Chicago

U.S.A. Illinois

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HI, I am thinking of relocating to Chicago and studying RN. can any one give an idea of how life is in Chicago?

Thanks

Specializes in Geri and adult psych, hospice.

Hi. I'm going to give you my honest opinion on Chicago, but everyone has a different opinion of course. It really just depends what your life is like where you are now and what you want it to be. As far as non-medical issues go I feel that Chicago is a very expensive place to be. I'm from cincinnati ohio, so when I moved here 3 years ago the cost of everything was a shock:eek: ! I mean tax alone on everything is 8.5%, living in a decent area is expensive. I pay 1200 a month for a one bedroom generic box. It's VERY cold in the winter, but if you are from sweeden you probably won't mind it. And then there's I guess what's considered the "norm":rolleyes: for a city:rats the size of cats, dirty city (it's not as bad a new york though!)the weather (a lot of gray days) a lot of homeless, etc. Of course there is a good side. The summers are beautiful!! especially on the lake. Restaurants are awesome, shopping is great, (oh, traffic is BAD!!!:o DON'T BRING A CAR, THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS REALLY GOOD!) And as far as nursing work goes, there seems to be a lot of oppertunity, I guess that's also expected of a large city. When it comes down to it, it's really about the type of person you are. Are you a city gal, or a country gal? I'm the country gal, which is why I will be leaving Chiocago to go back home this summer. Of course if you don't wanna live IN the city, Illinois in general is very beautiful and serene in some places. Best of luck to you and feel free to write with any more ???;)

Thanks for the info in your lettere, you have bee most helpful. I am not gonna study in Chicago, from what I have gathered the pos: the city is an active vibrant city with lots of jobs, events and nice people.

neg: I agree whith all things in the letter above plus tuition rates are just ridiculously high over there.

I am 38 single guy :) Country gal

Take care

Specializes in Geri and adult psych, hospice.

OOPS!:imbar Sorry about the gender mistake, LOL! I guess I get a little delirious at 3 in the morning Anyway, best of luck with your studies!! Louisepug

Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.

Agree with the above writer....cold and expensive....

summers are short....and sometimes the weather is scary...tornadoes...etc..

I am planning on moving...to Texas...the pay is less...but so is everything else...so I am told....and I don't have to scrape my windshield in the mornings...Ha!

Its not where you live, but how you live. I believe that variety is a wonderful thing for all of us, especially nurses. I lived in the country, the mountains and Chicago. I was born and raised here. No place on earth is better than the other, as I said its HOW you live. Don't limit yourself, when you come here, make friends, go places and have fun. You will get a ton of nursing experience here and the pay depends on experience and where you go. Teaching hospitals pay okay, but the experience is worth a million!! Good luck!

Specializes in post surgical, tele, icu.
Agree with the above writer....cold and expensive....

summers are short....and sometimes the weather is scary...tornadoes...etc..

I am planning on moving...to Texas...the pay is less...but so is everything else...so I am told....and I don't have to scrape my windshield in the mornings...Ha!

Depends where in Texas you end up if you scrape your windshield. Lots of tornadoes and heavy rain with flooding. Cost of living is nice there though. Went to school in Austin and San Antonio.

I just went to Chicago for the weeknd and love it. I thought it was very clean and the homeless weren't agressive-and in much fewer numbers than Manhattan or even Seattle. I am worried about finding a decent place to live when I try to apply for jobs there next year.

Specializes in post surgical, tele, icu.

Any thoughts on the neighborhoods near humbolt park? Anyone have an opinon on how nurses are treated at Rush or how their turnover is?

Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.

To Cookeylady,

Rush has some good nurses....and a pretty good rep. with nurses, although some nurse managers there are hard to work with. Lutheran Gen. in Park Ridge has some nurses who defected a few years back because of the management. Taking too many patients per nurse, etc....not safe.

Northwest Community is building a huge new tower, and is hiring...it has a fair rep. for being a good place to work, but it has people who have been their since Florence was still carrying her oil lamp, and they are resistant to change. They still do paper charting.

There are alot of good hospitals in Chi-town. If you like winter nine months of the year.....and you don't mind commuting to work at least an hour.....

The reason there aren't agressive homeless people here is because it's too dang cold! They either freeze to death, (no kidding) or they head south....

I do realize that Texas has had it's share of whacky weather...but the good news is that they don't have nine months of winter...

so, I am still shinin' up my boots...and heading south....besides, it will be nice to have the same zip code as my kidlet...

I am 38 single guy :) Country gal

Take care

Haha. I knew you were a guy, then I read the person who wrote "Country Gal", and I was like...I thought it was a guy? I just love my intuition!

cookielady, my best friend lives in humboldt park and that is not a nice area in my opinion. i'm a total suburbs girl and it was a little scary there from me. i've grown up in the burbs a half hour from chicago and i love it here. lots to do and lots of opportunities. cost of living may be higher than elsewhere but salaries are higher too. so that's kinda an even trade. best wishes!

cookielady, my best friend lives in humboldt park and that is not a nice area in my opinion. i'm a total suburbs girl and it was a little scary there from me. i've grown up in the burbs a half hour from chicago and i love it here. lots to do and lots of opportunities. cost of living may be higher than elsewhere but salaries are higher too. so that's kinda an even trade. best wishes!

Humboldt was actually the first neighborhood that I lived in after moving to Chicago. There is a great sense of community there. Everyone on my block knew one another, and I became good friends with the people who lived around me. This was a wonderful experience after having lived in a high rise where, after a couple of years, I still didn't know anyone's name. The second night that I lived in my old flat, one of my neighbors invited me to a cookout. I felt very welcome. I now live in Noble Square, which is an easy commute to Downtown, and quite lovely.

I used to live in Miami. I was actually shocked by how inexpensive Chicago is when I moved here, so I guess that everything's relative. My first apartment was a 2br for $700/mo, heat and utilities included. I currently pay $715 for a newly rehabbed light loft. There's deals to be had. I've never had a problem with street parking, either, but I also don't live in Lakeview.

I was actually born in NYC, and lived there off and on as an adult. I would choose Chicago a thousand times over. There's something magical about this city. I wouldn't trade it.

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