You just promoted at work. Great news, definitely, but you have to move to another city. Initially, you may have been thrilled by the promise of adventure. But when you get to your new home, you’re not exactly ‘feeling’ the place, the community, and the location.
Moving is not always by choice. Whatever reason may be behind your move, you may not immediately fall in love with your new city. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t settle into it well. Even if you don’t love your city, you may like it at least a little bit.
Here are several ways to adjust to the new city that you may not love so much.
Do research
Find time to get to know the city. For example, if you’re staying in Detroit, read Detroit development news to see what’s going on in the city. Take a peek at its history, the highs and lows, what the place is famous for, and other points of interest that can make it closer to your heart. Better yet, visit the local museums, art galleries, historical sites, and other places that can help you get to know the city better. As an outsider, you may not fall in love with the place immediately—but getting to know it better can help you get to that point.
Get involved in the community
You may not love the city—but you can love the community. After all, the people are what makes the place, not the other way around.
There are so many ways you can get involved in the community. For starters, attend local events that pique your interest. Try volunteering for a cause that’s close to your heart. Visit the local farmer’s market or auctions. These activities and more will help you meet new people and connect with the people in your new city.
Drive around
One of the biggest challenges of moving to a new city is not knowing where everything is. In your old city, you probably knew the streets like the back of your hand. But now, you’re back to using GPS to find the nearest gas station.
That said, a great way to get to know your new city is to drive around. Take mental notes of where the essentials are (supermarket, gas station, convenience store, hospital, etc.), and maybe even the places you want to explore someday, like restaurants, cafes, and bookstores.
Find a new favorite establishment
Look for a local business where you won’t mind being a regular at, be it a cafe, a restaurant, a speakeasy, or even just a food truck at the corner of your street. It’s a great way to get to know your neighbors and support small businesses. More than that, it will help you adjust to a new life in a new city; find some sense of routine after all the craziness of the move is done.
Do something new
Moving to a new city offers you a fresh start. Why not take the opportunity to do something new? Something that the old you didn’t have the time or guts for? You may not love your city now, but treating your move like a new adventure can make your adjustment period easier. So, dive into that hobby that you’ve been putting off for months. Maybe go back to school or take a new career path. Start a small business from your home. Do something new—something that you’ve always wanted to do or maybe something spontaneous. Whatever it is, it can help you write a new chapter in your life in the new city that you’re in.
Form friendships
Socializing in a new city is key to your adjustment period. You’re most likely going to meet a lot of new people during your first few months. Hence, this is a great time to form friendships with the new people you’ve met. It can feel awkward at first, but you never know—that girl you met at the farmer’s market last Sunday may be a lifelong friend.
Reach out to your current friends
Just because you’re in a new city doesn’t mean your relationships with the friends you left behind have to suffer. Reach out to them, even if it’s just a video call or a voice chat. Besides being good for your homesickness, keeping in touch with friends helps make it easier to adjust to a new city, knowing that what you’ve left behind is not gone.
Moving to a new city, especially if it’s not by choice, can require a lengthy adjustment period. Nevertheless, there are many ways to fall in love with a new city—even if you get off to a rocky start.
Meta Title: Best Ways to Adjust to a New City That You Don’t Love (Yet)
Meta Description: You may not love your new city, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay unfamiliar. Learn how you can adjust and find it in you to love the place.
Tags:
