As children, adults told us that big cities were often better than smaller towns. They always presented big cities as the go-to places for events and career growth, especially in books and media. Heck, in university, most people from smaller towns flock to big cities, wanting to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Having grown up in a big city, I never noticed anything special about living in an urban area. Sure, you could argue that you had plenty of tourist attractions, but I never really visited them. So the amenities and resources made no difference to me, even when compared to smaller towns.
Nowadays, big city living is draining.
Due to the growing population, more people flock to big cities, leading to more housing demand. And this often means – you guessed it – rent prices increase. While big cities often have more job opportunities, it’s hard to balance expenses due to price inflation.
Moreover, the price increase can lead to several social and psychological issues. Due to high prices and rents, more people must work jobs that pay better. And sometimes, this may mean working long hours. Additionally, financial stress can create many concerns among residents, exacerbating health issues. Some of these include sleep deprivation, feelings of guilt and isolation, and increased levels of stress.
To make matters worse, there’s often a lack of resources due to growing populations.
Over time, we’ve seen more homeless encampments in major Canadian cities. This is mainly due to the housing and shelter bed shortage; in Toronto, we don’t have enough shelter beds to accommodate homeless people. Every night, they have to turn away approximately 40 people.
As a result, big cities aren’t as glamorous as you’d expect.
The environment and competition negatively affect people. I’ve seen classmates who moved to Toronto struggling to live in a big city. The hustle and bustle often lead to a sense of loneliness, and they can get overwhelmed by big crowds. Additionally, they struggle with keeping track of costs, which exacerbates other personal issues.
When we think of big cities, we think of glamor. Often, we think of celebrities in Los Angeles, or the famous fashion shows in Paris. Even though it may feel surreal to visit these places, we don’t know what it’s like to live there.
Ultimately, big cities tend to give a specific time of glamorous illusion. But, unless you live there, it’s difficult to see past that illusion and look into reality.
Photo by Joseph Frank on Unsplash
