable amount of money to live like a poor student. Definitely try Seattle...but if you want the great outdoors maybe try living away from the cities?
I've been here for 2 years now. Anecdotally, I'm not sure I'd agree most people hate it after a few months, though I count as one. My friends here (and old classmates I see moving here) seem to be living their best life. I even feel bad that I don't enjoy the city like most people here seem to. I guess I feel bad being the lone Debbie downer among a crowd of happy campers. Ha. As for living away from the city, I'd love to when I settle down, but right now I'm not sure how I'll meet new friends without living close to a city.
> the infrastructure is terrible compared to basically all major world cities The MTA is flawed but still offers 24 hour service system wide 7 days a week, which no other major world city can claim.
Don't come to Seattle. I repeat, DO NOT come to Seattle. The weather here is super duper depressing. No good food. People are super lonely here because of the Seattle freeze. Because it rains or is gloomy 90% of the year, even when it is green, people cant enjoy it. How would you enjoy anything with the rains? You might feel the rains are fun and romantic for 1-2 weeks but soon will start hating it as anything. In short come here if you want to sit in front of TV, get lazy, be diagnosed with depression and live in stress.
Your final sentence already describes me 5/7 days of the week. Where would you suggest to go instead?
Uh in NYC it’s like 10 degrees and windy and icy in the winter, rainy in the fall, in the summer it’s humid and hot and disgusting (like, 90 degrees and humid). You only have like 3 months of good weather in NYC. You pay 4k a month to live in a box with a window aircon and roaches.
Man I relate to this post so much. IDGAF about art, I don't party and don't go to concerts. The city is fun for a few months when you're single. But outside of the dating opportunities and food scene it doesn't appeal to me either. Hope you enjoy Seattle!
Honestly thank you, it's nice to know I'm not alone feeling this way. Anecdotally, I see nothing but effusive praise for the museums and arts both online and from friends here, so much that I thought there was something wrong with me. But I'm done now, I don't fit this environment and that's fine.
Seattle is not better. Maybe try Austin. Also maybe you just haven’t found a friend group. But don’t go to Seattle unless you already have a gf
NYC is not bad for nature. It depends on what you are looking for. You can get to a lot of beaches via subway or train. You can go skiing via the bus. Maybe before leaving, try getting a car. The best nature is up in Vermont. I rent a car and go up there a lot to fish and hike. I wish I could own a car, but I can’t justify the cost. I think the number of people who are “outdoorsy” is much higher in Seattle (I used to live there).
Also hmu if you want to nature stuff in nyc. I’m down to go on a hike or whatever.
Seattle weather is not bad as it is made to be. Have lived in east coast and weather here is warmer for most part. Mar-Oct is quite decent and summers are glorious. Only Nov-Feb are grey weather months, but honestly its not that bad. I feel grateful everyday to live in beautiful place like PNW. One thing I would say though is that you can find good nature outside NY too, just it takes bit longer to drive. Try driving out to white mountains and around for sometime before planning to move yourself out completely.
Go to Austin. Seattle is a dump and the weather sucks
Austin is good for outdoors agreed. And don't listen to people about the heat. Majority of the year is 70s.
Its in 90-100s and hot as shit at nights