What is Evanston IL like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's got a relatively small Dowtown (much smaller than Bethesda) just south of campus and the the surrounding area and North of campus is mostly a very nice residential area. A bit north of campus is the Bahai temple. There are a couple El stops running basically parallel to the NU campus to the east. If the purple line isn't running express it can take forever to get downtown because you have to switch to the Red Line and there's a ton of stops on that stretch. But if the express is running it's a quick hop downtown.

Further north is crazy mansions (the Home Alone house is in Evanston and it's not out of place in its neighborhood, we biked up to see it once)

the Home Alone house is in Winnetka ✋🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heard it’s a college town, but sounds pretty urban. Is it kind of like Bethesda (if Bethesda had a university)?

I’m a person who went to Northwestern and hated it. But it’s a fine school, just not for me, and Evanston is a beautiful, walkable, suburban kind of place. Any student who can handle walking around Bethesda, Chevy Chase or Cambridge, Mass., can handle Evanston. Some might find it a little dull.

The places in downtown Chicago where Northwestern has facilities are probably more at risk but are very aggressively guarded and probably very safe. I’ve never looked at the stats, but I’ve never had problems around there and never thought to look up the stats.

To me, it feels as if Adams Morgan — which, of course, is seen as lovely — is a little rougher than Evanston. Street people have followed me around in Adams Morgan, but never anywhere in Chicago.

On the other hand, I’m a short white woman. It seems possible that Evanston and downtown Chicago feel safe because of highly aggressive policing. Those might not be the most comfortable places for people of color or for any guys who dress down.

?? Northwestern's downtown campus is in one of the toniest/most touristy/most wealthiest neighborhoods in Chicago.

Places like the north part of downtown Chicago and Evanston are tony partly because they’re fortresses. The good part is that they’re safe; the bad part might be if the police mistake you for a bad guy. Maybe that’s a necessary evil, but I think people who would have any possible issues with the police elsewhere need to research what the deal is in the Chicago area. Maybe the situation is actually fine, but I don’t have any way to very that.

[Anonymous]

LOL it's incredibly clear posters like the one above me have no idea what they're talking about.

DCUM: where everyone feels the need to chime in and pretend like they know what they're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Evanston,

women students must deal with the predatory culture. “Survey show that experiences of sexual harassment and violence overwhelmingly affect undergraduate females.”

https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/on-no...their-role-in-sexual-violence/

First, you're citing data that's almost seven years old (it's from a 2015 survey). Second, the overwhelming effect on UG females you're referencing is compared to graduate males, graduate females and UG males on campus. It has no relation whatsoever to overall rates of harassment and violence.

Second, you missed the whole point of that article which is that the University's Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault group is working to raise awareness and change the statistics.

https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/on-northwesterns-campus-men-addressing-their-role-in-sexual-violence/

FWIW, I liked Evanston. I know nothing about Bethesda, and have seen only limited parts of College Park (mostly areas immediately adjacent to UMD) but the area of Evanston around NU is much nicer, IMO. And I never felt unsafe during the two years I was there.

Any time a university needs “Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault group“, you are off on the wrong foot. Why the hell does a university need a group like this? And no, it’s not old news:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/10/01/education/fraternities-rape-sexual-assault.amp.html

Uh, that's a nation-wide organization with chapters/affiliates/similar groups on campuses all across the country. You utter loser.

Why the hell would winners send their daughters there to get assaulted?

If you think women aren't getting sexually assaulted at literally every college and university in this country, you are a fool. And obviously a man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Evanston,

women students must deal with the predatory culture. “Survey show that experiences of sexual harassment and violence overwhelmingly affect undergraduate females.”

https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/on-no...their-role-in-sexual-violence/

First, you're citing data that's almost seven years old (it's from a 2015 survey). Second, the overwhelming effect on UG females you're referencing is compared to graduate males, graduate females and UG males on campus. It has no relation whatsoever to overall rates of harassment and violence.

Second, you missed the whole point of that article which is that the University's Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault group is working to raise awareness and change the statistics.

https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/on-northwesterns-campus-men-addressing-their-role-in-sexual-violence/

FWIW, I liked Evanston. I know nothing about Bethesda, and have seen only limited parts of College Park (mostly areas immediately adjacent to UMD) but the area of Evanston around NU is much nicer, IMO. And I never felt unsafe during the two years I was there.

Any time a university needs “Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault group“, you are off on the wrong foot. Why the hell does a university need a group like this? And no, it’s not old news:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/10/01/education/fraternities-rape-sexual-assault.amp.html

Uh, that's a nation-wide organization with chapters/affiliates/similar groups on campuses all across the country. You utter loser.

Why the hell would winners send their daughters there to get assaulted?

If you think women aren't getting sexually assaulted at literally every college and university in this country, you are a fool. And obviously a man.

Just ignore them. They're very obviously a NU troll who's butthurt for some reason and lacks basic reasoning skills, as exhibited by the above comment thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOL it's incredibly clear posters like the one above me have no idea what they're talking about.

DCUM: where everyone feels the need to chime in and pretend like they know what they're talking about.

So true! Honestly, no area in Chicago is really safe anymore. Gangs have been known to harass/attack people even in the “tonier” areas. Hopefully, the city is getting it under control.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Evanston for 2 years and my husband grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Evanston is a GREAT college town, or just town. Period. Are there areas that aren’t quite as nice as others? Yes, but that’s true for most places. I would equate Evanston to more like Arlington-has more urban parts as well as more residential. The town is completely self sufficient-lakefront, great restaurants, shopping etc. But it is a nice perk that it is close to Chicago: but it’s definitely farther from downtown Chicago than Arlington is to DC. But there are multiple ways to access the city: highway/lake shore dr, commuter (faster) train and El (metro type train). And frankly another perk is that there are cute and Tony suburbs to the north for lunch and shopping etc that can also be accessed by train.

I was just trying to convince my HS daughter to consider NW and Evanston today! It’s a great mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL it's incredibly clear posters like the one above me have no idea what they're talking about.

DCUM: where everyone feels the need to chime in and pretend like they know what they're talking about.

So true! Honestly, no area in Chicago is really safe anymore. Gangs have been known to harass/attack people even in the “tonier” areas. Hopefully, the city is getting it under control.

(a) The PP is referring to YOU. (b) You really don't know what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL it's incredibly clear posters like the one above me have no idea what they're talking about.

DCUM: where everyone feels the need to chime in and pretend like they know what they're talking about.

So true! Honestly, no area in Chicago is really safe anymore. Gangs have been known to harass/attack people even in the “tonier” areas. Hopefully, the city is getting it under control.

^the actual opposite of what I meant

[Anonymous]

Evanston is not in Chicago.

[Anonymous]

If you're planning an overnight stay at any point in time, I highly recommend the Graduate hotel in Evanston.

https://www.graduatehotels.com/evanston/

Favorite part of Chicagoland!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in Evanston for 2 years and my husband grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Evanston is a GREAT college town, or just town. Period. Are there areas that aren’t quite as nice as others? Yes, but that’s true for most places. I would equate Evanston to more like Arlington-has more urban parts as well as more residential. The town is completely self sufficient-lakefront, great restaurants, shopping etc. But it is a nice perk that it is close to Chicago: but it’s definitely farther from downtown Chicago than Arlington is to DC. But there are multiple ways to access the city: highway/lake shore dr, commuter (faster) train and El (metro type train). And frankly another perk is that there are cute and Tony suburbs to the north for lunch and shopping etc that can also be accessed by train.

I was just trying to convince my HS daughter to consider NW and Evanston today! It’s a great mix.

Yes. I would say Arlington is probably the closest comparison of a DC suburb to Evanston, although not perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lived in Evanston for 2 years and my husband grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Evanston is a GREAT college town, or just town. Period. Are there areas that aren’t quite as nice as others? Yes, but that’s true for most places. I would equate Evanston to more like Arlington-has more urban parts as well as more residential. The town is completely self sufficient-lakefront, great restaurants, shopping etc. But it is a nice perk that it is close to Chicago: but it’s definitely farther from downtown Chicago than Arlington is to DC. But there are multiple ways to access the city: highway/lake shore dr, commuter (faster) train and El (metro type train). And frankly another perk is that there are cute and Tony suburbs to the north for lunch and shopping etc that can also be accessed by train.

I was just trying to convince my HS daughter to consider NW and Evanston today! It’s a great mix.

Yes. I would say Arlington is probably the closest comparison of a DC suburb to Evanston, although not perfect.

Arlington's much larger than Evanston, though, and about 100 times less charming, but I suppose it's the closest analogy you might get, especially in relation to their big sister city neighbor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're planning an overnight stay at any point in time, I highly recommend the Graduate hotel in Evanston.

https://www.graduatehotels.com/evanston/

Favorite part of Chicagoland!

Thank you! Great tip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Evanston nicer/safer than West Philly? [/quote

Having lived in both places there is no comparison - Evanston is a large suburb that offers a blend of residential/retail & restaurants/office/Northwestern U. There are multiple retail corridors within Evanston and much of the city is safe, though there are a few sections where one needs to be more cautious. West Philly has improved since I lived there but it is still much more urban than suburban.