This is the fifth and final part of my series exploring the top five reasons I’ve been loving my new chapter in Detroit so far. Previous posts focused on local enthusiasm in rooting for the city and on my enthusiasm for the city’s atmosphere in the autumn, its history, and its budget-friendly options for exploring. With this last post, I want to appreciate the city for the way it complements me personally. Now, to explain.
My first week living in downtown Detroit, my roommate, Victoria, and I went to a nearby networking event. When people would ask us, “Where are you from?” (shoutout to those reading who are smiling right now because they know my struggles with this question), Victoria would answer “New York.” (Bless her for answering first!) More than once, this led to a conversation comparing Detroit to New York and other major US cities. I learned quickly that transplant residents of Detroit often notice this one particular thing: Detroit is lively on the weekends and event nights, but on weekdays it’s relatively quiet.
Since that event, I’ve talked with several more people, most often from New York or Chicago, and they seem to find Detroit’s quiet weekdays a little eerie. (Not to be confused with Erie, one of our fine Great Lakes!) “It’s so quiet! Where is everyone?” I had no idea so many people felt this way.
I honestly hadn’t even noticed. I mean, sure, when a major sporting event is happening–especially when it’s the Lions playing at home–the city is noticeably more packed with people. It’s louder, and the city feels fuller. But I truly never noticed anything missing during the week.
After reflecting, I realized: As a social introvert, this is an ideal spot for me!
As I started to pay attention, I realized that when I go for my morning runs, I often don’t have to worry about stopping at every traffic light, because there aren’t cars everywhere at all hours. (In fact, some drivers in Detroit joke about how during the week, they sometimes stop at a red light and then proceed through the intersection because no one is there, and cops here usually have more important things to worry about than minor traffic violations.) When I want to go check out a new coffeeshop or craft beer spot to get some work done, I can be confident I’ll find a seat. I’m not the only person out there running in the morning, nor am I the only person working remotely from local eateries, so it still feels like I’m going about my day as part of a community. But I can also do my own thing and be in my own head space, uninhibited by the kind of social claustrophobia that often comes as part of the package deal of a big city.
At that networking event, Victoria shared a line that resonated with me. I later learned that this line comes from D:hive’s Jeanette Pierce, a native Detroiter: “Why Detroit? Because it’s big enough to matter in the world, but small enough that you can matter in it.”1
This is the kind of place where an individual’s potential to make impactful change is apparent, while it also remains possible to blend into a crowd. As a self-motivated introvert who loves pouring into local communities, I am so thankful to have found (another) place that meshes well with my personality. In a way, it makes me feel like the city and I are already friends.
It also makes me want to ask, how would you describe the “personality” of the place you live? What parts of your personality does this place bring out in you? What are your favorite parts of living there? (Or, have you ever visited a place that accommodated your personality differently? How so?) I’d love to hear from others about this!
Creed Bratton, one of the most quotable characters on The Office, says in the series finale, “No matter how you get there, or where you end up, human beings have this miraculous gift to make that place home.” I’m happy to report that I’m enjoying the process of making Detroit home. Thanks for being a part of it with me.
Up Next: On Wednesdays in November, I’ll be writing about the experiences this year I’m most thankful for. Up first, I’d like to share with you a particularly (even surprisingly) worshipful weekend I had at a music festival.
Sources:
- Pierce, Jeanette. “Opinion: Attracting Talent in Detroit isn’t Just about Jobs.” Bridge Detroit. 26 June 2023. Accessed October 18, 2023. https://www.bridgedetroit.com/opinion-attracting-talent-detroit-isnt-just-about-jobs/
Detroit, Reformed. 
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