One of the biggest excitements after finishing school/college is that somewhere along the lines you will most likely move to a new city to start a new job, something where a new chapter starts along with several possibilities. However, at times this may become daunting too. As you leave the comforts of past friendships and having familiarities around you; from your family to your favourite coffee shops.
What can you do and except to make that move, even a tiny bit easier.
There is no need to rush into everything at once, it’s good to put yourself out there but it’s also crucial to take everything at your own pace. Moving into a new city is scary, making new friends and habits is something that will take time and may not come naturally to everyone. Finding your niche or “people” is challenging, especially, not knowing where to find them. Everything doesn’t have to fall into place immediately and it’s ok if it doesn’t go right to begin with.
No matter how far apart you have travelled for this new part in your life, its crucial to keep in touch with the ones you love. In today’s society this is easier than ever, through social media and a simple phone call. Try to go home, every now and then, maybe for a family occasion or just to go home and annoy your sister or brother for a little bit and obviously have a Sunday roast when you go home…
One of the best things about moving away from home is the opportunities that arise with it – things that may take you by surprise and you may not expect, could become your new favourite past times. Explore the area that you now live in, you may find your new favourite coffee shop or just one that is the equivalent. The best thing about a city is that it generally has more to offer than a town or village this can be great for social activities like eating out, concerts, shopping, and activities – this generally means that you will never be bored…
Everybody gets caught up in their own life and submerged in their own problems and latest challenges but it’s crucial that you look after yourself too. Moving from one place to another can impinge on your mental health and as individuals we must take our time to recognise, that we sometimes need to slow down and appreciate how far we have come. Having time for yourself, allows you to take a step back and sometimes come back to reality. It can be as simple as sitting in front of the TV on the sofa for a day and eating ice cream or getting your hair done, it could even be taking your book to the park and reading it for an hour. Something that you can enjoy and do for yourself.
Moving from one life to a different one can be a huge shift in lifestyle and pace. I find that life in the city moves pretty quickly, in comparison to my hometown, this is probably to do with the hustles and urgency that there are never enough hours in the day. However, this doesn’t always mean that you must live in the same way, it takes times to adapt to your new structure and what that entails. You are probably busier than ever before, now that you have a wider variety of responsibilities like washing, cleaning, bills, cooking and even simple tasks like taking your bins out, every Tuesday! So, it’s okay to take your time adjusting to your new routine and finding out what the routine is and how that works for you, it may be the same or different than before or you maybe like it even more than your last routine.
So, you moved to a big city, and it just isn’t as exciting as expected? Well, it should be! One of the best ways for life to feel as normal as possible is to have some normality. Nobody likes to feel out of control and out of their depth and by not having a plan/structure it sometimes causes unnecessary chaos and stress. Don’t let that be you… First, note down what is 100% happening/needs to be done in your week, for instance – work, food shop, changing your sheets – normally the boring stuff. Try to put down a rough time gauge by them so you know how much extra time you have free. Secondly, jot down what additional stuff you would like to do for yourself (as putting time in for you is vital) this could be: getting your nails done or going to the gym. Finally, add in things that you would like to do with others, for example drinks with mates, going on a date etc. This will allow you to keep key elements in your life that are important to both your physical and mental health whilst achieving day to day and much larger, ongoing goals. It’s all about having a strong balance in your life.
Overall, moving to a big city and starting fresh isn’t as easy as people make out and everybody struggles at some point. Hopefully, these six tips and insights to moving to a city will gain you some comfort to realising it may not be as scary or as uncommon as you first think.
