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I’ve spent the last four-and-a-half years of my life living in cramped dorm rooms and a fraternity house where the smell of Natty Light and Evan Williams lingered for weeks at a time. Don’t get me wrong, these were the best memories (or lack thereof) of my entire life, but after I limped across the stage with my Gentleman’s 3.1, I was craving something new and a bit more stable.
Most of my buddies from college went on to live in the downtown areas of their respective cities, while maintaining a close distance to their jobs and more importantly, the bars, though they’re often times forking over half their take home pay just to cover rent. As for me, two close friends and I discovered the glorious oasis of white picket fences, easy parking, and friendly middle-aged neighbors that is suburban America. Welcome to the suburbs.
It’s cheaper.
Let’s get right to it, most recent graduates have to really bite the bullet paying rent in major urban areas. I work in the D.C. metro area, and I can tell you that this place is as pricey as they come. Even with roommates, you’re lucky to be paying under a thousand if you’re even remotely close to the city. Out here in the good ole ‘burbs though, it isn’t so bad. Hell, it gives you the opportunity to put that extra coin towards to the Tuesday evening Marg, a Caribbean trip with old college pals, and of course, that bitch Sallie Mae. Even the cost of the essentials seems to drop when you move to the suburbs, and “Two for Twenty” at Applebees will always get you that extra value for your dollar that the Taco Bar downtown just won’t satisfy.
It’s a spacious oasis.
There’s a whole lot of open grass out here in suburban America, and this provides the necessary space for classic all-American activities.
Just recently, my roommates and I had a PETA (People for the Eating of Tasty Animals) barbecue in our shrub-filled yet spacious backyard. We grilled up just about every farm critter on this side of the Mississippi, got some cornhole going, and I tested my cannon arm that hasn’t thrown a decent spiral since the Intramural playoffs sophomore year.
Living in the suburbs makes hosting far more feasible, especially when you factor in not only the sheer space, but parking. Parking in most apartment complexes seems to be more challenging than Excel on a hungover Wednesday morning. Before I moved to my current abode, I actually spent a few months subleasing an apartment closer to the city. Parking here proved to be another obstacle in my already soul-sucking commute, with my assigned space on the seventh (that’s right, seventh) floor of the parking garage. Here in the sunny burbs though, I slide right my 4Runner right into the driveway, wave to the Paula Dean clone across the street, and call it an afternoon.
Love thy neighbor.
Each morning when I walk out the door emotionally preparing myself for the commute and work day ahead, I give the “neighborly wave” to Jerry next door. Every day, this friendly son of a bitch is out reading the paper on his porch with a cup of coffee in one hand and an apparent ray of sunshine in the other. Really though, this guy is a modern day Mr. Rogers. He probably teaches the neighborhood kids how to read and write in between his shifts volunteering at the soup kitchen. He’s a great neighbor, but probably an even better Grandfather and sweater vest connoisseur.
On the other side of the all-American white picket fence is the McDonald family, two surprisingly cool teenagers (an endangered species, I swear) and their dad who is essentially a socially competent Hank Hill. Mrs. McDonald is also a real gem as she even welcomed us to the neighborhood with homemade peach cobbler while creating small talk about the Republican primary contenders.
The reality is, you won’t meet these gifts to society in your overpriced, uptown, 700-square foot studio apartment, but you will meet them when you’re living the ‘burbs.
Preparation for the future.
I get it, a lot of you want to enjoy these youthful years while you still have the chance. For many of us in our twenties, the terrifying concepts of marriage and children are surely on the horizon, although I personally intend on having a cool ass dog named Ranger before experiencing either. There’s some merit to wanting to live the city life for a while, enjoying your dwindling youth and dodging the pile of bureaucratic bullshit that is your typical Homeowner’s Association. But once you fully accept the fact that these baby booming streets are calling you home for the bulk of your adult life, you embrace it in all of its glory and learn to live the life you were made for all along.
Join me, friends. .
Image via Unsplash
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#BurbLife
As a proud #BurbDad, I can attest to all points above but the financials aren’t nearly as easy for everyone. I moved to Chicago a month after graduation to (Lincoln Park – Holy Grail of Post Grad Neighborhoods) and proposed to my GF a month after that. Married a year later, got a little carried away with the top shelf all-you-can-drink on my own wedding night and bam, kid comes out 9 months after the wedding date. We were 100% committed to raising a city kid but when a woman was stabbed in the stomach with a screw driver at 9pm a block from our apartment, we packed up and headed for the cushy ‘burbs. We hit a snag though; not many postgrads are in a financial position to buy a house so you end up in those postgrad filled “luxury” apartment complexes. Sure, they’re full of babes but you also get the ones still trying to be young and throwing wine and cheese parties that get rowdy when my sorry ass is trying to rock my adorable baby one floor up.
We are now finally in a house and your article above describes our life pretty accurately but it took until age 26 to do so. If you don’t have mom and dad (and more power to you, if you do) funding your down payment, moving to the burbs can be real shit for awhile.
Fuckin’ all-you-can-drink Lagavulin.
Wife and I never worked downtown, always had jobs in the Chicago ‘burbs. After a painful year renting a small “luxury” condo we bought a house far out, realized our mistake, and just bought much closer in an old suburbs neighborhood. When I stand on my back patio grilling on charcoal in my undershirt pounding a Miller Lite throwback can, the right Instagram filter makes it impossible to tell if it’s 2015 or 1965. It’s beautiful. #burblife
Sounds like we could be #DadBuds. I’m in Geneva if you ever want to come out and throw some back. (I’m guessing you’re a little closer to the city)
Geneva is awesome. Grew up there. I miss it and the burb life
Right you are. I’ll stay in Geneva the rest of my life if works allows.
I’m in Arlington Heights. Same offer.
Let me guess. You got a house in Huntley or Crystal Lake when you had that realization? See ya at The Piano Bar downtown sometime! Still haven’t hit up Cortland’s Garage though..
C-Lake. I can cut you a deal, I let it go for just 10% over current market value. I’m usually at La Tasca, or Peggy’s. Hit Cortland’s Sunday night for the Pat’s game, cheese fries are solid.
I’m in this rut right now of wanting to move to Chicago or getting a place in the burbs. Coming home after graduation, I always found myself at trendy, young suburbs filled with post grads myself in towns like Palatine, Naperville and Schaumburg(<–Hometown and currently residing). It's a big difference of course between the two, but its difficult to make a difficult situations because of what to do. This article may have solved that. Thanks.
Before I started working from home, I used to work in Hanover Park so I rented a place in Schaumpton. (very temporarily) Gave me a terrible feel of commercialized, soulless burbs. Moved down to St. Charles/Geneva/Batavia and things got way better. Downtown Geneva cannot be beat and it is a WORLD of different from Schaumburg. I’m within walking distance of downtown and Penrose brewery. Swing on down sometime!
Thanks for the tip Mr. Incredible (Just going by the name, no nicknames yet). It does make sense plus going to the city would be a breeze and such (Gotta love the Metra and Blue Line). Yah Schaumpton is Schaumpton. All commerical, same houses and what not. I am a fan of Geneva because its close to the Fox Valley Ice Arena, which I’m there about every other week. I’ll take you up on that brew at Penrose, one of my favorite local breweries.
Live where your office is. If you work downtown, live downtown. If not, live in the burbs. Get a place near the train, which is where all the burbs bars are anyways.
No doubt tagging the insta pics from wine and cheese nights with a #classyAF
I’m trying to save up for a down payment on a lake condo. Everyone has different priorities.
Will Ranger rock a sweet bandana around his neck?
You bet your ass he will. He’ll be the quintessential golden retriever with an American flag bandana. He’ll be a great hunting dog and an even better wingman.
I get my golden a bandana for each season. He’s currently wearing a turkey bandana.
Golden Retrievers are God’s gift to this world. More goldens, less people and we would all be better off.
I’m down with that philosophy. He drove me crazy for about six months, but now he’s almost a year old and everyone is always saying how well behaved he is. He also gets me off the couch, which is good for both of us.
If I ever get transferred to DC, this comments section is the first place I’m going.
I live in Fairfax and this couldnt be truer
66 was a real bitch today, right?
every day***
Word. Are you in DC too? 66 every damn day. I joined the Equinox in Tysons just to break up that miserable trek on the way back to DC.
I’m right out by Dulles airport. Somewhat cheaper out here, the commute is brutal though.
28 and 7 are a BITCH
You aren’t lying. I consider myself
Damn it. I consider myself a calm person, but if I’m having a mental breakdown it’s almost always on 28.
when is it not a bitch and a half
Fairfax forevaaaa
I’m moving from a house in the suburbs to a high rise apartment in the city soon. I can tell you the two things I’m most happy about are no more yard work and not paying $200+ a month on commuting.
Happy about no more yard work? I live for that shit. After a soul-sucking week staring at spreadsheets, a little mowing and pruning and shit at least feels like I’m doing something productive. Get to screw around with power tools, throw out phrases like “yeah, carb was gummed up but I got ‘er purring now” and drink beer outdoors while taking credit for “chores”. Yard work keeps me sane.
Holy shit this is me so much. I hated yard work as a kid, but now I’ll bring my own beer if I get to use the riding lawnmower at my dad’s place.
I’ve had multiple single friends go from renting in the burbs to getting their own apartment or condo downtown and they love it. Save money for a few years, get a promotion or two, move back downtown, find 23-year-olds who are impressed with your $70+ K per year salary and all that goes with it.
That’s pretty much my life. 2.5 years in the burbs saving money and laying off $40k in student loans. Granted I’m now blowing like $1800 a month on an apartment but single city life is worth it.
Tell Bryan out there we said hello
Dammit if this doesn’t sound marvelous.
I close on my first home the end of the year in Savannah, GA. I’m all in on #Burblife
To each their own, but with Savannah allowing open containers and the historical beauty is why I’m moving to walking distance of Broughton St. in April.