[StuckinMi]

I'd really like
1. A lake town. Major or small, doesn't matter, just water.
2. Lots of shopping/nightlife
3. Cost of living doesn't have to be "cheap", but nothing through the roof. But a richer zip code would actually benefit my career choice.
4. Scenic! I love old trees and parks and all that.


If you click on my name, you will see in the past two years I have changed my mind quite a bit about what I want to do. I'm a junior in high school now and I get asked every ten minutes "Are you looking at colleges?" "What do you want to do?" I'm 85% percent I have decided what I want to do, and it does NOT require me picking out a college first (I've noticed a trend of people saying decided college first, then where to live when students ask this question). I'm pretty set and stone this is the path I want to take.

That being said, I have come to the conclusion to remain in Michigan. Less than a year ago, I HATED it here and honestly I think it was just because of the brutal winter we had. But I do love it here. Me and MI were just having a lovers spat is all. What I do know though is I do not want to remain in East Lansing and would prefer to be very far. I've lived here my whole life and its really nice; pretty, lots of entertainment and culture, an all around lovely city. But I just don't want to remain in the same town, I gotta move on. But I could never move to a small little town, I'd like another area similar to East Lansing (in terms of size and diversity, not necessarily style). I'm still young so I'm not trying to find my forever home or anything, but a city that has potential to be where I settle down would be nice; good schools and crime rates because I would like to foster children at one point long before I am married or have kids of my own. It's something I've known I want to do since I was 9 years old and I'd like to be able to provide kids the best community that I can, even if it means spending a lot more money.


I know. I am young, I have time. I'm really just looking for ideas is all, I'm not signing a contract. If you are a fellow Michigander and have any good recommendations on cities to live in while I at least get the license I want, I'd appreciate any input. Thank you!

[teachbeach]

Traverse City comes to mind first. Second option might be St. Joe. The town itself isn't has big/busy as Lansing/East Lansing but the schools are good and the proximity to Chicago will give you the nightlife and culture you desire.

[Luzette]

My choice would also be Traverse City.

[Giesela]

You do realize that for most of the months during the academic school year the lakes will be frozen?

There aren't any bigger cities on the water that also have a college that I know of.

Detroit has Wayne State University, Detroit is on the River and has Lake St. Clair

List of municipalities in Michigan (by population) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Traverse City, which gets pretty small during what would be the school year or off tourist season has Northwestern. I don't know whether its a party school or whether TC during the winter has what you would consider night life. I think it would seem pretty small after MSU.

There are smaller towns and colleges near bigger cities and lakes like Holland

Seems a very weird way to pick a school.

[alle]

I guess I don't understand why you feel you'd stay in the same town where you attended college.
However, as a Michigan girl who went to college in Michigan (Albion) and grad school in Wisconsin (Madison), I think you might really like the University of Wisconsin in Madison which is the capitol and surrounded by lakes. It's also a top-rated university. No reason, however, to stay wherever you decide to go to school.

[ironlady]

Originally Posted by Giesela

You do realize that for most of the months during the academic school year the lakes will be frozen?

Right. I lived in Holland for four years and always felt bad for Hope students, who came just as the beautiful weather was ending and left before it started the next year.

[mjlo]

Grand Haven: Lake Town, Night Life, on average upper income zip codes, 20 mins from GVSU. It's part of the Muskegon Urban area but without the Muskegon feel, so you have the amenities of the nearby commercial districts as well.