u/Brilliant-Wealth-128

A follow up to my post from before. I wanted to dive into the main things that frustrate me about the cities I have lived in, so you can be aware of these things before you choose to move to these places. I also will follow each up with something people from those cities tend to be frustrated with, that I actually agree with, for the sake of being fair.

1. San Francisco. It's a great city in many ways, and it is my home, but the people back home tend to have a lofty, overinflated ego about the city and would benefit from settling down. They treat it like it's some elite, big city when in reality it's great in many ways but it just isn't as globally influential as many people think it is, outside of the tech industry. I mean realistically SF isn't really even a big city, it's pretty small actually. Sure, the broader Bay Area is a good size area but you can make that claim for so many areas. To be, Chicago's metro feels like it seamlessly tapers from the main city forming one massive city. And outside of the tech industry, there isn't all that much going for it. Unlike NYC or Chicago that both have an extremely diversified range of industries that they are really really good at, SF doesn't really have enough of that to justify the attitude there.

As for a thing that people in San Francisco have a great reason to be frustrated about, it's the homelessness. Seriously when I lived there I was chased by homeless people, had multiple scary encounters, found needles and shit on the ground and more. And it isn't the homeless population's fault, it's the city that needs to be held accountable. That being said, I have not been back in a while and heard things have gotten better.

2. NYC. What I can't stand about NYC is the tendency for people there to act like if you don't like it you are automatically in the wrong or there's something wrong with you. Not everyone is like that, but many can be. I love NYC but I had a friend who lived there and didn't and people constantly just acted like she's not "cut out" for it or like she was wrong or crazy for not enjoying it. At times even getting defensive about it.

What I think is fair for NYers to get upset about would be the safety and comfort issues underground. MTA is largely fine, but at times MTA can feel very unsafe. Not only that but in the summer those stations become unbearably hot and humid to a degree that could be dangerous for some.

3. Chicago. What I cannot stand about Chicago is how online and in real life, Chicagoans have a tendency to act like anyone that doesn't find people in the city to be friendly, are automatically wrong. Oftentimes instead of being understanding they will default to an automatic response of "well if you think we're rude, have you been to ____" instead of just simply accepting a difference of opinion. They really like to bring up Northeast cities like NYC, and yet, I've lived in NYC and I genuinely found people friendlier there. Often times the cities they compare it to, are ones you find out they themselves haven't ever even been to. Or they'll say it's a you problem, try to give you reasons to explain why people have been that way, even if you continuously tell them it's the general vibe you have experienced. The most frustrating part is that the people who tend to be the loudest about pushing this idea that Chicago is so friendly, are biased Chicagoans themselves imposing their view of themselves on others.

Now, that being said, something Chicagoans can be rightfully frustrated about is when people from coastal areas don't understand or accept that Chicago is also a global, international city with many extremely diverse neighborhoods and areas. Or people act like it's not that international based on a touristy visit they did to a select few areas. Being from San Francisco, I used to have this idea that San Francisco was more global and better than Chicago even is, and now after living here, I know that's not even remotely true. The rankings back it up and after living in Chicago, I can confidently say it is a much more globally influential city across a broad range of categories than SF is. SF is big in tech, counter culture, and certain architectural facets. Chicago is big in Architecture, finances, logistics, transportation, manufacturing, media, and so much more. This is how I like to put it. If Chicago wasn't a very globally influential city, than why are major global companies like Sanrio, Warner Bro and Universal all choosing to put some of their flagship experiences there instead of SF? I've seen some idiotic people from the coasts try to say that outside of the midwest Chicago isn't relevant, and that's not only extremely dumb to say, but it's not even remotely true. One of my favorite things about Chicago is that it manages to be both so real and raw AND a global world city all in one without being too pretentious. Keep that up. And if someone from a coastal area of the US acts like Chicago isn't as relevant or a global city, don't take their opinion seriously, they think they're being smart while actively being an idiot.

EDIT: Feel free to go check out my follow up post I made about the things that anger me about these cities, as well as the things that I feel like the residents of these cities have the right to be angry about.

https://www.reddit.com/r/relocating/comments/1tcjhzg/the_main_things_that_annoy_and_anger_me_about_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

1. San Francisco: My home. I love it, and love visiting. It has great food, beautiful scenery and in my opinion, relatively chill people. Quite diverse for it's size and very walkable. Weather is often chillier than people expect it to be, especially in the summer. Always bring a hoodie just in case. The Mission has the best Mexican food that I have had in the states, only rivaled by the Mexican food I've had in PIlsen in Chicago. Small city, but with people that think it's a big city. But both NYC and Chicago dwarf it. Also can tend to have an overinflated ego where people from there perceive SF outside of tech as much more influential than it is. Too expensive for how sleepy it can be. Things close earlier than most would expect, meaning it can be quite sleepy, and dress wise SF can be very casual. Do not say San Fran. Transit is...okay. 6.5/10 for me.

Pace of life: 4

Food: 8

Friendliness: 7

Transit: 5

Culture: 6

Safety: 5

Cleanliness: 4

2. NYC: To people in the United States, this is the center of the universe. Great transit with fantastic access throughout the city. Only downside of the MTA is it doesn't really extend out into the suburbs of NY like the Chicago L does. The city can be quite dirty and it smells. That being said, contrary to popular belief, I find NYers to be extremely friendly. Yes, seriously. I find most people who act like they aren't haven't lived there. I find them to be the friendliest of the cities I'm reviewing. People are very very kind AND oftentimes quite nice too. They will tell you how they feel but there's an outgoing enthusiasm to its friendliness. Amazing nightlife. Very crowded, and like SF, very expensive. Amazing food, great culture, massive. Incredibly international in the city itself, but less so in the surrounding area. 9/10 for me.

Pace of life: 10

Food: 9

Friendliness: 8 (yes I'm dead serious. don't listen to the people who tell you NYC is rude)

Transit: 9

Culture: 10

Safety: 8

Cleanliness: 6

3. Chicago: Massive city. Not as big as NY but significantly bigger feeling than SF. Very, very international too in many of it's neighborhoods. Have noticed when someone visits and thinks Chicago isn't very diverse, it's a sign they haven't really explored the city. Certain neighborhoods like parts of Albany Park or areas along Devon Ave don't feel like I'm in America. Unlike NYC, has more very international suburbs too and the subway system goes into the suburbs and straight into the airport. Fantastic food, gorgeous architecture. Now this may come as a surprise, but I find people in Chicago to be the least friendly of the 3 cities to me. That is just my experience, but I find people will be cordial, but can be quite blunt and also closed off. People are especially closed off when it's cold, dark and grey out. I describe the vibe a mix of NYC directness and the Seattle Freeze. Much more activities to do than SF and somewhat less than NYC. Great water access and surprisingly good beaches. Not great access to nature aside from the lakefront. Weather can be shitty but there's ton's to do indoors for part of the year. Great nightlife. 8/10 for me

Pace of life: 7

Food: 8.5

Friendliness: 5 (unless you're a chicagoan. Apparently if you yourself are from Chicago you would rate the city a 100 and get mad at anyone who doesn't agree)

Transit: 7.5

Culture: 8

Safety: 7

Cleanliness: 9