Moving to a New City as a Young Professional

So you are getting ready to move as a young professional – possibly due to your career, desire to live somewhere else or be near a significant other.  Depending on the proximity to where you currently live and how much stuff you have, this could be a short drive or it could involve packing your belongings into a storage unit and shipping them across the country.  Don’t be scared off by the initial time or cost of a move.

To keep things simple, focus on three things when you move to a new place:  have great living arrangements, meet lots of people and make sure you give it a fair chance.  You can control each of these factors and they will give you a better chance of immediately finding happiness in your new place.

Great Living Arrangements

Make sure to live in a place that is safe.  Spending slightly more than you would like is worth allowing yourself to live in a nicer place that will make you happy.  Be sure to choose an area that is home to the types of people you want to be around, such as young professionals. Be sure it’s a part of town that you will enjoy, perhaps in close proximity to nightlife.  If you are new to an area, it is typically better to rent as opposed to buying, so that you are able to get a good sense of the entire city.  Once you become an expert on the different neighborhoods and sections of town by living there, you’ll be in a better position to consider buying a place.  You will also want to make sure you are committed to living in the area for at least a couple of years so that it makes financial sense to purchase a place.

If possible, try to find at least one other person to live with. Having a roommate will substantially lower your cost of living or allow you to spend the same amount of money but live in a much nicer place.  It will also help you to have a more active social life and to meet more people since a roommate usually comes with a new set of friends to hang out with.  Finding a good support system is crucial.

In terms of your living arrangement, it is important to bring some pieces of home with you.  This may include picture frames, memorabilia and furniture that bring the familiarity of your comfort zone to your new place.  In a new environment, you will want to feel ties to your life from the past.  As you continue to grow, it’s important to remember where you’ve been.

Meet Lots of People

One great thing about relocating is that you will have countless opportunities to surround yourself with people from all different walks of life.  If you grew up in one city and attended a school nearby, then you probably haven’t met many people from the opposite side of the country.  You can learn a lot about yourself and other people if you are able to surround yourself with diversity, and relocation allows you to do this.

Meeting new people who you’ll actually want to spend your time with can be difficult.  You must make a strong effort to meet new people, especially because it will be more challenging than it probably was for you at any other point in your life.  In high school, you had class with lots of people your age, many of whom you grew up with and lived nearby.  In college, it was even easier to meet people.  You lived in a dorm room when you started college and had a couple hundred people your age within a couple hundred feet of you at all times.  You met people through the dorms, classes, clubs and organizations that became some of your best friends.  However, in the “real world,” meeting people is more difficult.  You will probably need to make a stronger effort than ever before, but by doing so you will build new and enduring relationships that will make you a happier person in your new place.

Once you move, make a commitment to yourself that regardless of your other responsibilities, you will make every effort to meet new people.  You can do this by getting involved in the alumni association of the college you went to, watching sports games with other fans of your favorite team, volunteering at the local Boys & Girls Club, joining professional networking groups or joining a softball league.  There are thousands of ways to get involved, and they’ll allow you to build a network of friends, professionals and maybe even to start a relationship with the love of your life.  Meeting new people is difficult and can be uncomfortable at times, but doing so will expand your horizons.

Give it a Fair Chance

A common mistake for those who make a big move is to hit the “panic button” too soon when the initial feeling of un-settlement is still lingering.  Many people’s first reaction is to return to their comfort zones when this challenge arises.  Moving to a new city can be extremely difficult, but you must give yourself every chance to succeed.  At first, it is easy to complain – you’re too far from home, you are unhappy professionally, you don’t know anyone, the place is different from what you are used to.  Most of the problems you will have at first are easily fixable if you truly want to fix them – you can always meet new people, move to a different part of town or change your career.  Challenge yourself to persevere through the initial difficulties and give yourself every chance to succeed.  If you decide to move back to your comfort zone too quickly, you may regret it later on in life and always wonder what would have happened if you had just stuck it out.

Keep in mind that moving to a new city and successfully becoming independent will make other big decisions and moves in your life much easier; you will be more confident and more successful in the future because of your experiences.  If you can pack up your life, move far away and become successful in a new place, then most of the other challenges you face in life will seem less intimidating.