What should I know before I go (To San Francisco)?

December 4, 2005 11:24 PM

I'm moving to San Francisco in January. What should I know before I go?

I'm 22, graduated college in June, born and raised Orange County boy, moving out on my own for the first time. I've applied with a direct-hire placement agency that is also providing me with temp work until they find me something, and I've got a place to stay until I find a place to live. Additional info: I'm not bringing my car, I'm debt free, I'm scared shitless.

I'd really appreciate moving-out advice for the newly-independent. Specifically, advice pertaining to San Francisco would be great, but any other things you wish you knew when you finally struck out on your own is appreciated too.

posted by BuddhaInABucket to Work & Money (23 answers total)

Try to avoid buying a car for as long as possible. Insurance, gas and maintenance can take a big chunk out of your income. Put the same amount of money away for your retirement savings. Also start saving for a downpayment for a home.

Get a roommate. Network. Meet lots of interesting people in lots of interesting fields, not just yours.

Work hard. Spend lunches with co-workers. Relationships are important.

Have fun. Date. Mingle. Go on weekend getaways. Sometimes splurge on nice restaurants -- lunch is good. Travel. Gain experience. Live.
posted by acoutu at 11:34 PM on December 4, 2005

For some strange reason, right out of college I thought I needed to prove to myself that I could work "real" jobs. I worked a lot of odd jobs for a long time, and I found these jobs were... really hard. Don't do this. Work someplace you'd like to for next to nothing as an intern (or even for free) and you will have a real job, the job you always really wanted, in a year or two.
posted by xammerboy at 11:54 PM on December 4, 2005

Response by poster: acoutu (and to reiterate): I'm not going to be buying a car, period. I'm gonna be an ecologically responsible public transportation user! Whee.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 11:55 PM on December 4, 2005

This might sound pretentious, but I think the irony of your question is that you shouldn't be preparing too much for life on your own - since that would take all the fun out of it.

Follow acoutu's advice and then try and enjoy the ride. You only get to move away from your childhood home once.

You might find answers much more helpful than mine coming in if you were a bit more specific about the kinds of SF stuff you need to know. In that spirit, since you seem to be attached to public transit (good on you), one of the first things you should do is buy a Muni map (officially known as a San Francisco Street and Transit Map) from one of the tourist information centers in town. The one at Powell BART in the underpass between the station and the Carl's Jr. should do the trick.
posted by newscouch at 12:11 AM on December 5, 2005

Response by poster: specific kinds of stuff I need to know: places to stay away from/go to, tips for staying safe in an urban setting, managing money, managing time, finding awesome cheap furniture that's not ikea, finding awesome clothes that won't break the bank, fun places to go running (If anyone could recommend a running club, that would be extra good), fun places to go drinking...
I'll be back on in the morning to answer any other specifics that come up overnight- thanks for the advice so far!
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 12:27 AM on December 5, 2005

Best answer: One thing I was shocked by San Francisco in January was how cold it was. Many houses are not seriously insulated. I wished much of the time that I were back in nice warm Boston that January.
posted by Aknaton at 12:40 AM on December 5, 2005

Best answer: I've found that if you really want cheap furniture that is also awesome, you have to make your own. Think about what kind of style you're looking for and invest in some basic power tools. There are plenty of books and magazines that you can turn to for inspiration.

If you can con a friend into driving, you might want to try cruising Berkeley at the end of each semester looking for random furniture left by the sidewalk. This is very hit and miss.

My favorite place to drink in SF is The Plough and the Stars. Good Irish pub with long tables and live music.

The lower Haight has plenty of second-hand stores with good clothes, although it may not be cheap.
posted by newscouch at 12:50 AM on December 5, 2005

If you are particular about your weather then you should be concious of the variety of microclimates throughout the city. For example, in July the Mission can be sunny and warm at the same time as the Sunset is freezing and foggy. Lots of fog during the summer in some parts of the city. The temperature differential gets even greater when you compare SF to the East Bay.

And yes, a heater in your apartment may be necessary, but unlike in other parts of the country a heater is not a given.

fun places to go running

Golden Gate Park, The Panhandle, and Ocean Beach should keep you busy for awhile. I believe SFRRC is the biggest running club.

managing money

Paying yourself first is a good idea. Set up an automatic transfer of some funds from the account your paycheck is deposited in to some other account. Simply moving your money out of checking can help you save money. Doing it right after you get paid will get you used to getting by on just part of your paycheck. Ideally you could then move some of this money to an investment vehicle with a moderate return. The problem with this is that when you're starting out you don't have enough cash to make higher risk/higher return investments or to get a higher return by putting your money in something that locks it up for awhile--you typically need low risk and liquidity at this stage of life.

To me the good middle ground seems to be a high-interest savings account like ING Direct or Emigrant Bank offer. My hope is to move some money to something with a higher return when I have enough in savings.
posted by epugachev at 1:24 AM on December 5, 2005

one thing i've discovered since I moved to San Francisco last fall is that people use Craigslist for EVERYTHING. Seriously, people find everything from furniture to jobs to friends to sex to cars to night classes on there.
if you like classical music, there are free concerts at the conservatory of music almost every day of the week (i think that goes for any music school in any city). for candid advice on the best ones to attend, contact me :-).
also, just to take advantage of this san francisco posting, as a pretty new mefi, i don't feel qualified to organize a meetup, but would definitely attend one, so that could also be a great way of making new friends in the area.
posted by purplefiber at 1:47 AM on December 5, 2005

When starting your first household, it is the cost of the little stuff which will take you by surprise.

You will always miss your native climate. At times, it will be a serious painful longing. Other times, not so much.
posted by Goofyy at 1:48 AM on December 5, 2005

Best answer: Wow BiaB, you're younger than I thought. I think you'll probably have a great time living and working in SF. I've lived in the Bay Area off and on for 20 years, but not in SF proper, so I don't know how much I can help you, but here's a few things:

It's a good idea not to own a car in SF, as parking is expensive and sparse. Seeing as you're going to be a pedestrian, be very careful crossing streets, as many drivers blatantly run red lights in SF, so be very aware while using the crosswalk even if the crossing light is green.

SF has quite a few homeless people, and some panhandlers can be quite aggressive. I personally wouldn't give them money or get sucked into any (lengthy) interaction with them, because although some are just good people who are down on their luck, others are addicts or mentally ill. You can always volunteer or donate to charities if you want to help these unfortunate folks.

Be very careful in parts of The Mission and Tenderloin districts. Most people in those neighborhoods are hard working folks, and there are great burrito places in The Mission, but there is also quite a bit of crime in those neighborhoods. SFPD is woefully inadequate in dealing with the city's crime, and some crimes aren't even investigated unless you yourself know the perp's identity and/or address!

On the upside, be prepared to have the best Chinese, Italian, and Mexican food in the West Coast and immerse yourself in the diverse ethnicity of one of the most beautiful cities on earth (imo). Try Molinari's italian deli. They have the yummiest italian subs and they were Joe Dimaggio's favorite deli. In fact they catered his wake!

Oh, and start skimming Craig's list.
posted by Devils Slide at 1:53 AM on December 5, 2005

Best answer: A job and a place to stay in SF!? *turns green* You're pretty much set. Crack open your head and heart and let SF show you the way. Relax. Smile. Make friends.

Enjoy the coffee, the fog, the sunshine, the amazing multitude of good, cheap places to eat, and enjoy the freaks.

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge some day during a low traffic time, stop behind one of the pylons and look out/in over the bay and listen to the bridge singing in the wind.

Don't get a car. Do get a bike and a map. There's even a biker's map to show you where all the bike lanes and hills are.

Since you're from OC you probably already know this, but do invest in some earthquake surivival supplies. Keep 'em handy.

Be good to your job and good to yourself. Eat well. Find someplace cheap and comfy to live, but realize it'll probably be a lot smaller and a lot more expensive than anything you'd ever see in OC. But in SF all you really need is a bed, a pot to piss in and maybe access to a small kitchen. There's so much usable and enjoyable public life in SF, so much good food and drink, and so much free WiFi, who'd ever really need to be at home all that much?

Also, keep in mind that if worse comes to worse, SF has one of the most amazing social safety nets in the US. Research that. It'll be a comfort to know that it's there even if you never need it.

Above all, enjoy yourself. It's called a City of Love for a reason.
posted by loquacious at 1:54 AM on December 5, 2005

I moved to SF when I was 22, in 1998. I only lived there for 3 years and I think other posters have given/will give better advice on the practical stuff but I wanted to say one thing: if you're not a big taker of photos, start now! I have relatively few pictures of my time in California and I wish I had more - just to have a record of all the regular places I used to visit, the places I lived and worked etc.

Also find a way to get to Mt. Tamalpais and go hiking, some of my best memories are from those hikes.
posted by teleskiving at 2:21 AM on December 5, 2005

As someone who also grew up in Orange County (though I moved back East), I would say that Californians, and especially OCers, have a "bad neighborhood" fear/definition totally out of proportion to actual risk. I gave myself a lot of unneccessary aggravtion when I moved out due to this. So visit some "scary" places, during the day at first, and learn to figure risk on your own. Remember, the best way to be screwed with is to walk around looking scared. So don't do that. But explore and be respectful and curious, and you'll find you can be comfortable in a lot of places. And good luck. Moving out is really great.
posted by dame at 6:58 AM on December 5, 2005

Best answer: One web page I think you might find useful is this guide to SF. The person who put it together obviously spent a lot of time on it, and it shows.

And just a little anecdotal advice: be prepared for the weather. It's always very mild overall, but there are tons of little microclimates. The Mission district is by far always sunnier and warmer than anywhere else. North SF is also always nicer than south SF, and the west coast of the city is always foggy in the morning and cooler in general. I use the word "always" liberally, but you'll get the idea.
posted by apple scruff at 8:23 AM on December 5, 2005

Have the buses gotten any better at night? I visited two years ago and there were several times that I would see it coming, check to see if it was the right one, go over by the sign and the driver wouldn't stop. I wound up having to call cabs and several times the drivers would leer at me--which has happened in NY too; I don't take taxis if I can help it here.
posted by brujita at 9:16 AM on December 5, 2005

Weather. It's interesting/wonderful/awful.

You'll have on short-sleeves in the afternoon, then a jacket at night.

On the 4th of July a few years back, I had three layers of clothes down by the bay... on the 4th of July.
posted by bamassippi at 9:31 AM on December 5, 2005

Best answer: A former Orange County boy chiming in:

Keep an open mind for everything and be adventurous. This city has everything and more that citizens of the Orange County couldn't even contemplate. You have no idea how many times I've recounted how my daily commute on the casual carpool works - it just blows people's minds down there.

One thing I love about SF is the feeling that you're sharing it with everyone else who lives here. You've got roommates, neighbors, locals, and regulars. In OC, everyone lives their own lives and drives long distances to see each other briefly. Get to know people and be frank that you're new to town - you'll be amazed at how willing everyone is to show you their secret hangouts. One of the first things I do when I move to a new neighborhood is take an entire day to walk around and peek into everything. Sample the local coffee, pastries, shops, and pub beer and make mental notes.

As apple scruff said, be prepared for the weather. Buy clothing like long-sleeve shirts, thin sweaters, coats, and scarves that you can layer and shed as appropriate. Much to my parents' horror, I get a lot of my clothes from used clothing stores on the cheap. I personally stay away from t-shirts and shoes but everything else is fair game.

The MOMA , Asian Art Museum, and the newly-opened De Young Museum are all free on the first Tuesday of the month. SFGate's ePicks is a decent way to find out what's going on for the weekend. Stay away from their concert recommendations (big bands at big expensive venues) and pick up a copy of The Onion free newspaper in the dispensers. It has great concert listings in the back pages - catch an up and coming band for $10-15 and skip Fillmore concerts at $40.

Buy a monthly Muni bus pass and be prepared for late buses and trains. C'est la vie.

It's an expensive city - people become homeless. Give or don't give change, it's up to you.

Forget about the Zagat's Guide. The best meal you'll get in SF is the one not on the menu served by the waitress at the local ethnic joint who refers to you by nickname in her native tongue. Let Michael Mina top that.
posted by junesix at 9:44 AM on December 5, 2005

On the 4th of July a few years back, I had three layers of clothes down by the bay... on the 4th of July.

Yes but also in the third week of November, just a couple weeks ago, people were walking around with t-shirts because it was so warm!

I've seen newcomers, especially from southern california, make the beginner mistake of thinking that property near the ocean is the most desirable property in san francisco. Its not! Most of the activity is on the East side; the West side of the city can feel like the suburbs.

The fog is a fact of life here in SF and on many summer days you will find that the fog rolls in from the ocean but only covers half the city. This means that people in the Outer Sunset and Richmond are wearing winter coats while people in the Mission or Potrero Hill are sitting at an outdoor cafe sipping an iced latte. I kid you not.
posted by vacapinta at 9:51 AM on December 5, 2005

How to stay safe: Be aware of your surroundings, especially in the Mission and Tenderloin areas. Generally people stay away from the Bayview/Hunter's Point area as well, as that is the part of the city with the most poverty and violence. Regarding what dame said about irrational fears, check out the book The Culture of Fear by Barry Glassner. It's a few years old now, but it really helped me see what was risky and what was not, and seriously helped reduce my anxiety about urban living. Managing Money: Try out Suze Orman's Young, Fabulous, and Broke. It is a great introduction to saving and living on a budget. Cheap furniture and clothing: Thrift Town on Mission and 17th streets. GoodWill on Van Ness. For furniture, St. Vincent de Paul Thrift stores usually have tons of furniture, but I think the closest one to SF is in Oakland or Daly City. Oh, and for running stuff, check out Sports Basement.
posted by sarahnade at 10:06 AM on December 5, 2005

San Francisco Bay Guardian and SF Weekly are the local alternative papers.

You can download the SF Bike Map & Walking Guide from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

Muni local buses suck. You can often not see a bus for half an hour, then see several buses from the same link on the same block at the same time. I once walked 20 blocks across town, along a bus route, and a bus never came along. The express buses that go between downtown and most residential areas are good. You can find places to buy maps or get PDFs and GIFs online.

BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is good for getting to the East Bay and the airports.

If you commute with BART and Muni, it might make sense to get a BART Plus Ticket, a half-monthly pass that combines unlimited Muni bus rides with varying BART fares.

This previous thread has some pointers.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:52 AM on December 5, 2005

I moved to a major city in the UK a year and a half ago, and I didn't know a soul. Managing money, kitting out a house, finding good shops - these are all things that you can work out without much difficulty. The tricky part is meeting people you like, making friends, and having relationships.

My advice is to find a place where there is a ready-made social circle. For example, a bunch of friends that play football on a Sunday afternoon and then go for drinks afterwards, or a political social centre (this one is what worked for me), or an amateur theatre company etc. There are several key attributes of these activities that make them great for making friends. 1) you are forced to do activities with people, rather than alongside people, thus you have something to talk about and can bond. 2) there are a bunch of people there who can all get to know each other at the same time. Unlike a gym, where you might get talking to one or two people and maybe make friends with them, these type of activities let you create a circle of friends all at once.

Good luck!
posted by pollystark at 2:56 AM on December 7, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks to everyone for great advice- I just marked as best the ones that I think applied most to me. Everything is settled here on my end, and I'm officially moving the day after the new year. *very* excited, and all the great stuff I've heard about SF in this and other threads has helped.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 1:45 PM on December 18, 2005