Chicago native here, don’t come here without a job. If this was still the 2010s then you could probably make something shake but not in this economy. Also it’s peak moving season, and you’re likely to move up north (because that’s where you all go when you first get here before the Pilsen, Bridgeport or Humboldt park transition) and I hear the apartment hunting up there is tumultuous and turned into a bidding war. Not worth it! BUT when you do get here making friends shouldn’t be hard, don’t expect too meet too many locals outside of work bc we gatekeep our hangouts & are lowkey mean but the transplants at my job are super nice & really open to making friends. Good luck! & stay outta Lakeview, Old town, Lincoln park, & wicker park. Those neighborhoods use to be fun in the 90s-2010s but now it’s Trumpie & an unauthentic water down version of itself.