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Why does nobody talk about the quiet vs loud city thing? I miss hearing my own thoughts
I moved to Chicago two springs ago from a town of 9,000. I figured the trade off was easy: more jobs, more food options, more stuff to do. Nobody warned me about the noise level difference. Not traffic noise or sirens, but the constant hum. My apartment faces an alley with three restaurant exhaust fans that run all night. At home I could sit on my porch and hear crickets. Now I can't even hear myself think without headphones on.
But here's the other side. I met my neighbor Marco last fall. He grew up here in the Loop, and he says the city noise is like a heartbeat. He sleeps worse in the country because it's too quiet. He says silence feels like something's wrong. I thought that was wild, but he's been here 40 years. Maybe my 'missing quiet' is just me being stubborn about adjusting.
So which is it? Is city noise something you learn to love, or is it a real reason to move back? Has anyone else felt this trade off, or am I just being dramatic about fans and dumpsters?
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fiona_kim8d ago
It took me a solid year and a half here before the hum faded into the background. Now I actually kind of need it to sleep, which is messed up. Your Marco is right about it feeling like a heartbeat, but that doesn't make your quiet craving dramatic. Fans and dumpsters are a totally different level than just city noise though, that's the part that would push me over the edge.
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