5 Things you Need to Know before Moving to a Big City

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Moving to a big city from a small town or suburb is a big step! It’s new, exciting, and unfamiliar. A bigger city means larger crowds, louder sounds, and bigger adventures and opportunities. It can take a while for you to transition into life in a city, but fear not! Although it takes some time, sticking it out for the long run has great payoffs if you want it bad enough. In the meantime, here are some things you need to know before you make a big change.

Give Yourself a Year Before it Feels like Home

Major cities are vast and full of so much to do and see, it can take a long time before you’re comfortable with your surroundings. The key is to try and build yourself a community, but that is going to take time.  So don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to go out and explore! Become familiar with all that is around you.

Budget Extra Time to Get Anywhere

Gone are the days where it only takes a few minutes to get somewhere. ALWAYS budget out extra time to get to your location. If it takes an hour, plan an extra 20 on top of that to allow for getting lost or any kind of traffic delay. There is always going to be some kind of delay, so make time for it.

Cost of Living

One of the biggest changes you will see going from a suburb to a city is pricing for everything. Even the move to the city is expensive. Most people say that they go over-budget when they are moving, so imagine how much more you’ll go over-budget in an expensive city. Household and grocery items are going to increase, so be prepared to pay.  That being said, you’ll need to budget out your money to make it stretch as far as possible, so keep track of what you’re spending until you get used to the price.  

Be Okay with Being  Independent

One of the fastest ways to crash into adulthood is learning how to be alone. Don’t know how to build IKEA furniture by yourself? You’re going to learn. According to a survey conducted by Homes.com, 34% of people moved all their belongings by themselves. If 34% of Americans can do it, so can you! These moments of independence will help you grow and before you know it, you’ll be accepting the challenges head-on.

Public Transportation is Your Friend

Traffic is a constant. Always. So be prepared and take advantage of your public transportation. Learn the ins and outs of the subway system, and be sure to get an Opal card, Oyster card, or whatever your city uses. This will help you not rely on paper tickets and you can set it up to your bank account, making it easy to transfer money automatically.

So, take in all the exciting things a big city has to offer, and don’t be afraid to create a community and environment for yourself that you can thrive in.

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