7 reasons I don’t think I could ever leave Charlotte (and 3 reasons I kind of want to)

Like so many others, I am not a Charlotte native. I came here needing a place to restart and recharge for a bit and the plan was to spend about six months getting my life together here, and then head back to Chicago, which had been my home for the five years prior.

But here I am, six years later, an unexpected Charlottean. Here are 7 reasons I don’t think I could leave Charlotte – and 3 reasons I kind of want to.

Reasons I don’t think I could leave:

(1) The weather is incredible.

I’m originally from New Hampshire and went to school in Chicago – so I am no stranger to painful winters. Now I know you don’t actually have to be completely miserable for six months out of the year.

(2) I’m closer to family.

The older I get, the more important it is for me to be close to my family – and leaving that kind of comfort would be very difficult.

(3) People are well put together.

So, by extension, I am well put together. Y’all, when I go back to New Hampshire, everyone wears sweatpants, legit sweatpants, everywhere. I’ve learned to appreciate the effort that so many people put into their appearance here. 

(4) Charlotte is the fittest city I have ever lived in.

There are boutique studios in every neighborhood and they only keep growing. Not to mention all of the community workout events like run clubs and brewery yoga. You can’t escape it!

(5) I’ve made a second home at Y2 Yoga.

Replace this with whatever community you’ve grown to be a part of. For some it’s a church, a volunteer group, a gym – but for me it’s Y2. I really struggle with the idea of finding another community and second home like the one I’ve found in this space.

(6) People talk to each other here!

People don’t talk to you in the line at the grocery store or say “good morning” as you pass on runs in New England. The openness of Southerners and the folks in Charlotte in general is something I’ve truly learned to love.

(7) I feel like I’m a part of a growing community.

Because Charlotte is relatively new, you can feel a part of it in ways you rarely can in larger cities. If you put yourself out there you can become a part of the city’s growth, and that’s a really wonderful thing.

Despite all of this good (and there is so much good), there are still a few reasons I sometimes find myself daydreaming about a move to somewhere new:

(1) I miss public transportation.

While a part of me loves the indulgence of driving everywhere, I miss public transportation. It can make a commute a place to read a book or people watch. Sure, Charlotte has the light rail and CATS – but it’s nothing compared to the “L” in Chicago or the subway in NYC.

(2) I miss being closer to the ocean.

Yes, there are a couple of lakes and you can be at the beach within three or four hours of driving. But I grew up 40 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and went to school a mile from Lake Michigan (which is basically an ocean) and there really is no comparison. I miss being able to take a quick drive or walk to the beach.

(3) I miss living in a city with character.

We all have witnessed Charlotte’s amazing growth. But this same growth and expansion does mean not much is old. Developers are tearing down gems like Common Market and putting up more Camden apartment buildings. Everything is new, new, new. I miss old, and cozy, and being a regular somewhere that has been around for 50 years.

But with the ups and downs, I know that if I ever were to leave, there are so many things I would miss desperately. Charlotte really does have a lot.

Photo: CharlotteFive Staff

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "7 reasons I don’t think I could ever leave Charlotte (and 3 reasons I kind of want to)."