I feel really depressed living in Hamilton, people here are so self-conscious and close-minded... The city looks broke as hell

You contradict yourself. You say that city looks broke as hell, probably referring to many buildings in disarray and general poor condition as well as lots of poor people. Yet you say people are self-conscious, which usually means they put a lot of effort into how they look.

How exactly are the people here close minded? What's your definition of open-minded?

@GeorgeLucas, there's no need to be rude about it. The whole point of these forums is to help people, whether academically or socially. Having a condescending attitude towards someone who is feeling depressed doesn't help.

@stars, If you're feeling depressed, there's resources at Mac to help you through those times. You can also explore the nicer parts of Hamilton, like all of the waterfalls or even Cootes. I know how you feel, I often miss my hometown a lot because outside of the McMaster and nature areas, Hamilton is an industrial city and there's not much going on here. I would take advantage of the nice weather and explore outside of the downtown Hamilton area. I had a bitter attitude towards the city at first, but Hamilton is really known for their waterfalls!

Yoda does not approve. The force is not with you on this one!

@GeorgeLucas, there's no need to be rude about it. The whole point of these forums is to help people, whether academically or socially. Having a condescending attitude towards someone who is feeling depressed doesn't help.

I'm not being rude. In fact, the whole OP basically states "I'm depressed because Hamilton isn't good enough for me"....

okay, what's good enough? He didn't specify or explain anything. He can't be helped if he doesn't specify what's his deal with this city. Thus, I asked.

I just think it's fishy cos the guy's join date is 2 years ago, yet it's only now he's figuring out that Hamilton's a miserable dump. :-)

Hamilton was originally populated by working-class Irish, Scottish and Northern English, and that culture still dominates even today. It's a mean culture that beats the ambition and pride out of anyone. That's why the city is the way it is. And yes I grew up here.

If it's any consolation, it was far far worse 30 years ago. Though apparently the scabies and tuberculosis are worse now.

Hamilton has a working class charm to it that may grow on you if you keep an open mind. Moving to a new place may make you feel view your surroundings more negatively in comparison to your home town but it's a working class city. If you've ever struggled-like really struggled then you might appreciate some of its perks. It has affordable living costs-groceries are pretty cheap. A Tim's is at every corner. The old cottage houses along back streets will remind you of its factory town roots. Don't forget the pretty view of the city from the escarpment. Sure it isn't Paris or an outdoors wonderland like BC where the ocean meets rocky mountains but there's just something about it....a gritty charm.

Also, I apologize for the unsolicited advice...you may want to take advantage of the student counselor service and discuss how you have been feeling. The school also offers a chaplaincy service-there's a woman who works there (maybe she was the assistant to the chaplains-not sure) who loves having an informal chat with folks about spirituality or anything really.

I often feel the same way stars feels, but about Toronto

it seems like everyone there is from some backwater, or stuck deeply in the 1990s

Stars, try nyc or london or paris. it isn't that hard to do and worth it. Altho, a good inner life is worth a lot more than any city, you really can read/watch/listen to anything anywhere now

Originally Posted by stars

I feel really depressed living in Hamilton, people here are so self-conscious and close-minded... The city looks broke as hell

Thanks for posting and sharing your thoughts in the forum Stars. I know you're a long-time user on MacInsiders, so I assume you've lived in Hamilton for a while now (not a new student just recently moved to the City).

Having lived here for the majority of my life, I have a very different perspective of the City. A lot of factors go into one's perception of their surroundings... where you live, who you interact with, your daily activities and if you're exploring/adventuring into new areas around Hamilton.

I assume you're living in a student house down in the McMaster area? Or in downtown Hamilton? Have you ventured out into the many great pockets of Hamilton where there are exciting things happening? There are lots of up and coming areas in Hamilton that might change your perspective. We also have a lot of great nature trails, the waterfront, Cootes, a variety of parks, etc. which are beautiful nature areas. An exciting food scene, farm to table, lots of unique restaurants, etc. Lots of innovation happening here as well.

Some videos to give a different perspective:






Lots happening in the Hammer:







Also a lot of new plans for redevelopment: