3 Tips for Relocating to a New City

Moving from a small town or suburb to a new city can be an intimidating situation. Here are a few tips to help make your move as painless as possible.

Research before you move. It’s important to understand the culture you’re joining. Do research online and find out about school systems, neighborhoods, parking, weather, public transportation, laws and anything else that is important to you about your new home. If you can, visit a city before moving and connect with someone who’s lived there before.

Have a plan. There are a lot of steps to go through before you start packing the moving truck. Find housing before you leave, or at least know where you’ll stay while you look for a home. Never sign a lease on an apartment that you haven’t seen. If you can’t get there, find a friend or an employer to check for you. Have a job waiting for you, or if that’s not possible, know what you’ll do for money in the first few weeks of living there. Try to line up things like driver’s licenses, car insurance, renter’s insurance, and parking passes ahead of time as well.

Get involved. Meeting people in a new city can be daunting. Don’t expect the neighbors to knock your door down with a casserole when you arrive, times have changed. Take the initiative. If there are things you liked to do in your town, find ways to do those things in the city. Try new things. Volunteer. Cities offer so many opportunities to engage other people, so find what you like.