Moving to a new city can be a pretty overwhelming experience. Moving places entails much more than just packing a few boxes and unpacking elsewhere – it involves the upheaval of your entire life and requires you to make your peace in a different location altogether.
There are several challenges involved when one considers moving to a new city, and to make the entire experience less daunting, given below are seven things you should do when you first move to a new city:
Depending upon wherever you hope to move to, it is likely that there may exist several local blogs regarding what it would be like to live in that town or vicinity, how much would be the monthly living expenses, and what some of the popular tourist spots are, and about how the system of public transportation works. In addition to consulting online resources, you can reach out to individuals who you know to live in the area, or put up queries in relevant social media groups to connect with such individuals.
While it might be a little embarrassing going up to neighbors and introducing yourself – especially if you haven’t done it before – it is a rite of passage for everyone that moves to a new city. You never know when you may need your neighbor’s help in watering the plants or when you may need to borrow a home utensil in urgency, and hence it is wise to get to know the people you live around. A big part of moving to a new city is learning how to make friends and the sooner you get your initial shyness over with, the better.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when moving to a new city is being a homesick and brooding day in and day out about it. When you have finally made the move – whether it be done willingly or unwillingly, you have to learn how to live with it. It is wise for you to explore your new city – even if it be something as small as taking a walk in the nearby park or eating lunch at an eatery near your place of accommodation. If you feel up for it, you should consider hitting popular tourist spots to get yourself well-versed in the city’s offerings.
While you may be brooding your move now, you are likely to forget all about the anxiety and stress associated with it in no time. In light of keeping up with your new life, you may also forget to keep in touch with friends and family back home. Hence, you must create a set schedule to speak to people back home and stay updated on each other’s life decisions. Whether you do this through text messages, voice calls, or video conferencing is completely up to you.
Access to a good general physician and a dental practice is crucial for every individual learning to live on their own, and one of the first things you should do when you move to a new city is to find one of each. Whether you choose to get recommendations from your old doctor/dentist or wish to ask around from neighbors or colleagues, be sure to do this during your first few weeks. You may also rely on old and trusty Google to find the best-recommended clinics in your area.
When you move to a new city, try to scour through your social media to find people you may know or any old friends who may be living nearby. Even if you don’t have anyone you know living in the area, someone you know likely knows someone else, and hence cross-referencing is always a good idea. By having someone you know and can rely on, the more likely becomes easier on you as you would have a real person to go to for every question you may have rather than relying on Google for all your queries.
You have likely made the move to a new city for work or study purposes but that doesn’t mean that you should only focus on work and not play. When you move to a new location, you should find something you love to do in your free time. Whether this is a book club you can look forward to every month or an art class you take every weekend, find something you can look forward to and enjoy in your free time.
Whether you are planning to change cities for study or work purposes, you would likely have to live far away from your family, friends, and existing circle of niceties. By following the above-mentioned tips, you are likely to gel into your new surroundings in no time and make the most out of your move.
