From My Experience
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4/21/2011
I have appreciated the city reviews on this site. My husband just got a new job in another city and we've been contemplating moving or not. The reviews are personal experiences and therefore subjective, nevertheless eye-opening and helpful. Here's my take on the total of 16 years living in Davis, CA for those contemplating a move here.
I have experience living in Davis in two different periods of my life. I was a student from 1987-1995. I left Davis after completing a graduate degree. I came back to Davis in 2003 and have resided here with my husband and two children ever since. I'm ok with Davis, CA but it is not beautiful or intelligent (just my opinion). People are rather average or used to ease. The homes are cheaply built; lacking in style and landscaping. If you want a humble place to live, this is it. The schools do not challenge students in academics or build up their natural gifts. They are rather preoccupied with fund-raising. Even the University.
Kids are generally polite and law abiding. They tend to score well because the parents are competitive and help them. Parents also supplement with extracurricular programs to keep kids busy and out of trouble. Instead of more classes, I would rather take my kids traveling or homeschool them to wake their minds and show them what's bigger, better and lovelier. "Kids, look how smart and hard-working people in other countries are, look at their architecture, look at how they dress (not in usual Davisware of shorts and t-shirt), let's go out to lunch or make something new (the perks of homeschooling)."
One's past will affect how you feel about living here in Davis (or anywhere, for that matter). I guess I was lucky growing up in the S.F. bay area with green hills, mild climate, clean air, ethnic diversity, good schools, good food, beaches, vistas/views, culturally rich, linguistically rich, low divorce rate, close-kit families with relatives close by, stay at home parents or grandparents who took care of youngsters, gangs were unheard of, healthy and polite children (parent-raised, not career/daycare raised), people who had faith in God (not necessarily church goers though), strict teachers, a principal who spank misbehaving kids, living humbly in three story/six bedroom homes and looking after our neighbors like they were family, etc. There's just so much good, it's hard to list it all!. This was all normal to me and my peers in the 1970's. Our parents weren't rich, but they were hard-working and oh-so-strict. (It's because they had immigrated from another country and weren't yet fat and lazy Americans. The latter happens after two generations of being slack and idolizing sports/television. Just my opinion.)
Unfortunately, times are different now and I can't give my children what I had growing up. So Davis is just ok. They are always telling me that they would like to move. Davis is boring after having lived in the Wild Wild West, S.F. bay area, and Taipei Taiwan.
I grew up with a lot of space in the 1970's just 15 minutes south of San Francisco. I know now how blessed I was. So wherever I live, I tend to treat others as I was treated. I can't change Davis, but I can check my attitude and be thankful. I hope I can teach my children this principle of adjusting oneself to where one is called to live for the time being. Davis is not forever, although it seems it sometimes.
If you want your town to be better, invest in it. Others, in particular your kids, will copy you. It doesn't do any good to complain. As my husband has told me, "I don't like Davis and all it stands for (politically), but the people are law-abiding." Recognize the good things. It can help you hang in there until a town feels like home. If you've never felt at home, maybe you are moving too much. Settle down and invest in one community.
Davis is not the perfect place to raise your children, but it is safe enough. I see people walk their dogs or jog at 11pm. It's normal fare. What's also normal are kids/adults with frequent allergies. It can make life tough. If medication does not work, I would seriously consider moving.
People are people and if people don't know anything better, they will think Davis is great. I have appreciated the relative safety in Davis for my kids, but overall I would rate Davis a 5 compared to our past residences which were 8's, 9's and 10's.
Thanks for reading this long long review. Good luck!
Abhd | Davis, CA