Your Stress-Free Guide to Settling Into a New City

As anyone whose ever taken the big step of moving away from home knows, it can be pretty daunting to live on your own for the first time. Between doing your own laundry, cooking your own food, and paying your own bills, it can be a physically, mentally, and emotionally draining experience. But there are ways to make it better. After moving to a new city for a new job just a few weeks ago, I was determined to succeed. I was on my own for the first time and wanted to find ways to overcome the dreaded homesickness, while coming to terms with what it means to be truly independent.

To help you in your own journey and getting adjusted in a new city, we share a few tips to get fellow explorers  through the first few weeks of their “new” life.

Don’t be afraid to walk around your new city. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Don’t be afraid to try new things

On the same note, you may be tempted to seek out the same activities you did back home (or lack thereof), but now is the time to redefine what it means for you to really live your new life. No one wants to wake up, go to work, eat, and sleep on repeat, so find something nearby that interests you. Maybe there’s a local dodge-ball league you can join or, as I did, sign up for a new gym membership. I’ve already talked to several people at my gym who live in my neighborhood and they recommended other things for me to see and do.

Make plans

This one is deliberately vague because your plans can be anything! Maybe it means getting together with someone you know in the city, or maybe it means checking out that coffee shop you saw on Saturday morning. But having something to look forward to can help take your mind off of missing home or feeling like the time when you’re at your new home alone is just an endless void. It’s amazing how good it feels to just go out on your own and check something off your bucket list.

Don’t cut ties from your old life completely

I’ve seen a lot of advice blogs that recommend keeping conversation with people back at home to a minimum to avoid missing that old life, but I disagree. I’ve found the calls from my parents and FaceTime sessions with my sister to be the most cherished parts of my day. Even texting with a few of my good friends helps because it lets me focus on the good and interesting things that happened over the last few days. I will say that the motto “everything in moderation” applies here. Keep your calls to once every couple of days and limit them to an hour or so to avoid feeling too homesick when the conversation lags.

Find your local coffee joint to hang out in. [Credit: Fotolia]

Talk to people

I’m not an outgoing person by any means, but I’ve made an effort to say hi to my neighbors in the hall and introduce myself. I’ve discovered that all of them are nice people who lead interesting lives. I’ve also become a little more chatty with people I meet at stores. Telling people your new to the area is a great way to get advice on things to see and do, and having that social connection can help stifle the loneliness sometimes with a quick conversation.

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With that said, you should be ready to take on the world! I’ve been fortunate enough to find ways to keep myself busy and overcome the homesickness thus far, but just remember that it’s okay for you to feel that way for the first little while and that, with time, you’ll find ways to make your new city your home.

Have you moved to a new city? What are some of your tips to adjusting? Share with us in the comments below.