As a girl born and raised in a fairly small town, moving to a big city was quite the experience and transition for me. I come from a town about 40 minutes outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest “city” (if that’s what you want to call it), but in no way did that prepare me for the big city living I was about to endure when I moved to Minneapolis for college. As much as I love where I live now, there are definitely some struggles that come along with city living.
Rush hour traffic never seems to end. I never knew cars could actually be stopped on the freeway for several minutes and it be considered “normal” conditions for getting home at the end of a work day. It honestly blew my mind (and frustrated me) the first time I was stuck in a stand still while going on I-94 in St. Paul at 4pm. That’s another thing about Rush hour traffic: it doesn’t last just one hour; it’s lasts more like three hours. It’s nearly impossible to get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time for multiple hours of each day while living in the city. And of course, because it’s a northern city, it gets even worse when it snows. Note to keep in mind: don’t even try driving during rush hour in the winter; you won’t make it to your destination for hours.
Public transportation can be rough and confusing. If you haven’t grown up with public transportation, it is difficult to get used to and use on a regular basis. I can’t even tell you how many times I've gotten lost while attempting to use the bus system around the Cities. Why does one bus stop cater to multiple bus routes? Are they trying to get people lost? Thankfully, the Light Rail has made it slightly less confusing to use public transportation throughout the Cities. While riding public transportation, you will likely encounter some very strange things and people that you will not be used to seeing and won’t know how to react. Public Transportation can be convenient for some people, but for those of us who aren’t your average city person, it’s rather terrifying.
Every season is construction season in the city. Whether it’s on the road or on a building, construction is similar to Rush hour traffic, as in it never seems to end. Something is always getting built or worked on in the city, which usually causes more problems for traffic and getting around within the city. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that roads are getting improved and buildings are being renovated or built, but construction in a city can just get to be a royal pain in the ass. Cities are already crowded and condensed, so when construction is going on, everything seems to get even more crazy and crowded. Plus, construction really ruins my beautiful view sometimes and that just makes me sad.
Peace and quiet isn’t a thing. Cities are all about the hustle and bustle that they are known for, but I never realized how long it lasted throughout the day. In fact, I discovered that it lasts through the entire night as well! Whether it’s sirens going off, an abundance of people making noise, or car horns honking, cities don’t really sleep much or at all. Something is always going on in the cities, which has its perks at some points because they are never boring, but it also has flaws. Small towns have peace and quiet, and it’s something I cherish whenever I’m home and something I crave while living in a city.
The city is not all bad, and many people love living in it, but it is just not my cup of tea. It’s great for a visit every once in awhile and looks pretty from a distance, but I think I’m going to stick to my rural lifestyle and enjoy the quiet towns I prefer to call home.
