As someone who grew up in the suburbs and now lives in the city I’ve always gone back and fourth between which I prefer more. I had recently come to the conclusion, as my boyfriend and I have been deciding whether to stay or go, that it really depends on your needs and lifestyle. What’s going on in your life constantly changes too, one day you might want one thing and the next you want another. I know 19 year olds who live in the city and want to move to a slower place of life by the time they reach 21 but I also know a friend whose parents have been in the suburbs their entire lives and just rented a high rise apartment in the heart of the city. Whatever suits you best is the way to go and there is never a right or wrong answer to it.

The hustle and bustle of city life can always be exciting. I live about 8 mins from downtown and can easily drive, uber, or take public transportation, into any of the burroughs in Boston. Might I add that the cost of living here is astronomical and the square footage is laughable for the prices we have to pay. But that’s the price you pay to live super close to everything that’s going on. My weekends consist of seeing friends and family that live nearby at some of the nicest restaurants, clubs, and bars. I’m always trying to do something new as well like museums or exhibits. Now I’ve been in the city over 3 years and loved it when I first moved here. Covid hit but I still was able to make my way around and meet people once things started to open up. I barely used my car to get anywhere and felt like there was always something going on or people to see. It can be exhausting though always feeling like I need to be out and about and after a few years I’ve recently felt like I’ve wanted to slow down.

I grew up in Vermont and then moved to Maine which are much more rural areas with not too much going on. The exciting parts of Vermont were going to the farmers market every week or taking a walk to the park down the street. Once I graduated college I was ready to move out and into the big city. Now I’m ready to be around nature, have more space for my money, and really enjoy being in a space that feels quieter. I always felt like I was bored with nothing to do and took it for granted. I now see why I was raised there and the sense of community I got I don’t think I’d get where I live now. I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older and have hit my mid 20’s that experiences will always matter but there are other ways to enjoy life that don’t revolve around being in the hot spot all the time. I think I’ve come to a point where I’m definitely ready to slow down. That doesn’t mean go off the grid completely just move a bit further out and enjoy life at a different pace!