Many of us have spent far too much time idolizing “city life”, associating it with productivity and culture. Cities like Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles have always been the center point of movies and social media. If cities like these are really so important culturally, how is it that I can say I would never want someone I know to live in one?

When doing research, eight out of the ten people I asked said they would live in a city over a suburb or the countryside. 

“There’s just more to do in the city, more people and life is more fun,” said senior, Callum Davis.

While many people agree that there is more fun to be had in a big city, there are also many drawbacks, physical and psychological. The density of buildings in a city creates horrible air pollution that leads to increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Despite this, the greatest drawback of city life is the impact on mental health, the constant noise can cause constant stress, which leads to shortened lifespan, decreased quality of life, and increased risk for chronic conditions.

While there are benefits to city life such as: convenience, career opportunities, healthcare, and public transportation. All of these benefits with the exception of convenience can be accessed by living near a city and going when necessary. Unlike the benefits, the drawbacks of a city are unavoidable, the air pollution and noise will never change.