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A guy at my bus stop said Chicago isn't hard, you just have to stop trying
That conversation made me realize I've been measuring this city against a yardstick that doesn't exist here. Last Tuesday I was waiting for the 151 at Clark and Addison and this older guy in a Cubs hat said he moved here in 1998 and never felt lonely because he stopped expecting anyone to care about his day. He said the trick was to treat the city like a vending machine, you put in your effort and sometimes you get a snack, sometimes nothing, and that's fine. It hit me because I've been here 14 months, paying $1,850 for a studio near Lincoln Park, and I still text my mom every night like a homesick teenager. I joined two run clubs, went to three church groups, and helped a neighbor carry groceries up four flights, and I still don't have one person I can call for a ride. Has anyone else figured out that you have to lower your expectations for connection, or did you just move back home instead?
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