In light of my previous article, I am taking my own advice and moving. I want to experience a new place, explore a new city and mountains, and do fun things with new people. It’s going to be a great time. I hate wishing time away but I really cannot wait. Deciding where to go was exciting and also gave me anxiety. I love weighing pros and cons before making a big decision so I can see my thoughts in writing. Makes it easier to see what I want, I think?
Anyways, my friend encouraged me to make a list of the choices I had, and what to consider is important when moving to a new place. So I decided on some factors I think are worthy of your attention should you be deciding to shake things up and move somewhere new.
1. Culture
The culture of a city is going to shape the experience, 100%. First things first, FOOD. What is the food like? Are your options for fresh seafood (sushi) endless or is the local scene mind-blowing, deep-fried southern comfort food? Food culture should absolutely be considered depending on your palate. At least I see food as being at that level of importance.
Another cultural aspect is the social scene. Will you be living in a town like Stowe, Vermont where we commonly enjoy bonfire parties or sneaking into fancy hotel pools? Or is the bar/club scene popping and major artists performing in your area is a weekly thing? The social scene of Miami compared to a small mountain town is very different (even though the partying can be the same amount). How about music? If you love seeing live music, being in a place with tons of venues and artists coming through all the time will make you really happy. If you love live music and shows but are living in a town where the closest venue is two hours away, it’s probably going to be a less occurring thing. The fun things you enjoy doing with your friends should probably match up with the culture of the place you are considering living.
2. Vibe
Similar to culture, I think the “vibe” of a town or city should play a large role in your decision on where to call home. Are the people you will be spending a majority of your time with active? You’ll find towns where people bike everywhere and the variety of adult pick up sport leagues are abundant. I love that vibe. I love when people are psyched to be outside and moving with friends. Search what you want to be doing there and how you will meet new people! Are your interests available and popular? Is the vibe very eco-friendly and environmentally aware? Or does everyone drive and there are limited public gyms? Choose a vibe that fits your personal lifestyle interests and hobbies!
3. Location
HUGE. What is your town's accessibility to things you enjoy such as the ocean, mountains, skate parks, football stadiums, etc? Another big one is what is the distance of your new town from where you originally call home? How far are you from all your friends and family? Is there an international airport nearby? Is there convenient public transportation? Knowing if a car is essential to get around, most people use bike lanes or if the subway system is flawless is good to know. How much of a hassle it is to go home for the holidays can even be something to take into consideration, if that is important to you!
4. Cost of living
How much you’re going to drop on food, rent and basic life expenses is crucial to your quality of living in your town. If you can afford a really expensive city and all the luxuries that come with living in one, JEALOUS. If you try to live in an expensive city and cannot afford it, you’re going to be stressed and probably not enjoying yourself as much as you hoped. If a city is really cheap as far as rent goes and you can afford a nice apartment and a yard, I count that as a huge positive in moving there. How much you’ll be spending on just physically being there should be number one priority when considering where
5. Job opportunities
depending on what you want to do for work, knowing what your options are before you make a move is a great idea. Small towns versus large cities absolutely plays a part in your amount of job opportunities. Also taking into consideration the type of jobs available in that area is a good idea. If you are an outdoorsy person and want to work in the sports industry, moving to a city with a plethora of jobs in that field is a great idea. If film and media is your passion a city such as Los Angeles is a safe bet. You get my point. Weigh your options as far as what you want to do in your free time as well as for work.
6. Friends or Family
Knowing someone before you move there or even having family there is very important to some people. Not that it should be a reason NOT to go if you don’t know anyone there, but some people prefer to know someone who’s living there because it makes a lot of things easier. Having someone to show you around, introduce you to people, give you crucial local knowledge like which restaurants give people food poisoning and what bars have the best happy hours is really helpful.
It all comes down to what you truly want out of a town and new home. Hopefully, these are things that assist in making your decision-making process a little smoother. Certainly helped me!
