The problem at hand:

Many a foreigner working in China will not necessarily be placed in the most ideal of locations. They may indeed land a job in their preferred choice of city; only to find that they will be working in what is not exactly the most central of locales. Given the sheer size of the average Chinese compared to those in the West; a newly arrived foreigner being placed in the suburbs can feel no different to being flung in the darkest, most remote areas of the countryside. A common refrain in many a laowai WeChat group is that "There's nothing to do in (insert district here)." In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

1.) Not everywhere is a cosmopolitan metropolis.

Many foreigners feel isolated due to a lack of an expatriate community in their local area and feel that they cannot ever belong to a community in the area. The reality is that these people need to seek to befriend local people and perhaps accept that their idea of fun does not necessarily involve going to Western style bars and eating foreign food. Those that can bring themselves to become more open-minded and try new things can enjoy experiences that the typical expat crowd would never enjoy. Look at what local people do in their spare time. Want a 'real China' experience? You're in the best place to start. Not all social activities require 'going out,' a short walk around the block may be all that you need.

2. Learn some Chinese.

Not everywhere is going to be 'foreigner-friendly.' Foreigners represent less than 1% of the local population at the best of times; for the average local business owners there is little incentive to make things easy for you. Likewise, not everybody can speak good English and they'll appreciate your efforts to make communicating with you slightly less difficult. The additional motivation to learn will often produce amazing results. While those that live in central areas may still struggle after years of life in China; you may find that you can learn the language far more quickly.

Many a business and service exists to cater for the varying needs of local people; it is up to you to open your eyes and find those opportunities to have fun. Get on Chinese apps such as Dianping, find those new hotspots and activities that those expat websites would never pay attention to. Talk to locals, let them show you around. Frequent your local noodle shop or barbecue. You won't be alone for long; staff and regulars will soon get to know you as you'll stand out from the crowd.

3. Explore the neighbourhood.

You'll be living in some of the most populated cities on the planet; very rare is it that anywhere in a Chinese city is ever 'dead.' It is highly doubtful that most local people are complaining that there is little to do along the crowded streets of the average Chinese city. In fact, those far out suburbs may be the places where those working in central areas commute from, most people can't afford to rent or buy in the most desirable areas, just like back home. If you go for a little walk around, you may find that there's actually more going on in your neighbourhood than in any of the flashier down-town places where people usually only go to work.

Stop relying upon expat websites and taxis. Go for a walk around the area, ride a shared bike, catch a bus/subway or two to a random stop. Go to down random alleys and expect people to stare at you. Pay attention to what is around you and notice that most people aren't all that miserable. They're going about their daily lives and many of them are happy. Why shouldn't you be happy living around there too?

4. Life can be rather plain, but that's OK.

Back home, you wouldn't necessarily indulge in a constant life of dining out and partying like many a foreigner living in China feels compelled to do. Most of the time, you will just go to work, go home, cook dinner, watch TV, browse the web, maybe go for a little walk and sleep. That's the reality of life for most people in this world. We aren't here for a never-ending holiday, we're here to live. Not every day is going to be spectacular. There's no need to get to the bar every day after work. Sometimes, you'll find yourself spending your time at the same mall or the same local café.

Yet don't you ever think that such stability could be reassuring and comfortable? Does your life have to revolve around the constant drama and bitchiness found within cliquey circles consisting of no more than a few hundred foreigners? Get to know your local area and embrace it.