From NYC to Chi Town: A Clever Move

I moved to Illinois from New Jersey a month ago with big plans of starting my young life in Chicago. Almost every day a Chi-town veteran asks me one question, why Chi? You would think that having been so close to New York City I would get sucked into its gravitational pull, but no, I found asweet escape from those filthy streets. Coming from the NYC area few peoplerealize how delightfully overrated NYC truly is. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking my tri-state, but I certainly had a few clear reasons to leave the city that never sleeps for its Midwestern equivalent. Here are my top ten reasons to move to Chicago!

#10 Super Speedy Service – I ordered a sandwich for lunch today and as soon as she handed me my receipt the chef handed me my sandwich. Nice.

#9 Gorgeous and safe parks – No doubt you’ll find a park that fits your recreational needs in the largest park district in the US!

#8 Travelling with the Chicago Grid System – It’s impossible to get lost when the street signs tell you how far you are from your destination. Who needs a GPS when you’ve got the grid?

#7 Reasonable rent – Seriously I pay $550 a month and have a gorgeous room, gigantic closet and excellent roommates. This must be heaven.

#6 Swimming in Lake Michigan! – Clear water, hot beach bods, endless sunshine and waves

#5 Beautiful and clean streets with an amazingly clear skyline – With everything that Chicago has to offer I’m not surprised that it looks like a Winter Wonderland in January and a Shore side Metropolis in July.

#4 The food will make your taste buds dance – There’s no need to be fearful of where your fish came from or how long the veggies have been out. Food here is fresh and delicious, from subs to soups to brie sandwiches, you’re pallet will thank you.

#3 Summer festivals – What beats Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago, Chicago Air & Water show, Chicago Jazz and World Music Festival?

#2 Endless labyrinth of night activities – Besides bar/club hopping, crazy last minute suggestions from friends will lead you to a verysuccessful night

#1 Reason to move to Chicago: The amazing Midwesterners who always seem to have time for a conversation – This is an excellent way to find out what’s going on around the city and make cool new friends.

Having never been to Chicago prior to now I had no idea what to expect of the city, but what I found was something I wasn’t willing to let go of any time soon. Chicago is a gorgeous, clean, whimsical town full of quality entertainment and class A people. Why would you ever leave?

–Wanjiku Kairu