1. Map out new adventures. 

If you’re moving away from home you’re opening the door to lots of new adventures in your new city or the surrounding area. If you’re moving to New England, the great part is that the states are all so close it makes travel easy. You can pop over to Cape Cod or up to a ski mountain only a few hours away! Florida is fun because the different cities are so different from one another so I love visiting them. So far I’ve hit St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Tampa.

On a smaller scale a new city means new favorite spots to discover! I love that I already have so many memories and favorite spots around Tampa even after living here for eight months. My priorities were to find a sushi spot, the best tacos, a nail salon, and a movie theatre. With the new iPhone update and apps like Yelp it makes it so easy to find what you need in your new neighborhood!

2. Live within your means.

The biggest mistake you can make is getting so caught up in the glamour of living in the new city that you forget to save your money for the future. Chances are people will understand if you have to opt out of happy hour on Thursday, you can even suggest to have people come enjoy a girl’s night in at your place! I am lucky enough to have made friends with my neighbors and they love to watch Netflix and split a bottle of Pinot Noir on the weekend. This is not to say that you can’t have a nice night out, but it’s important to budget your finances so that you can eat out and still pay for other necessities. I use the Mint app to track my budget, it’s very easy to use and will send you notifications if you’re going over budget.

3. Say goodbye to your comfort zone.

At first this one was a challenge for me because I can be a home body, but I am so glad that I ventured out to a new city to make something of myself for myself. At first it was tough, I won’t sugar coat it and I had four years of living away at school to bridge me into this. If you’re moving away for the first time whether it’s for college or for a job, don’t worry if it takes some time to adjust. That is totally normal, but I definitely recommend stepping outside of your bubble to take in your surroundings. There are so many opportunities awaiting you and new people to meet! I’ve found that even in a city, it can be a very small world. My good friends that I’ve made in Tampa all seem to be connected whether it’s from being in the same sorority or attending the same high school. You never know who you will meet or what doors you will open.

4.  Take interest in the local culture.

In Tampa there is something called Gasparilla, I linked the Wikipedia page because I won’t do it justice trying to explain it myself. I’ve been to the day parade before and the only way that I can explain it is that it was like a pirate themed Mardi Gras. What I wasn’t prepared for was that people decorate their houses with pirate flags and Gasparilla wreaths in preparation for this “holiday”. If you want a better understanding I suggest searching it on Google and looking at the images. Enjoy!

Another aspect of the culture in Tampa is the Spanish cuisine that is prevalent here. I have come to love yellow rice and sweet plantains! Also, I love that I can find an authentic tamale around here. Every city has it’s own unique history to explore!

5. Make new friends.

I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and went to some local events to meet new people. Having only lived in the suburbs growing up and then on a college campus previously, I had no idea that there were so many events that go on in any given city. I find most events on Facebook whether it be a sip & shop at a local boutique or a Yappy Hour event to benefit the Humane Society, once you find your niche you’ll want to attend these events to mingle with like minded individuals. Also, look no further than your neighbors! If you’re living in an apartment building like myself then you most likely have neighbors to introduce yourself to. If you both have dogs ask to go to the dog park for a play date (yes, I have done this and bonus now you know where the dog park is).

If you ever wonder who is behind the lens, it’s this guy! I mention Zachary in posts from time to time, but I thought he deserved a special shoutout in this post because he has become an expert at using my new camera. 

Sending Sunshine,

Sara