How to tackle being new to a city

I’ve been a newbie to cities very often! I love it as it makes me get out of my comfort zone but its also really scary. Moving somewhere where you don’t know anyone, don’t know your way around town, and are forced to create your new routine. I’ve been there and while it can really challenge you, I attest a lot of it to my overall growth and not being afraid of any changes that may come my way. 

A little bit about me, I grew up in Louisville, KY and then moved away to the University of South Carolina for college. This was my first time away from some of my best friends, family, etc. My junior year, I studied abroad in Australia for 6 months. I knew a couple girls that were also traveling with me, but that was a huge adjustment. After graduating from school, I moved to Houston to do an internship. From there, I landed a job in Dallas, TX. I had never been to Dallas before making this move! I had heard great things so I went with it! After living there for two and a half years, Dallas was really feeling like home for me. I knew my way around, didn’t need to use GPS (always love when I don’t need to use that in a city) and I had my routine of workout classes, favorite spots, etc. April of this year, I made the move to Austin. Although not far from Dallas, a new career made for some changes that brought me here! While I LOVE it, it has definitely made me realize that “woah, you were getting veryyy comfortable with your routine.” That being said, the move was difficult because I forgot what it was like to be so unfamiliar with a city, not really know anyone, and have to adjust to just a completely new way of living (hi, lots of Austin traffic!). So, there are a few things that I can take away from my moves that have helped me find some balance between it all. 

1) BE AUTHENTICALLY YOU. Do what you want to do, not what you think you should do. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I needed to go stay out until 2am to hang with new friends, when in reality I didn’t even really like doing that. Go to the farmers market on a Saturday morning if that’s what you like doing, go get bottomless mimosas if that’s your thing, or go to a coffee shop–whatever it is, do it! The right people will come into your life when you do what you love. 

Don’t worry about what other people think! I would always get caught up in what other people were thinking of me when I was at a cafe eating lunch by myself or at the coffee shop. Now, I take myself on dates all of the time & love it! Take those headphones out next time you’re at the coffee shop & chat it up with your neighbor 😉

2) TELL EVERYONE YOU’RE MOVING. Well not like everyone, but your peeps, your parents peeps, your siblings peeps. I can’t tell you how many times I will be telling someone where I live or that I am moving somewhere & they are like “Omg, my friend (brothers friend, neighbor, friends friend –you get it) lives there, you should totally get connected!” and then we do! Just remember, it’s easy to forget that most people are also in the same situation as you. They want new friends or they may be new to the city too. Don’t get caught up thinking you’re the only one that doesn’t have those uneasy feelings, because the reality is there are plenty of others that are right there with you! And meet up with these people! It’s like a blind date with a potential BFF! 

3) FIND YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE. Before going into this, if fitness isn’t your thing, don’t feel like you need this to make your way in a new city! This has just been what I have found works for me. While I have always loved fitness, I didn’t realize how much this would help me when moving to a new city. I have met some pretty awesome people just by going to local community events, meet-ups, or group fitness classes. This is something that I value, so being around like-minded people that also share in that, you’re bound to click! 

I’ve dabbled into a few group class passes through Classpass and StudioHop. I LOVED StudioHop when I was in Dallas (they are also in various locations, including here in Austin)! These both allow you to go to different studios that they offer with a certain allotment each month. If you’re new to fitness, I would definitely recommend group classes. I find the energy of everyone else around me keeps me going throughout the hour of class. 

There are SO many free community workout events here in Austin & I’m sure you have them in your city as well! I recently came across an app here, FITT Finder, that connects people with free events in the community! How awesome is that!? If you’re in Austin, definitely check it out. But if not, just always be on the lookout for those things! And don’t be afraid to show up by yourself! Like I said before, no one is thinking you’re a weirdo for going alone! 

4) SEEK OUT LOCAL EVENTS. There are SO many events going on in your city that you may be missing! It’s easy to find out about some of them through social media, but Google can be your best friend if you’re actually interested in attending these.  This is something that I would always Google and do research on when I moved somewhere. Thank goodness you can find so much through social media even too. There are some great events just by going to Eventbrite and searching the city you are in.

No matter what, if you’re in a transition right now with a lot of change, just take a minute to breathe. I look back on so many things that caused me so much stress that I was silly to even worry about! You’re doing big things because you are going outside of your comfort zone, and how cool is that!? You’re being brave for making a change and while it may seem so scary right now, you will only look back and see how awesome that was for you. Sending you lots of love! xoxo