Perception of the Cities (Minneapolis, St. Paul: transferring to, school, living in)

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by west336

^And that right there is the attitude people have...

It's true down here (Atlanta), tho, too. Not just a Minnesota thing.

It's just that there are so many transplants down here looking for new friends that those who are more established and more isolationist aren't that readily apparent, so you get a different general impression.

We we lived up there, we were always interested in meeting new people, but my wife was a transplant from outside of the cities (Esko). Most of my friends were folks I knew from college, but maybe a third were folks we'd picked up along the way. Some were from out of state, some not.

[MSMCGirl]

Originally Posted by knke0204

I'm so sick of hearing people complain that they can't make friends. If you've been here your whole life and have a circle of friends and family, there is no need to go out of your way to meet people or take in new people. Too bad, too sad.

Hahaha! THAT'S exactly the perception people have of Minnesotans when they first move here (quote above). Could not have said it better myself! Thank goodness not ALL Minnesotan's feel that way or I still would be very lonely! I personally can NEVER have too many friends so I can't relate to that rationale! I know everyone is busy, but if you brush every new person off that you meet you miss out on so many new things you can learn from people (good and bad).

I've lived here 5 years (So Cal transplant) and I LOVE IT HERE. I do have to be honest and say that until I started traveling here for work (maybe 8 or 9 years ago) I knew little about Minnesota. My only knowledge was that it's somewhere "north" (bordering Canada) and that the Mary Tyler Moore show took place here and that it's cold. Oh, and "Little House on the Prairie" happened here. Beyond that, I knew little...and unfortunately, I think a lot of people from the East and West coasts who have not traveled here think the same. And sorry to burst some bubbles in Edina, Eden Prairie and those other western suburbs...people outside the state have NEVER heard of Edina OR Eden Prairie. When I first moved here I thought Edina was pronounced "E-Deen-a". The only towns most people outside the state have heard of are Minneapolis and St Paul, MAYBE Bloomington (because of MOA) and MAYBE Rochester because of the Mayo Clinic (and those are big maybes). The movie "Fargo" didn't do much to help the state's reputation either but FORTUNATELY MOST people know that Fargo is NOT in Minnesota (MOST people...).

When people come to MN on business from L.A. (where my company is HQ'd) they all LOVE IT here. Drive them around the lakes or show them the beautiful, illuminated churches/basilicas at night and the parks (ie around Loring Park)...Nicollet Mall in the summer time with everyone sitting out and the Farmer's Market...everyone falls in love with Minnesota. I don't think I have heard anyone say they don't like it here...they are all very impressed as I was (and they are all pretty vocal about towns they don't like!). They all say Minneapolis has a "cool" vibe and seems very progressive, educated and artsy. All the reasons I love it here. It's just the weather some people can't take...but I don't mind the weather either.

Now if only Minnesotans would reach out to new "outsiders" a little more...

[gearedtowardssalad]

People drive way too slow and I wish there were more light rail lines. That's all I can complain about though.

[UnusualSuspect]

Originally Posted by gearedtowardssalad

People drive way too slow and I wish there were more light rail lines. That's all I can complain about though.

After moving here from Seattle, one of the first things I noticed was that people drive faster here. Go figure. I grew up in the Midwest, but I forgot how people here don't let you merge onto highways and how you better be going as fast as everyone else by the time you merge. In Seattle, people slow down and let you merge, you're not really expected to speed up until you get on the highway, and people rarely drive as fast the speed limit on the freeway (but that's because they can't - there's tons more traffic there than here).

[west336]

^Technically you are SUPPOSED to be at highway speed when you merge, and if your merge causes freeway traffic to slow down you are at fault. Similarly, you are not supposed to slow down PRIOR to exiting a freeway on a ramp as that also slows freeway traffic. I think there are too many people who don't understand these rules, but if it makes it any easier to remember: never do anything on the freeeway that could cause you or someone else to hit the brake unless there is no other option. As soon as one brake light goes on it causes pile ups for the rest of the day.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by MSMCGirl

Hahaha! THAT'S exactly the perception people have of Minnesotans when they first move here (quote above). Could not have said it better myself! Thank goodness not ALL Minnesotan's feel that way or I still would be very lonely! I personally can NEVER have too many friends so I can't relate to that rationale! I know everyone is busy, but if you brush every new person off that you meet you miss out on so many new things you can learn from people (good and bad).

I've lived here 5 years (So Cal transplant) and I LOVE IT HERE. I do have to be honest and say that until I started traveling here for work (maybe 8 or 9 years ago) I knew little about Minnesota. My only knowledge was that it's somewhere "north" (bordering Canada) and that the Mary Tyler Moore show took place here and that it's cold. Oh, and "Little House on the Prairie" happened here. Beyond that, I knew little...and unfortunately, I think a lot of people from the East and West coasts who have not traveled here think the same. And sorry to burst some bubbles in Edina, Eden Prairie and those other western suburbs...people outside the state have NEVER heard of Edina OR Eden Prairie. When I first moved here I thought Edina was pronounced "E-Deen-a". The only towns most people outside the state have heard of are Minneapolis and St Paul, MAYBE Bloomington (because of MOA) and MAYBE Rochester because of the Mayo Clinic (and those are big maybes). The movie "Fargo" didn't do much to help the state's reputation either but FORTUNATELY MOST people know that Fargo is NOT in Minnesota (MOST people...).

When people come to MN on business from L.A. (where my company is HQ'd) they all LOVE IT here. Drive them around the lakes or show them the beautiful, illuminated churches/basilicas at night and the parks (ie around Loring Park)...Nicollet Mall in the summer time with everyone sitting out and the Farmer's Market...everyone falls in love with Minnesota. I don't think I have heard anyone say they don't like it here...they are all very impressed as I was (and they are all pretty vocal about towns they don't like!). They all say Minneapolis has a "cool" vibe and seems very progressive, educated and artsy. All the reasons I love it here. It's just the weather some people can't take...but I don't mind the weather either.

Now if only Minnesotans would reach out to new "outsiders" a little more...

LOL! This coulda been written by me! That's pretty much what my experience was when I first moved here, including thnking Edina was pronounced "Edeena"!

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by west336

^Technically you are SUPPOSED to be at highway speed when you merge, and if your merge causes freeway traffic to slow down you are at fault. Similarly, you are not supposed to slow down PRIOR to exiting a freeway on a ramp as that also slows freeway traffic. I think there are too many people who don't understand these rules, but if it makes it any easier to remember: never do anything on the freeeway that could cause you or someone else to hit the brake unless there is no other option. As soon as one brake light goes on it causes pile ups for the rest of the day.

BINGO! Graet post!

[UnusualSuspect]

Originally Posted by west336

^Technically you are SUPPOSED to be at highway speed when you merge, and if your merge causes freeway traffic to slow down you are at fault. Similarly, you are not supposed to slow down PRIOR to exiting a freeway on a ramp as that also slows freeway traffic. I think there are too many people who don't understand these rules, but if it makes it any easier to remember: never do anything on the freeeway that could cause you or someone else to hit the brake unless there is no other option. As soon as one brake light goes on it causes pile ups for the rest of the day.

Right, I know all that. But in terms of perceptions and things that I noticed upon moving here, this is one them, because it doesn't apply everywhere, even if you're "supposed" to drive this way. It's usually just not possible in Seattle (and probably other metro areas), because there often isn't enough room on the freeway for all the cars that want to be on it.

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by west336

^technically you are supposed to be at highway speed when you merge, and if your merge causes freeway traffic to slow down you are at fault. Similarly, you are not supposed to slow down prior to exiting a freeway on a ramp as that also slows freeway traffic. I think there are too many people who don't understand these rules, but if it makes it any easier to remember: Never do anything on the freeeway that could cause you or someone else to hit the brake unless there is no other option. As soon as one brake light goes on it causes pile ups for the rest of the day.

head. On. The. Nail!!!!

[west336]

Originally Posted by UnusualSuspect

Right, I know all that. But in terms of perceptions and things that I noticed upon moving here, this is one them, because it doesn't apply everywhere, even if you're "supposed" to drive this way. It's usually just not possible in Seattle (and probably other metro areas), because there often isn't enough room on the freeway for all the cars that want to be on it.

Oh, for sure! If you are speaking to the cloverleaf exchanges and the ridiculous entry and exit ramps here I don't know if I've ever seen worse ones in the entire country! They are so dangerous and outdated it is truly amazing they still exist! Most people I know who are not from here fear these ramps the most.