Feeling like I am doomed to live in suburbia forever

[Eivets Rednow]

Hi all

I’m sorry if this is offensive. I’ve never been able to make city life work for me, it’s always been too expensive. I’m concerned I will have to stay in suburbia forever unless I somehow make a lot of money really quickly and become rich beyond my wildest dreams.

Suburbia means enough space to live, affordability, comfort. It’s dull though. I’d love to live in a flat in Kensington, in my fantasy future that I’ve made up.

 

[Cloo]

I'm fine with being a lifetime suburbanite. Central London is so out of reach financially and also I'm too old now to really benefit massively from someowhere that could be staggered to from the West End or whatever, and I work in a job that has no specific in office expectations, though I go in once a week, so a central pad feels less special.

That said, wouldn't mind retiring to a flat in the Barbican.

 

[maomao]

Zone six rules. Why would anyone want to live near central London?

 

[Elpenor]

You can always run with the dogs tonight

 

[cupid_stunt]

Different people like to live in different places, each to their own.

Personally I would hate to live in a big city, a big town is about my limit, but I am much happier in a village TBH.

 

[Griff]

The older I get, the more I want to get away from a crowded London.

Moved to the country back in 2007, it was lovely at first. Thatched cottages and a 14th Century church opposite with tourists walking up and down taking pictures of the street.

But ultimately it was dull, dull, dull. Moved back to East London in 2016 and loved it.

Eight years of London and the aggression and rudeness of people is slowly getting to me now.

Fuck knows what a good balance is.

 

[Callie]

I like to try to remember how LUCKY I am to live in London. It's not everyones cup of tea but I'm still enjoying it and seeing and doing lots of exciting stuff and able to do this after work on a week night. Can be home within an hour most times.

Suburbia is a bit dull. It's where people live and sleep and do all the mundane bits but there are pockets of loveliness. Cafes, pubs, parks, ponds, outdoors, countryside easily accessible.
Seems like you are going through a bit disruption to life... Maybe you could move to a new suburb to inject some excitement back in??

 

[Silas Loom]

I’d very much like to be somewhere with only one floor and a great view, ideally over water. It’s almost irrelevant what lies outside the front door.

That means that if the wishes and interests of my family could be ignored, I’d abandon my suburban semi in a heartbeat for a Docklands penthouse or a clifftop bungalow.

 

[Eivets Rednow]

Callie I can’t move to a new suburb but I can try to inject excitement on the 2-3 nights I stay in London. (Weds, Thurs and additionally Fri if I know in advance)

 

[Eivets Rednow]

Silas Loom i like the idea of a Docklands penthouse.

 

[Idaho]

Fuck knows what a good balance is.

Stylish city apartment and a grand country pile of course

 

[Eivets Rednow]

The older I get, the more I want to get away from a crowded London.

Moved to the country back in 2007, it was lovely at first. Thatched cottages and a 14th Century church opposite with tourists walking up and down taking pictures of the street.

But ultimately it was dull, dull, dull. Moved back to East London in 2016 and loved it.

Eight years of London and the aggression and rudeness of people is slowly getting to me now.

Fuck knows what a good balance is.

I moved away from London because I couldn’t afford it and also the crime due to my lack of affordability was so much worse than the “normies” had to deal with. Or at least that’s what I thought. I’ve recovered from my crime obsession now and want the excitement of the city again but I’m not rich enough. I’m trying to sort my life out so I can be financially independent and have the life I want.

 

[Eivets Rednow]

Stylish city apartment and a grand country pile of course

I used to think the same possibly due to social media conditioning and advertising of country houses but now I think a calming city flat is the thing. Some kind of sanctuary in the city.

 

[MickiQ]

I Iive in a small town with only a few thousand people in it it's great and if need the facilities of a big city then Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield are all within an hours drive. I enjoy going to London especially to catch a show but if I do it's easy enough to book a hotel and train tickets. I would need to see a lot of shows to make it worth living in London.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Hi all

I’m sorry if this is offensive. I’ve never been able to make city life work for me, it’s always been too expensive. I’m concerned I will have to stay in suburbia forever unless I somehow make a lot of money really quickly and become rich beyond my wildest dreams.

Suburbia means enough space to live, affordability, comfort. It’s dull though. I’d love to live in a flat in Kensington, in my fantasy future that I’ve made up.

You could always join the Free Electric Band.

 

[existentialist]

I live here.



Public transport is shit to the point of non-existence, stuff is generally more expensive, the kids all move away the first chance they get, it rains a lot, but it's home to me.

I grew up in suburbia. Not so bad, but I guess I didn't know what I was missing...

 

[Silas Loom]

Silas Loom i like the idea of a Docklands penthouse.

A wing of Alcatraz would work just as well, really. And perhaps fauna would trump water, anyway, so the houseswap should be a hut in the Maasai Mara or an Antarctic observation station, as long as there was fast internet and Amazon prime.

 

[Griff]

Stylish city apartment and a grand country pile of course

That's kinda the plan but not in the conventional or 'too grand' way.

 

[JimW]

Now that there's deliveries and the internet there's no excuse for living in a city any more; I technically live in Beijing, but in a tiny village just below the mountains of a national forest park in one of the northern suburban districts and it suits me well, but grew in the countryside and never found it dull even in those pre-modern times.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I Iive in a small town with only a few thousand people in it it's great and if need the facilities of a big city then Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield are all within an hours drive. I enjoy going to London especially to catch a show but if I do it's easy enough to book a hotel and train tickets. I would need to see a lot of shows to make it worth living in London.

I love this village, almost 3,000 homes, largest enough to avoid the 'everyone knows everyone's business' vibe, one pub, three micro-pubs, 3 out the 4 put on live music, restaurants and take-aways, shops, post office, etc., the South Downs National Park just to my north, and the coast just to my south

Short bus or train journey into Worthing, which has a fair bit going on, clubs, restaurants, cinemas, and loads of lovely restaurants, it's no longer considered a retirement town, slightly longer bus or train journey into Brighton, and about 1.5 hours by train to London.

Oh, my main local pub...



Hidden in the back of the village farm shop and deli, gets busier in the evenings, esp. when there's live music.

 

[nagapie]

Now that there's deliveries and the internet there's no excuse for living in a city any more; I technically live in Beijing, but in a tiny village just below the mountains of a national forest park in one of the northern suburban districts and it suits me well, but grew in the countryside and never found it dull even in those pre-modern times.

People.

 

[rubbershoes]

Village life ftw

Most of my friends live within 10 minutes walk

 

[PursuedByBears]

I Iive in a small town with only a few thousand people in it it's great and if need the facilities of a big city then Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield are all within an hours drive. I enjoy going to London especially to catch a show but if I do it's easy enough to book a hotel and train tickets. I would need to see a lot of shows to make it worth living in London.

Similar here; I live in one of the smallest cities in England with about 140K inhabitants. We're on the doorstep of the Lakes, the Dales, Forest of Bowland etc and Manchester is an hour away if required.

Can't think of anything worse than living in a big city!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I live here.

View attachment 451253

Public transport is shit to the point of non-existence, stuff is generally more expensive, the kids all move away the first chance they get, it rains a lot, but it's home to me.

I grew up in suburbia. Not so bad, but I guess I didn't know what I was missing...

It's a beautiful part of the world.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I feel lucky to have the best of both worlds. I know for most Tameside, Manchester is not a desirable area and it's got more than it's fair share of social problems. But the hills are so close and the station is a short walk with regular trains to central Manchester. And the housing is vaguly affordable.

 

[JimW]

People.

There are still a few of them scattered about!

 

[kebabking]

There are still a few of them scattered about!

My condolences.

 

[JimW]

My condolences.

Can usually duck behind a bush before they get within hailing distance if you're quick,

 

[kebabking]

Village/sticks life.

It's not fabulously convenient for teenagers who want to have this new fangled social life which means driving then to a from town all the time (town being a relative term compared to London...) but it's quiet, with a big sky, a pub, and a village hall.

 

[girasol]

There's so much I hate about London - but after 35 years (what??? how did that happen?) here, I don't think I could live anywhere else. There's much I love about it too. I think I'd go crazy if I lived in a small town.