When I was a recent college grad in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I had lunch with a woman several decades ahead of me in her career. She had a job I wanted some day, and I was so grateful she had agreed to meet with me. 

She recommended many things to me that day. One of those things, however, was especially impactful.

A YNPN chapter was just starting up in Milwaukee, at that time. “Go seek them out and get involved,” she said. “You’ll really make a name for yourself.” This woman was well-respected in the nonprofit community, and her words seemed golden to me. I didn’t waste a moment seeking out YNPN. 

This blog is by Hannah Toedter.

Being a transplant from “way up north,” I have discovered how important it is to get to know the city in which you live in order to feel at home and connected. It is important for us as humans to take a moment out of our busy schedules to relax and take in the city in all its beauty. 

So, here you will find a list of five ways you can explore the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan area, while not hurting your wallet:

This blog is by Kylie Nicholas.

Getting to know Minnesotans as a transplant is tough. They’re friendly at work and polite on the streets, but it can take years for transplants to count more than a couple of native Minnesotans as true friends. It can be tough, but if you stick around until you break through you’ll make awesome friends AND get to live in the best cities in the whole world.

As a transplant myself, I’ve tried it all from signing up for socializing opportunities to desperate pleas for friendship. What I didn’t realize at first was that I needed to become more like a Minnesotan in order to break through Minnesota Nice. Here are a few of my favorite ways to make friends and fit in like an (almost) native.

So, Twin Cities, you think you’re pretty great with your high volunteer rates, your appeal to young professionals, and all your other chart-topping, quality-of-life rankings you’ve pulled in?  But where do you fall on the list of Best Cities for Transplants? Turns out, there isn’t such a list. Really, it’s subjective and unique to each transplant, so such a ranking may be flawed from the start.

The truth is, Twin Cities, you are pretty great. I’m guilty of the list-effect – I moved here in search of a robust nonprofit culture, rooted in progressive and organic organizing, professional in its volunteerism and appealing to young people who aren’t quite hipster, but want to pretend like they are for a couple years of their young lives.