View Full Version : OKC relocation



OSUZach
08-21-2007, 04:53 PM
Howdy everyone! I'm strongly considering taking a job back in OKC and wanted to get people's opinions on living there. I was an out of state student @ OSU and visited OKC a lot during college, and enjoyed it. The complaints I keep hearing are that people get tired of doing the same thing over and over b/c there isn't an abundance of things to do? I'm a real laid back guy who pretty much does anything for fun whether its going to the bars or tossing afrisbee...as long as its fun. Hope ya'll can help me out and maybe convince me to move to OKC :)

Midtowner
08-21-2007, 08:03 PM
Zach,

It's just like any town -- you can find stuff to do or you can sit on your butt, do nothing and complain. There's a ton to do here.

rugbybrado
08-22-2007, 08:21 AM
Zach,

It's just like any town -- you can find stuff to do or you can sit on your butt, do nothing and complain. There's a ton to do here.


thats pretty much it.

theres something like 1.5 million people in the okc area, if you cant find a bar/party/outdoor activities/recreation to do then its all on you. i used to complain when i first got here that i was bored of everything and needed more stuff to do, but then when someone would invite me out during the week i would always back out to go to the gym instead and then home to rest.

the only thing that does suck(coming from stillwater and before that tulsa which are both much more compact) is that okc is very spread out. Dont live in south okc if you want to go out north to have a good time each week. i live in the moore area because its closer to work and that has alot to do with me complaining about how boring it is. granted i like where i live, the neighborhood, how nice everything is, nothing in traffic compaired to north okc....but its generally more geared towards families. There a couple of good bars that i go to, but pretty much i head into norman or to downtown on the weekends and both are about 15 minute drives.

cliffs -
-lots of stuff to do if you want to do it
-depending on where you job is located take that into consideration because to me atleast north okc/ south okc are pretty much two seperate cities. there isnt much going back and forth between both of them unless you want want to waste a hour round trip to go out in the evenings.

metro
08-22-2007, 08:57 AM
Zach, OKC is a great place to make a name for yourself and has lots of opportunity. If you move to a bigger city out of state, you'll be lost in the sea of people and those cities are already developed on a large scale. OKC still provides the opportunity to get in on the ground floor.

traxx
08-22-2007, 10:44 AM
Zach, tell us where you are now and maybe we can help you make a little bit better comparison. Also it well help us to know what you've grown used to in your current city and what you expect from a city.

I'm with the other guys, there's a bunch of stuff do here, you just have to do it.

OSUZach
08-22-2007, 07:53 PM
traxx, i'm from indianapolis and have lived there all my life. I've talked to a few people who are familiar with both cities and they all draw similar comparisons between the two. As for want I want in a city; a city where there are a variety of options of things to do( restaurants, sports, recreation, museums, other attractions, outdoors), but without all the hustle and bustle of a bigger city which I don't think OKC has. One thing I think I will like about OKC is the friendliness of the people in which i'm optimistic I will make friends. Thank you all for your help

jbrown84
08-23-2007, 08:27 AM
I met a guy recently who is from Indy and just moved here to work for Chesapeake. He said OKC reminded him ALOT of Indianapolis.

adaniel
08-24-2007, 11:54 AM
After spending a hellish summer internship in Houston, I'm seriously considering just staying in this area. I'm also a student from out of state going to OU (I'm from just outside Dallas) majoring in the oil/gas field. Considering that there are no oil companies of even small size left in Dallas, OKC is probably my best choice.

From being here a few years, this is what I think of the city. OKC isn't America's most exciting or intriguing city.Then again, there are good places to visit and then there are good places to live. Between the low traffic congestion, friendly people, low cost of living, and relatively good economy this is just an "easy" place to live. And the upward momentum of the city and good possibility of pro sports coming to town it only makes it even more attractive. It offers close to everything for nearly everyone in different stages of their lives. You can live in a rapidly developing urban core, a comfortable suburb with good schools, or quiet country out in the rural periphery of the city. And I agree with the argument that its sometimes best to be a big fish in a small pond (hopefully I will get to be a big fish LOL). Its something I definitely realized being in Houston working in the oil and gas industry.

dalelakin
08-24-2007, 06:47 PM
traxx, i'm from indianapolis and have lived there all my life. I've talked to a few people who are familiar with both cities and they all draw similar comparisons between the two. As for want I want in a city; a city where there are a variety of options of things to do( restaurants, sports, recreation, museums, other attractions, outdoors), but without all the hustle and bustle of a bigger city which I don't think OKC has. One thing I think I will like about OKC is the friendliness of the people in which i'm optimistic I will make friends. Thank you all for your help

HA
I am perfect for this thread. :kicking:

Zach I just moved to here from Speedway in March of last year. This is Indianapolis 15-20 years ago. As Metro said this city is a great opportunity to get in on and now is the right time.


Tell me what part of Indy interests you the most and I can draw some comparisons for you.

If you have already lived in the Stillwater area you will be prepared for the wind and the heat. The heat didn't really bother me because I was prepared and had researched avg temps and rainfall etc. However the avg rainfall I had no idea that meant that in a matter of hours a couple days outta the year you would get half. And the avg wind that I wasn't prepared for and will be something added onto the "research" list of any potential new homes away from home.

BTW What part of Indy are you from? I grew up in Plainfield and lived most of my adult life in Speedway at pretty much 16th and Lynhurst 1 mile from my door to turn 1 gate of IMS.

OSUZach
08-26-2007, 04:25 PM
dalelakin thank you for your time.

I can't say one part one indy interests me more than others although I like White River State Park (Zoo, Canal, State Museum, etc), and the city blocks around the monument and circle centre. And there is always broad ripple which seems to be the recent hang out while back for the summers since i'm 22. What are there areas of OKC where the younger folks live. One thing I really like about Indy is the Monon Trail and parks like Garfield Park and Holiday Park.

I grew up in Carmel along Keystone (US31). I have lived there all my life with the exception of college and this short stint in Boston (trying to find a new job in OKC or Indy). That must be something to grow up a mile from historic IMS. If I move to OKC, I will sure miss the sporting events, even though I am a huge OSU fan.

cityguy
08-26-2007, 07:48 PM
It's a great place to consider based on what you wrote. Oklahoma City is not exactly a hub of activity (far from it), but it's growing and there are a lot of things happening that a lot of us find very exciting.

Based on my experience of visiting Indianapolis quite a bit since my childhood, I would agree with dalelakin's comment about OKC being about where Indianapolis was 15-20 years ago. Oklahoma City might be the perfect fit!

traxx
08-27-2007, 02:12 PM
As for want I want in a city; a city where there are a variety of options of things to do( restaurants, sports, recreation, museums, other attractions, outdoors), but without all the hustle and bustle of a bigger city which I don't think OKC has.

OKC is on the path be exactly that. I think this is what alot of big city transplants want: a big city experience with a small town atmosphere. Hopefully we don't get stars in our eyes with the arrival of pro sports and try to be the next Chicago etc. etc. The small town feel is exactly what OKC needs to play up.

jbrown84
08-28-2007, 08:41 AM
I don't know anything about those parks you mentioned, but there are some great places for outdoor activity near OKC. Chickasaw National Recreation Area and Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge are two excellent parks less than an hour and a half from the city.

dalelakin
08-28-2007, 08:15 PM
Monon trail is an abandoned railroad that has been converted into a beautiful greenway. Monon Trail (http://www.indygreenways.org/monon/monon.htm)
I would compare it to Lake Hefner trails. While the Monon is quite a bit longer it dead ends each way and some of the areas it goes through are pretty rough. Lake hefner on the other hand is circular and I haven't found a spot on those trails that I would not feel safe unlike 38th and Meridian in Indy.

As for the Zoo NCAA HQ and Victory field section in Indy there isn't really anything like it here yet. My hopes are with the Native American Cultural Center going in on the river and all of the development on the canal it will rival it some day.