Do you find cities overwhelming?

[. . .]

Do you find cities overwhelming?

I haven't lived in a big city for a long time now, so I find cities overwhelming. When you've been living in a small town for a long time, the city can be quite scary. Nothing happens in small towns; in cities, so much stuff happens at once. It's quite the contrast to go from a small, quiet place to a place where many things are going on.

What bothers me most about cities are the vehicles and traffic. Nothing bothers me more than motor vehicles. I'm sure I'd get used to it to the city life if I was to move to a big city, but it would take at least a month or two.

I've been debating whether I should move to a city or not for years now. Maybe I should go through with it. If I'd have to choose, I'd way rather live in a city than a small town/rural area. It sucks to live in a place where everyone waves and say hi to each other and knock on your door and walk in your house if you don't answer within three seconds. The lack of resources available in towns is another drawback. City people, as a whole, tend to be more enlightened than people who live in rural areas (admit it - I've been living in a small place for a long time so I know ) and are more likely to mind their own business than small-town people. Another of the major advantages to living in a city is that there are obviously are a lot more resources than what can be found in small towns.

I feel like my life is rotting away in this small town and that there's no way things will get better. I'm sick of the monotony. I'm disappointed by how everyone here is ignorant as to what Asperger's and ASDs in general are, so I unfortunately can't meet any fellow people on the spectrum in real life, which I've been wanting to do for many years now.

In the city, I could experience something new everyday. In this small town, my business is everyone elses - whether I like it or not. This is something I'm not cool with and I'd be willing to deal with the stresses of the city to avoid this.

 

[. . .]

I like Toronto. There's a lot to do there and no one knows you or notices you which I like.

Yeah, that would be nice. It would take a while to get used to all the activity though.

If I were to move, I'd likely move to Montreal since that's where I'm originally from and where some of my family is from. There's no way I'd run into anyone I know there and it's a very open-minded city where people don't judge you for your views. It's definitely the least conservative city in Canada.

Some Canadian cities I wouldn't mind moving to would be Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. I also wouldn't mind moving to some of the cities in the Maritimes. Lots of people from here move to Alberta (esp. the city of Calgary) but the province of Alberta is too conservative for my liking.

 

[jaws]

I think the idea of big cities is quite overwhelming. I definitely avoid big cities when I can, however once I actually get to one I can find them quite interesting and even enjoyable. I really like having things close by and I like to shop and people watch...I think it is more the sensory issue and being so distracted and getting lost, especially when driving through a big city.

 

[GhettoButterFly]

All I have known for my whole entire life was a city environment/Urban environment. I lived in what you would call the "suburbs" or near the "suburbs" from ages zero to 13 1/2th. Then I moved to a urban environment. I really don't mind the city. I rather live in a city than a "small town". "Small towns" or "rural areas" would drive me crazy. I always need to be near a store, or some type of city life. If anything, I like being in a urban environment or something similar to it. I like traveling in cars, and eventually I would like to learn how to drive one. For now, I travel on the county buses or walk.

As to your question, once in a while I find it "overwhelming"... But how would you define "overwhelming"? As in sensory wise or people wise?

I mean there are strange smells and sometimes the homeless ask me for money. So I just give them food instead. :S

Anyways, I like the city and as I said before that is all I have ever known. I like the metropolitan life, and what comes with it. Especially the Floridian kind.

Just for the record, I only experienced the South Florida kind. I am only dreaming to go to Tallahassee.

 

[Kit]

I like cities better than small towns. I don't have to drive far to shop. In small towns you have to drive a few hours or drive an hour to get to a nearest city to shop and find stores you'd find in any city. Plus if gas get's too expensive, you can take the bus.

 

[Firnafth]

I live in a city now, and it is OK for me. I would prefer not to have to walk along or live next to noisy streets, but it doesn't bother me that much. I am not interested in culture or shopping, but it is nice to be able to go find things nearby when I need them. I don't know my neighbors, but I don't care about that either.

My ideal place to live would be just outside of a city or town, in the forest, where it would be relatively quiet; but then I could come into town for the resources there. I know some people who have this living situation.

Toronto, I agree, is a good city. I enjoyed being a kid there.

 

[Droopy]

I like cities in general and they are one of my interests. I would probably be overwhelmed if it was a big city like New York. Where I live, our cities are much smaller in comparison.

 

[Nolan1971]

Even though I grew up near Boston, MA I can't stand big cities! They cause instant stress for me and driving in them is a nightmare! When I had to travel to Boston
I always used the subway on the few times I did drive there I got lost and had a near meltdown. What I hate about them the most is I feel totally deprived
of nature and a great place to escape to. Here in Gainesville it is a city but way smaller than Boston so it feels like the country to me. Here they have a state preserve
filled with wild horses, buffalo, alligators & more as well as other places to see cows and go horseback riding all within a bus ride. For sports fans we have Gator football
and plenty of stores within easy reach.

 

[King_Oni]

I've got a mixed opinion about it I guess.

I can deal with big cities in general, but I only visit them with a purpose and as such I plan where I'm going beforehand. I have my route (and I'm kinda blessed with a really good sense of orientation) put on my music and go. I don't own a car, so driving is no issue for me. The thing I like about big cities is that at least there's both everything there and the city barely sleeps. Yes, I do like my quiet walks here. But I also like it when I can do my groceries on sunday or at 10 pm.

Because I'm kinda goal oriented, I don't see a lot of cities. The appeal of immersing myself in layers upon layers of domiciles doesn't appeal to me. But then again, I don't care a lot about it. I don't have a lot of use to just "go out" and hang out I guess.

But I'm from The Netherlands, which compared to a lot of countries is kinda densely populated overall. So the notion of having to drive for an hour to do groceries doesn't really seem viable. Within 5 minutes by car you're at some kind of small mall or supermarket at least... and that's for most places around the country where one lives (bar maybe a few ones way up north)

 

[imagesbyholly]

I had to travel to Boston whin I was 12 for an orthodontist. It was very stressful- smelly, huge buildings, all the business made me dizzy. Thank goodness my parents switched to one closer to home. By the time I was an older teenager I liked going for a day to visit and walk around Fanuel Hall, but I was always glad to leave again too. I still like to visit our nearest city (not nearly overwhealming as Boston!) but I wouldn't want to stay there too long.

 

[Acetic]

I was thinking about this yesterday actually. My parents and i went to San Francisco over the weekend three months ago, i was helping them buy some furniture and fruits; i couldn't stand the hundreds and hundreds of people just walking around downtown. I was extremely nervous and there was this constant anxiety and fear i could feel in my stomach. It was terrible.

I actually grew up in san francisco, but in a quiet and foggy neighborhood near the beach, It was really quiet and often rainy there. Then my parents moved to a sunny and small college town when i was 11 -12 years old. I guess, i never have LIVED in the city, always near it or around. The thing i really hate about the city is how alone you feel if you don't have someone to talk with or someone walking with you. Everyone has friends or people they are talking to and stare if you walk by yourself. There's this feeling of isolation and solitude for me when hundreds of random strangers stare at me walking down the street. The downtown sector of the city is the worst, all the shopping malls are so busy, people walking all over, the lights, the car sounds, hundreds of people talking. Hate it. My mind wants to shut down from so much information.

Thankfully i live in the suburbs, the only things i hear are birds chirping in the morning and cars arriving from work in the afternoon (occasionally i also hear cats climbing onto the fence ); ahh sweet peace.

 

[Biblio-Love]

I can take a busy city like Toronto for a short time, only a few days or so. But no longer. I find all the constant noise unbearable. I can't do subways or drive a car in a city. So when I go for work (about twice a year), I prepare beforehand so I can still get around and reduce stress levels. I keep everything in close proximity and arrange for people to be with me, if I fear getting lost. I much prefer rural wide open spaces.

 

[Butterfly_Lady]

Yes i definitely find cities overwhelming. the people, the traffic, the noise is all too much for me. i don't mind visiting cities so much so long as i don't go alone. If my mom is with me i will be fine. If i am alone, there is no telling how lost i will get and i will very likely have a complete meltdown. I have never actually lived in a big city but visiting it is enough to overwhelm me. I went to visit my cousin in the hospital in Jacksonville once with my mom and even with her with me we still ended up taking a wrong turn. I also have driven through Tampa/Sarasota to go to the beach with my mom and i think we got a little turned around that trip too. My dad is a truck driver and either when i was still in high school or just out of high school, my dad would bring us up to visit him during the summer. mostly my brother would go with him in the truck but i would go sometimes too. He would be out for a week so i would be stuck with his girlfriend. One time when i was riding with him in the truck we went through Chicago to go to Wisconsin. The first time through it was smooth sailing (it was midnight). on the way back through it was noon and we sat in a traffic jam for i can't even tell you how long. there is no way i would survive in a big city. i much prefer small towns or just living out in the country close enough to a town/city to get to a store without driving too far.

 

[Needtobreathe]

DC wasn't, Chicago was. Smells and other stuff everywhere

 

[Loomis]

I grew up in a big city and lived most of my life in big cities so I guess I am just used to them. A big advantage to cities is you can remain anonymous easily.

 

[Geordie]

I love big cities. I love public transport, museums, great libraries, exotic restaurants, major-league sports and so on.

I consider Singapore, a city of 6 million people (including its Malaysian and Indonesian suburbs), a little too small for my liking. I'd prefer London, New York or Chicago if I do have the chance to live there.

 

[Pyrola]

I certainly find big cities overwhelming. I live in a very sparsely populated area, so going from a peaceful, quiet place like my home to a loud, smelly, and crowded city is always a bit challenging.