Money Magazine – 2010 Best Places to Live
Money Magazine recently published the latest installment of their yearly “Best Places to Live” rankings. You can check out the entire article by clicking HERE. When I was a junior at Ohio University, I used these rankings and others like it to help me decide where I was going to relocate to after college. These rankings are certainly helpful, but they should only be a small part of your decision.
As a young professional, the potential living situation can take you to one of three places – the home you grew up in, living on your own in a city you are familiar with or relocating to a brand new city that you may or may not have any connection to whatsoever. Before looking at each of these three, let’s talk for a minute about the decision making process. You really need to evaluate what is truly important to you and there simply is no easy answer.
The main factors in a young professionals decision about where to live include one or more of the following, each with varying degrees of importance:
People – Do you want to be as close to your family as possible? Did you make a pact with your high school friends that you would all move back home after college? Are you and some college friends all moving to a certain city together? Is your boyfriend/girlfriend already living somewhere?
Money – Are you at a point financially where you feel as though your only option is to move back home? Do you want to move to a big city but can’t afford to even split a studio with your income? Are you being offered twice as much money to start your career in a certain city?
Location – Do you need to be near a beach? Or can you not live without the lights and sounds of a big city? Do you need to be on the mountains and ski as much as possible?
Education – Does a school 1,500 miles away have the best program in the country? Is your field of study only offered in certain parts of the country?
Industry – Is it easier to become an actor in Los Angeles than it is in Omaha? How difficult is it to be a ski instructor in Miami? Are you at an advantage to choose one location over another based on your industry?
What is important to you may not even be a factor in someone else’s decision and vice versa. We all value different things in life and those things can often change significantly and quickly. The bottom line is that no matter what you decide to do, put yourself in control of the decision making process. Make sure to consider all of the above factors and not only one.
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.
The 5 Factors Young Professionals Must Consider Before Relocating
As a young professionals, the potential living situation can take you to one of three places – the home you grew up in, living on your own in a city you are familiar with or relocating to a brand new city that you may or may not have any connection to whatsoever. Before looking at each of these three, let’s talk for a minute about the decision making process. You really need to evaluate what is truly important to you and there simply is no easy answer.
The main factors in a young professionals decision about where to live include one or more of the following, each with varying degrees of importance:
People – Do you want to be as close to your family as possible? Did you make a pact with your high school friends that you would all move back home after college? Are you and some college friends all moving to a certain city together? Is your boyfriend/girlfriend already living somewhere?
Money – Are you at a point financially where you feel as though your only option is to move back home? Do you want to move to a big city but can’t afford to even split a studio with your income? Are you being offered twice as much money to start your career in a certain city?
Location – Do you need to be near a beach? Or can you not live without the lights and sounds of a big city? Do you need to be on the mountains and ski as much as possible?
Education – Does a school 1,500 miles away have the best program in the country? Is your field of study only offered in certain parts of the country?
Industry – Is it easier to become an actor in Los Angeles than it is in Omaha? How difficult is it to be a ski instructor in Miami? Are you at an advantage to choose one location over another based on your industry?
What is important to you may not even be a factor in someone else’s decision and vice versa. We all value different things in life and those things can often change significantly and quickly. The bottom line is that no matter what you decide to do, put yourself in control of the decision making process. Make sure to consider all of the above factors and not only one.
The Bottom Line: relocation is a great way to learn, grow and challenge yourself at a young age. It can also open the doors for some amazing opportunities and experiences that you never thought of before. Consider all 5 factors and do what you feel is best for yourself; both in the short-run and long-run.
