If you're new to Seattle or thinking/planning about moving here, then you've probably heard of the "Seattle Freeze". It was one of the first things that popped up in my Seattle Google research madness. There is this belief that people here are polite but don't really open up to make new friends. You might think, doesn't that happen in every big city? Well, apparently Seattle is one of the worst. I'm not sure I've experienced the freeze or not. How long is it supposed to last? I've lived here for four months and I have zero local friends, but four months is nothing, right #newintown? It doesn't help that we have a few non-local friends we always hang out with. Another important factor: us Latin Americans tend to find each other very easily, especially when you know someone that knows someone you know, that basically equals: we are now friends. So basically, I moved to Seattle and already had friends. Yay, friends!
I also feel that has put me at a disadvantage when it comes to making local friends, because I don't feel the urge to put myself out there. Is there such a thing as the Seattle Freeze? Or, am I the frozen anti-social one who is not even trying to make friends out there? oh no! To be honest, I'm the absolute worst at making small talk and I always forget people's names when I first meet them. I would not consider myself an extrovert at all. My husband is great at all that, so I can just stand beside him and smile, while he works his charm. That makes me even lazier. I'm not the best friend maker, but once we are friends, I consider myself a pretty good one. Saying that, sometimes I feel this city might actually be the right fit for me, everyone being polite and minding their own business is usually my way to roll. Then again, that is the me-with-friends speaking, if I were lonely... would I be trying to connect more with random people I meet? I think making friends is worst than dating.. and I haven't dated since I was 16 #highschoolsweethearts. I wouldn't even know where to start. What's a good line? I've used: How old is your baby? but thats only gotten me to a pretty straight forward answer and a smile #somuchfortrying .
So, no. Having no local friends is not helping me feel like a local at all. But there is one thing that does: my library pass. One of my most valued possessions. Number one: fewer things are more amazing than being in a building filled with "free" books. Number two: being member of the local library has numerous other benefits. Many people I talk to have no idea there are so many perks of joining. The obvious perk: checking out as many books as you want, having a wide variety of options, and also includes e-books for Kindle, yass! But here is a list of my three other great things the Seattle Public Library has to offer. Oh, of course everything here is free AND you can also get a library card if you are visiting Seattle for a while (read until the end for more info).
Free tickets to many local museums. Yes. Totally true, used this resource several times already and have visited: The SAM (Seattle Museum of Art), Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Sea Aquarium and Seattle Children's Museum. But the list includes: The MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture), Museum of Flight, Museum of History and Industry, Northwest African American Museum among others. You can reserve one pass per week with your Library card. Each museum pass includes at least two adult tickets; some passes include four or more tickets. You can reserve one pass to the same museum once every 30 days. It's not easy to find a spot at a popular museum, but everyday new spaces open at 9:00pm, so set your alarms for that time and login and let the click race begin. I recommend doing it a month in advance, so plan way ahead.
Family Story Times and Activities. This is seriously worth joining. The Baby Story time is well crafted for infants. The story-tellers really know their target group and make it super fun for babies and their parents. Plus, it's a great way for babies to interact with other infants their age without having to go to childcare. At the end they have free play, they put a whole bunch of toys and books for kids to crawl, walk and play with. They also offer StoryTime for pre-schoolers, Families, and other great activities for children of all ages.
Learning Opportunities. Need to study for the GRE or GMAT? Or want to brush up on your writing skills or learn English? The library has tons of free classes, online resources easily downloadable to your computer. They also have summer learning programs for kids. They even have special program and resources for people who are starting their own business. I've downloaded a bunch of materials to review my math skills when I was thinking about taking the GRE. Resources are available for every age group, you should definitely check it out if you are interested in learning something new and don't want to invest in those very expensive preparation books.
These are my three favorite things, but there is so much more the library has to offer that I haven't even explored yet.
How to apply?
You need to be 13 years or older and have a photo id. Fill out the online application before hand so it's faster, you'll get a code, then show up at any branch and voila!
Who apply?
If you live, work, go to school or own property in one of our free service areas you can get a free Seattle Public Library card. This includes:
The cities of Seattle and Bothell King County
You can also get a free Library card if you have a current Library card from other public libraries close by. (Visit the library page for more info).
If you do not qualify for a free card, there are two types of paid Library cards:
Visitor cards cost $25 for people living in Seattle for a short time. They are valid for three months, and cardholders can check out up to five items at a time.Non-resident cards cost $85 for Washington state residents who live outside the Seattle area. They are valid for one year, and cardholders can check out up to 50 items at a time.
So, I'll keep spending my time at the library and who knows, maybe I'll eventually make so local friends.
#freemuseumtickets #localinseattle #movetoseattle #lifeinseattle #librarycard #seattlepubliclibrary #localperks #newtoseattle #helloseattle
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