Submitted by 9to5Voyager t3_10r7ri9 in baltimore
I know wherever you go you have to put in work. But I have lived in several different cities and the fact of the matter is some places are just easier to socialize in than others. I've been down in Richmond for 2.5 years and making friends my age is WAAAAAAAAAAAY more difficult than when I lived in Austin or Atlanta (or even Lincoln, but that was college). Richmond's pretty insular, and just getting a little small for me, though I like the look and layout of it. I've been to Baltimore before and it seems like it could work.
Google searches and listicles only get you so far. I wanted to ask some actual Baltimoreans and transplants to Baltimore what your experience has been and what your thoughts are.
I'm 32yo, male, single, office drone/drone pilot slowly training to get into data analytics. I have a wide range of interests and experiences and I can hold a conversation with literally anybody. I love to travel. My challenge is that I'm usually too extroverted (when I'm feeling good) for the introverts and way too introverted/socially anxious for the extroverts.
DfcukinLite t1_j6ud7gz wrote
Socially speaking, Baltimore is the friendliest and easiest city on the east coast to make real friends/relationship and connections imho. It’s not super transient as say DC/NYC, so it’s always better to make native Baltimore metro area acquaintances/friends to really get an understanding of how things work here and be in the “know”. People are genuinely interested in the real you here and not the pretensions/social climbing aspects you can provide that’s found in the more Type-A ‘see and be seen’ cities— cough cough DC. We’re all weirdos here, just a matter of your weird messing well with our weird and finding your tribe. There’s something here for everyone!
I love that there’s no pressure to always be “on” here. I’ve lived in other cities and that lifestyle while fun is really fcuking exhausting. I like that the going out scene here is relaxed and not uptight/showy. This a bar city with good dance floors, not to much a club city. People have money, titles, education, and accolades but they won’t throw it in your face every chance they get here and that stuff generally is not the topic of conversation when meeting people or otherwise. People will speak to you in the streets in passing or standing in lines.
Richmond is Baltimore’s little southern half-sister city. I find both cities to be similar in many ways except Baltimore is bigger. The demographics are similar. As is the city relationships with the greater county surrounding it. Richmond to me is Virginia’s only true “real” city. The others are just glorified suburban towns. I suspect you’ll do just fine here and love it as long as you keep an open mind and heart.