Outsourcing my life decisions
May 22, 2008 10:22 AM Subscribe
CityFilter: I'm young and free, but not doing much about it. Where should I live?
I am currently near Dallas, Texas and looking to move out and get on with my life. I got my BA, technically in Fine Arts, around this time last year, and I've been trying and failing to get a full-time graphic design job. It turns out I'm not as good at it as I thought I was, so I'm honestly not sure how much money I'd be making. I might well be doing some random job instead, so it's not critical that it be someplace with Opportunities In My Field.
I would like to be in, or very near, a major city.
I would really, really like to be able to get a quiet apartment by myself.
Not that the whole city needs to be quiet or slow or anything. I want to get out of my shell more and Do Fun Things.
Having at least a modest amount of 'nature' nearby would be good.
I am hoping to avoid extremes of temperature if possible.
I just got a car a couple of months ago, so I kind of hate to choose someplace where abundant public transportation would make it hard to justify keeping said car.
Outside the US is a consideration too, but English is the only language I know well, and again, I'm hesitant to ditch the car.
...That's all the points I can think of. Sorry my tags suck.
I am currently near Dallas, Texas and looking to move out and get on with my life. I got my BA, technically in Fine Arts, around this time last year, and I've been trying and failing to get a full-time graphic design job. It turns out I'm not as good at it as I thought I was, so I'm honestly not sure how much money I'd be making. I might well be doing some random job instead, so it's not critical that it be someplace with Opportunities In My Field.
I would like to be in, or very near, a major city.
I would really, really like to be able to get a quiet apartment by myself.
Not that the whole city needs to be quiet or slow or anything. I want to get out of my shell more and Do Fun Things.
Having at least a modest amount of 'nature' nearby would be good.
I am hoping to avoid extremes of temperature if possible.
I just got a car a couple of months ago, so I kind of hate to choose someplace where abundant public transportation would make it hard to justify keeping said car.
Outside the US is a consideration too, but English is the only language I know well, and again, I'm hesitant to ditch the car.
...That's all the points I can think of. Sorry my tags suck.
Response by poster: Really? I've enjoyed touristing there, but I thought it was supposed to be kinda scary and gross to actually live there.
posted by jinjo at 10:40 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by jinjo at 10:40 AM on May 22, 2008
Seattle!
posted by HotPatatta at 10:41 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by HotPatatta at 10:41 AM on May 22, 2008
I thought it was supposed to be kinda scary and gross to actually live there.
Totally depends on your neighborhood. There are some mighty bad places to live in DC and there are some extremely nice (i.e., expensive!) areas, as well. Arlington is nice and just a quick subway (or ride in your new car) away.
posted by HotPatatta at 10:44 AM on May 22, 2008
Totally depends on your neighborhood. There are some mighty bad places to live in DC and there are some extremely nice (i.e., expensive!) areas, as well. Arlington is nice and just a quick subway (or ride in your new car) away.
posted by HotPatatta at 10:44 AM on May 22, 2008
I am not a graphic designer of any kind.
So there's this:
I've been trying and failing to get a full-time graphic design job.
And this:
I would like to be in, or very near, a major city.
But then:
I would really, really like to be able to get a quiet apartment by myself.
It seems that there are a few things at stake here, but your independence seems to be a key thread running through everything. I'd suggest (with no knowledge of the field you're in):
- looking for mid-sized/regional cities with affordable (= less [maybe a lot less] than 40% of your income) housing that will let you have a healthy balance between work and the rest of your life
- starting small, with lots of contract/part-time work, and networking the heck out of it
- accepting work for low/no cost from organizations and other low-budget/high-demand-for-designed-stuff
- approaching restaurants, shops, and other local/community-based businesses about redesigning some element of their identity; perhaps the bigger your portfolio/notoriety becomes, the easier it will be to find work?
- talking to the careers-office people at your university, even if you've already left - they might have some leads as well
and/or:
- heading for greener pastures abroad; selling the car could pay your moving expenses?
posted by mdonley at 10:44 AM on May 22, 2008
So there's this:
I've been trying and failing to get a full-time graphic design job.
And this:
I would like to be in, or very near, a major city.
But then:
I would really, really like to be able to get a quiet apartment by myself.
It seems that there are a few things at stake here, but your independence seems to be a key thread running through everything. I'd suggest (with no knowledge of the field you're in):
- looking for mid-sized/regional cities with affordable (= less [maybe a lot less] than 40% of your income) housing that will let you have a healthy balance between work and the rest of your life
- starting small, with lots of contract/part-time work, and networking the heck out of it
- accepting work for low/no cost from organizations and other low-budget/high-demand-for-designed-stuff
- approaching restaurants, shops, and other local/community-based businesses about redesigning some element of their identity; perhaps the bigger your portfolio/notoriety becomes, the easier it will be to find work?
- talking to the careers-office people at your university, even if you've already left - they might have some leads as well
and/or:
- heading for greener pastures abroad; selling the car could pay your moving expenses?
posted by mdonley at 10:44 AM on May 22, 2008
Yeah, sounds like you are looking for the Pacific Northwest
posted by taliaferro at 10:44 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by taliaferro at 10:44 AM on May 22, 2008
Aside from temperature extremes, Chicago fits everything you're after. Of the truly "major" cities, it's easily the cheapest -- leaps and bounds cheaper than New York or LA.... that doesn't mean it's cheap compared to say, Dallas, but it's affordable.
posted by twiggy at 10:47 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by twiggy at 10:47 AM on May 22, 2008
Really? I've enjoyed touristing there, but I thought it was supposed to be kinda scary and gross to actually live there.
Oh my gosh, no! DC is like the mecca of 21 - 25-year-olds. For example, I know a 22-year-old who just moved there and is having the time of his life. He has a car, an apartment by himself and Fun Things To Do. Though HotPatatta is right, it does depend on your neighborhood and Northern Virginia is a good option too.
Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, I adored Vancouver when I was visited. That might be a good option for you too.
posted by ml98tu at 10:50 AM on May 22, 2008
Oh my gosh, no! DC is like the mecca of 21 - 25-year-olds. For example, I know a 22-year-old who just moved there and is having the time of his life. He has a car, an apartment by himself and Fun Things To Do. Though HotPatatta is right, it does depend on your neighborhood and Northern Virginia is a good option too.
Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, I adored Vancouver when I was visited. That might be a good option for you too.
posted by ml98tu at 10:50 AM on May 22, 2008
Aside from the car and the price factor, Berkeley or Oakland California might suit you.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:51 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:51 AM on May 22, 2008
I was going to say L.A. but I am biased.
New York or LA.
I am always a little baffled when people lump those two together in terms of expense. You can get a studio in a nice neighborhood for $900 in a lot of places in L.A., maybe even near the beach if you're into that. I don't the same can be said for NYC.
Of course, L.A. pretty much fails on public transport, although it is slowly getting better. We have everything else you want, though.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:53 AM on May 22, 2008
New York or LA.
I am always a little baffled when people lump those two together in terms of expense. You can get a studio in a nice neighborhood for $900 in a lot of places in L.A., maybe even near the beach if you're into that. I don't the same can be said for NYC.
Of course, L.A. pretty much fails on public transport, although it is slowly getting better. We have everything else you want, though.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:53 AM on May 22, 2008
You want Portland. Don't listen to people that gripe about the rain. One PacNorthwest Spring/Summer and you'll never want to live anywhere else.
The place has amazing public transit, but everyone drives cars as well so they've really worked to integrate the two methods of gettin' around.
Plus, no sales tax!!
posted by Smarson at 10:56 AM on May 22, 2008
The place has amazing public transit, but everyone drives cars as well so they've really worked to integrate the two methods of gettin' around.
Plus, no sales tax!!
posted by Smarson at 10:56 AM on May 22, 2008
If you're in Dallas, come down to Austin for a weekend. It might not be "major" enough for you - it's plenty for me, but then, I loathe Dallas because it's too big and soulless. All your other points are easily met here - housing is cheap, the Hill Country is gorgeous, the car will be invaluable, and we have no lack of Fun Things to do.
(Extremes of temperature... well, that's a downside too. It's not unreasonably humid here - it ain't Houston - but it does get hot.)
posted by restless_nomad at 10:58 AM on May 22, 2008
(Extremes of temperature... well, that's a downside too. It's not unreasonably humid here - it ain't Houston - but it does get hot.)
posted by restless_nomad at 10:58 AM on May 22, 2008
drjimmy -- she wants the public transportation to suck. so sounds like LA fits the bill.
posted by bluenausea at 10:59 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by bluenausea at 10:59 AM on May 22, 2008
Try FindYourSpot.com. You might find something you like enough to pursue and even if you don't, I think the results are kind of fun to see.
posted by notashroom at 11:02 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by notashroom at 11:02 AM on May 22, 2008
I would like to be in, or very near, a major city.
Portland, Maine? Not so major. But a nice city.
I would really, really like to be able to get a quiet apartment by myself.
Housing is pretty cheap here. 2 bedroom in the $800 range is not uncommon.
Not that the whole city needs to be quiet or slow or anything. I want to get out of my shell more and Do Fun Things.
Great scene here. A lot of music. A lot of art. A lot of great cafes. A lot of amazing restaurants.
Having at least a modest amount of 'nature' nearby would be good.
We have nature up the wazzoo, very close by. You go a little further, you are in the boonies.
I am hoping to avoid extremes of temperature if possible.
Winter is cold and a little long. March sucks. The summer here though, there is no finer. The winter is actually fun up until February, when you want to start killing people.
I just got a car a couple of months ago, so I kind of hate to choose someplace where abundant public transportation would make it hard to justify keeping said car.
Perfect! Public transport here is pretty lame. It's a great walking city though, and a car helps you get to those cool outdoorsy areas.
Outside the US is a consideration too, but English is the only language I know well, and
again, I'm hesitant to ditch the car.
We speak English here.
Downside, the only one that I see, is that jobs are not extremely plentiful here. They are there but sometimes they suck. But the standard of living here is HIGH. People eat well. The crappiest restaurants here serve great food. People are super nice. It's a pretty young city. There is stuff to do every night, cool stuff. And it's beautiful. The architecture is so classic and lovely. Walking around looking at buildings is really fun.
posted by sully75 at 11:02 AM on May 22, 2008
Portland, Maine? Not so major. But a nice city.
I would really, really like to be able to get a quiet apartment by myself.
Housing is pretty cheap here. 2 bedroom in the $800 range is not uncommon.
Not that the whole city needs to be quiet or slow or anything. I want to get out of my shell more and Do Fun Things.
Great scene here. A lot of music. A lot of art. A lot of great cafes. A lot of amazing restaurants.
Having at least a modest amount of 'nature' nearby would be good.
We have nature up the wazzoo, very close by. You go a little further, you are in the boonies.
I am hoping to avoid extremes of temperature if possible.
Winter is cold and a little long. March sucks. The summer here though, there is no finer. The winter is actually fun up until February, when you want to start killing people.
I just got a car a couple of months ago, so I kind of hate to choose someplace where abundant public transportation would make it hard to justify keeping said car.
Perfect! Public transport here is pretty lame. It's a great walking city though, and a car helps you get to those cool outdoorsy areas.
Outside the US is a consideration too, but English is the only language I know well, and
again, I'm hesitant to ditch the car.
We speak English here.
Downside, the only one that I see, is that jobs are not extremely plentiful here. They are there but sometimes they suck. But the standard of living here is HIGH. People eat well. The crappiest restaurants here serve great food. People are super nice. It's a pretty young city. There is stuff to do every night, cool stuff. And it's beautiful. The architecture is so classic and lovely. Walking around looking at buildings is really fun.
posted by sully75 at 11:02 AM on May 22, 2008
No, not Portland. It is nice, but the city is changing rapidly. Rents are rising while jobs are becoming more and more scarce. Portland was the 'move to' city a couple years back, but the pendulum is due to swing back any day. That said, if you already have a lot of money, wouldn't mind buying an apartment (oh, they insist on calling them "condos") Portland is not too bad....
We, as Portlanders, have been eyeing Chicago.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:05 AM on May 22, 2008
We, as Portlanders, have been eyeing Chicago.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:05 AM on May 22, 2008
Go East young man.
Amsterdam, London, Munich, Warsaw. Warsaw is happening. Don't let a little thing like language stop you.
posted by three blind mice at 11:11 AM on May 22, 2008
Amsterdam, London, Munich, Warsaw. Warsaw is happening. Don't let a little thing like language stop you.
posted by three blind mice at 11:11 AM on May 22, 2008
Having lived here pretty much my whole life, I would say that D.C. is expensive and dangerous. Also unless you are interested in, and well qualified for a job in policy then there wont be anything for you to do.
posted by BobbyDigital at 11:15 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by BobbyDigital at 11:15 AM on May 22, 2008
Pittsburgh! I don't live there but I totally would. Cheaper than where I live (Philly), car-friendly (Philly is not - but that's why I love it), lots of green parks and beautiful countryside nearby, and tons of young people and stuff to do. They have a lively art scene too. Seriously - people are going to start catching on soon to what a great place this is.
posted by jrichards at 11:17 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by jrichards at 11:17 AM on May 22, 2008
Baltimore. Cheap, good arts scene.
posted by electroboy at 11:17 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by electroboy at 11:17 AM on May 22, 2008
Response by poster: Just got done with notashroom's survey. It gave me a lot of cities in Oregon.
But I had already heard good things about Chicago ('it's the new New York!', etc.), so I guess hearing them from even more people is good. Cheap is always a plus.
I guess one thing I didn't include in the question because I didn't want to be too emo about it is that, while I'm definitely up for (some) adventure, my confidence is also pretty easily shaken when something goes wrong or doesn't work out. I'd like to not have to fear being chewed up and spit out too hard at first, if that has anything to do with location.
posted by jinjo at 11:20 AM on May 22, 2008
But I had already heard good things about Chicago ('it's the new New York!', etc.), so I guess hearing them from even more people is good. Cheap is always a plus.
I guess one thing I didn't include in the question because I didn't want to be too emo about it is that, while I'm definitely up for (some) adventure, my confidence is also pretty easily shaken when something goes wrong or doesn't work out. I'd like to not have to fear being chewed up and spit out too hard at first, if that has anything to do with location.
posted by jinjo at 11:20 AM on May 22, 2008
Speaking as someone who's moved ever two years for the last 10, here's where you don't want to go: LA, New York, DC, and to a lesser degree, San Francisco. Why? Because those cities, for better or worse, attract people who want to make it into the predominant industries in those industry towns. It's more than a little annoying to want to just live your life when everyone around you is completely fixated on showbiz, finance/publishing, politics, or code. Yes, I'm generalizing, but don't dismiss the effects of this particular vibe to your overall quality of life.
That leaves a bunch of other places. Philly, Portland, Austin, Chicago, San Diego, etc. Same logic applies internationally. There are plenty of cities out there with less focused, more holistic, self-selecting populations. Not London, Paris, Tokyo. Maybe Montreal, Barcelona, Vancouver.
Chicago is, by far, the most affordable major city in the US. The only thing that keeps me from living there forever is the fact that I was born and raised there, and need to (in my mind at least) see the world and go make my fortunes somewhere else.
Don't neglect the place you're at. People often use moving to jumpstart themselves. There's no reason that jumpstart can't happen exactly where you are, except you, and inertia.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 11:26 AM on May 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
That leaves a bunch of other places. Philly, Portland, Austin, Chicago, San Diego, etc. Same logic applies internationally. There are plenty of cities out there with less focused, more holistic, self-selecting populations. Not London, Paris, Tokyo. Maybe Montreal, Barcelona, Vancouver.
Chicago is, by far, the most affordable major city in the US. The only thing that keeps me from living there forever is the fact that I was born and raised there, and need to (in my mind at least) see the world and go make my fortunes somewhere else.
Don't neglect the place you're at. People often use moving to jumpstart themselves. There's no reason that jumpstart can't happen exactly where you are, except you, and inertia.
posted by NoRelationToLea at 11:26 AM on May 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
I love DC, but it's expensive and totally not justifiable to keep a car. Plus, it seems to me to be the sort of place you go when you're really focused on your career, before burning out and moving back West to a place with a saner pace of life. (What, me, burned out? How can you tell?)
Seattle or Portland sounds like it would fit, but the Denver/Boulder area has a similar vibe, plus way more sunshine. Close to great hiking and camping, very bikeable (but almost everyone has a car), and lots of laid back people in their 20s and 30s whose careers/jobs aren't the center of their lives.
And the weather is really, really fantastic year-round. Just gorgeous. People think of Colorado as a snowy place, but it's quite temperate, even in the middle of winter--I'd say DC, Chicago, and Seattle are all worse in the winter (and summer too) with the humidity.
posted by iminurmefi at 11:26 AM on May 22, 2008
Seattle or Portland sounds like it would fit, but the Denver/Boulder area has a similar vibe, plus way more sunshine. Close to great hiking and camping, very bikeable (but almost everyone has a car), and lots of laid back people in their 20s and 30s whose careers/jobs aren't the center of their lives.
And the weather is really, really fantastic year-round. Just gorgeous. People think of Colorado as a snowy place, but it's quite temperate, even in the middle of winter--I'd say DC, Chicago, and Seattle are all worse in the winter (and summer too) with the humidity.
posted by iminurmefi at 11:26 AM on May 22, 2008
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Minneapolis yet. Ok, the winters suck but are really not much worse than Chicago. There's plenty of nature both in the city and outside and lots of people are really into outdoor sports. In fact, I am always amazed at just how intent the Minnesotans are to maximize their time outdoors in nice weather - they take it very seriously. Yes, it's status as a major city is marginal, but it's a decent place.
I live in St Paul myself, but that's because I'm old and partnered and don't know how to have fun.
posted by cabingirl at 11:48 AM on May 22, 2008
I live in St Paul myself, but that's because I'm old and partnered and don't know how to have fun.
posted by cabingirl at 11:48 AM on May 22, 2008
Oops, I missed your "no temperature extremes" point. Yea, that's why no one recommended Minneapolis. Sorry.
posted by cabingirl at 11:49 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by cabingirl at 11:49 AM on May 22, 2008
That leaves a bunch of other places. Philly, Portland, Austin, Chicago, San Diego, etc.
I'll argue the San Diego side of things. It seems like the only downside we have on your criteria is that rent can be a little expensive. But otherwise, we're pretty good.
1. It's almost always in the 70s here. Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall; there's a pretty good chance the high will be in the 70s. This drives some people batty. The closer you are to the coast, the more constant your temperature will be. If you're out in El Cajon, expect summer highs to hit 90 pretty regularly.
2. We're the 8th largest city in the country. Major enough?
3. We have a public transit system, but it's not really all that great. If you live close to a trolley stop, you've got a huge advantage in some areas (you won't need to find parking if you go downtown, a bunch of malls, or the stadium). But you'll pretty much need a car.
4. Go an hour east and you're in the mountains. An hour and a half, and you're in the desert, where you can stop your car and camp just about anywhere. There are also smaller pockets of wilderness scattered throughout the city that are good for hiking or just hanging out.
To the rents: I just moved out of a studio that was $725 a month, maybe 2 miles north of downtown and right up the street from a trolley stop in Mission Hills. My girlfriend had a studio in South Park that was $650, but included all utilities. I'd think that if you moved here, you'd probably end up in the Golden Hill/South Park area. The area used to be a bit rough, but it's cleaned up quite a bit the last few years.
posted by LionIndex at 11:56 AM on May 22, 2008
I'll argue the San Diego side of things. It seems like the only downside we have on your criteria is that rent can be a little expensive. But otherwise, we're pretty good.
1. It's almost always in the 70s here. Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall; there's a pretty good chance the high will be in the 70s. This drives some people batty. The closer you are to the coast, the more constant your temperature will be. If you're out in El Cajon, expect summer highs to hit 90 pretty regularly.
2. We're the 8th largest city in the country. Major enough?
3. We have a public transit system, but it's not really all that great. If you live close to a trolley stop, you've got a huge advantage in some areas (you won't need to find parking if you go downtown, a bunch of malls, or the stadium). But you'll pretty much need a car.
4. Go an hour east and you're in the mountains. An hour and a half, and you're in the desert, where you can stop your car and camp just about anywhere. There are also smaller pockets of wilderness scattered throughout the city that are good for hiking or just hanging out.
To the rents: I just moved out of a studio that was $725 a month, maybe 2 miles north of downtown and right up the street from a trolley stop in Mission Hills. My girlfriend had a studio in South Park that was $650, but included all utilities. I'd think that if you moved here, you'd probably end up in the Golden Hill/South Park area. The area used to be a bit rough, but it's cleaned up quite a bit the last few years.
posted by LionIndex at 11:56 AM on May 22, 2008
Response by poster: Sounds nice... although I'm not sure about the weather thing. It's okay if it changes some.
A lot of these sound nice, really. Maybe I just need to save up for a massive road trip, and when I find someplace I really like, stop.
posted by jinjo at 12:09 PM on May 22, 2008
A lot of these sound nice, really. Maybe I just need to save up for a massive road trip, and when I find someplace I really like, stop.
posted by jinjo at 12:09 PM on May 22, 2008
Maybe I just need to save up for a massive road trip, and when I find someplace I really like, stop.
I did this. It was a mistake. I confused being tired of being on the road with finding someplace I really liked. It altered the course of my life in a bad way. I don't recommend it.
posted by HotToddy at 12:22 PM on May 22, 2008
I did this. It was a mistake. I confused being tired of being on the road with finding someplace I really liked. It altered the course of my life in a bad way. I don't recommend it.
posted by HotToddy at 12:22 PM on May 22, 2008
I'm not as good at it as I thought I was
There are a lot of great cities that fit your requirements. I just wanted to drop in to say: you are in your first few years out of school. You will not immediately get an awesome job at this stage - this is the stage for paying dues and building up your resume so that you can get the awesome job in 5+ years. Don't let this get you down. It means you can try out a lot of different things and they're all useful experience to put in the backpack for later.
Be aware that with moving, it can be very hard and lonely at first where-ever you go. If you move and it's hard, that's not wimpiness, and it doesn't mean that the place is the wrong place for you. Moving cities is just hard. I find it takes me a year to really get used to a new place, and longer if I don't know anybody when I first move there. Are there any cities where you have a friend or two already?
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:25 PM on May 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
There are a lot of great cities that fit your requirements. I just wanted to drop in to say: you are in your first few years out of school. You will not immediately get an awesome job at this stage - this is the stage for paying dues and building up your resume so that you can get the awesome job in 5+ years. Don't let this get you down. It means you can try out a lot of different things and they're all useful experience to put in the backpack for later.
Be aware that with moving, it can be very hard and lonely at first where-ever you go. If you move and it's hard, that's not wimpiness, and it doesn't mean that the place is the wrong place for you. Moving cities is just hard. I find it takes me a year to really get used to a new place, and longer if I don't know anybody when I first move there. Are there any cities where you have a friend or two already?
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:25 PM on May 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Let me think... Well, San Antonio. And Austin, actually. But I don't necessarily want to be there.
Favorited in lieu of a hug :)
posted by jinjo at 12:31 PM on May 22, 2008
Favorited in lieu of a hug :)
posted by jinjo at 12:31 PM on May 22, 2008
If you don't mind some snow, I'll second iminurmefi suggestion of Denver/Boulder. Denver definitely has a winter, but it's nowhere near a Minnesota winter. And if you're into skiing/snowboard or want to learn, you can at least enjoy the winter.
I went to undergrad at CU and rather enjoyed things there. It's definitely cheaper than NY/California, has plenty of natural things nearby and it's large enough to not be dull.
Having said that, I moved from Boulder to Vancouver, BC and haven't looked back.
posted by Nelsormensch at 12:34 PM on May 22, 2008
I went to undergrad at CU and rather enjoyed things there. It's definitely cheaper than NY/California, has plenty of natural things nearby and it's large enough to not be dull.
Having said that, I moved from Boulder to Vancouver, BC and haven't looked back.
posted by Nelsormensch at 12:34 PM on May 22, 2008
:) Yeah, don't be hard on yourself about not getting a great job. It doesn't mean you're mediocre, it just means you are less experienced than others on the market, and the only fix is diving in and building experience.
It's easy to spend too long dithering in your first few years out of school, thinking "I was always so successful in school, and now I just don't know what to do to recapture that", rejecting jobs that seem beneath you etc. But this can lead to depression and credit card debt. Instead, grab a job that's on the low rung of a ladder you think you might like to climb. Good jobs come from experience and connections that you have built up by doing well in lower-level jobs.
I would be inclined to either: look for jobs in a couple of medium-sized cities that appeal, and move if you get a good job; OR move to a city where you have some connection (friend, whatever). The one thing to avoid is moving somewhere with a prohibitive cost of living like NYC or London, unless you have some really important reason to be there.
The DC area is great, it is a spread out area so it's easy to avoid living in the bad parts of town. It's a little on the expensive side. Lots to do, lots of young people who are not from there, and lots of free stuff to do. Moderate climate (hot muggy summers).
Baltimore is very cool and artsy, cheaper than DC but harder to avoid the crime.
I've heard good things about Atlanta, thinking southerly.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:05 PM on May 22, 2008
It's easy to spend too long dithering in your first few years out of school, thinking "I was always so successful in school, and now I just don't know what to do to recapture that", rejecting jobs that seem beneath you etc. But this can lead to depression and credit card debt. Instead, grab a job that's on the low rung of a ladder you think you might like to climb. Good jobs come from experience and connections that you have built up by doing well in lower-level jobs.
I would be inclined to either: look for jobs in a couple of medium-sized cities that appeal, and move if you get a good job; OR move to a city where you have some connection (friend, whatever). The one thing to avoid is moving somewhere with a prohibitive cost of living like NYC or London, unless you have some really important reason to be there.
The DC area is great, it is a spread out area so it's easy to avoid living in the bad parts of town. It's a little on the expensive side. Lots to do, lots of young people who are not from there, and lots of free stuff to do. Moderate climate (hot muggy summers).
Baltimore is very cool and artsy, cheaper than DC but harder to avoid the crime.
I've heard good things about Atlanta, thinking southerly.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:05 PM on May 22, 2008
Although I've lived in Sacramento for years, I'm going to take up the Bay Area's cause.
* The weather is great. If you want cooler (50's-70's) weather, live in the City or in communities along the bay. If you want warmer weather (70's-90's in summer) live in the East Bay communities on the other side of the hill.
* You can live in a car or transit-centric community. The cities along the bay (Berkley, San Francisco, West Oakland) are more urban, walkable and transit centric. Other cities tend to be more suburban and car-oriented. And BART is good transit.
* The Bay Area has some of the best urban hiking in the country. There are literally dozens of large, excellent regional, state and national parks within an hour of San Francisco. The ocean is on the other side of the hill.
* People come from across the world to go to San Francisco. There are lots and lots (and lots!) of reasons for that.
* You're a half day drive from Lake Tahoe, snow skiing and Yosemite, Lassen, and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks.
* The job market is still good. Lots of people work in tech, but there are tons of other industries and jobs in the Bay Area. Plus, your graphic design skills may land you work with a tech company.
Downsides? You're from Dallas, so if you're politically of Texas, you might have a hard time in the Bay Area. Housing is expensive. It's less so as you move out from San Francisco, but realize that you may be renting a small apartment for a long, long time.
Lastly, avoid LA. I know there are 13 million happy people there, but the traffic is horrific, nothing is close to anything else, you can't walk anywhere and the pollution is ridiculously bad.
posted by cnc at 1:22 PM on May 22, 2008
* The weather is great. If you want cooler (50's-70's) weather, live in the City or in communities along the bay. If you want warmer weather (70's-90's in summer) live in the East Bay communities on the other side of the hill.
* You can live in a car or transit-centric community. The cities along the bay (Berkley, San Francisco, West Oakland) are more urban, walkable and transit centric. Other cities tend to be more suburban and car-oriented. And BART is good transit.
* The Bay Area has some of the best urban hiking in the country. There are literally dozens of large, excellent regional, state and national parks within an hour of San Francisco. The ocean is on the other side of the hill.
* People come from across the world to go to San Francisco. There are lots and lots (and lots!) of reasons for that.
* You're a half day drive from Lake Tahoe, snow skiing and Yosemite, Lassen, and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks.
* The job market is still good. Lots of people work in tech, but there are tons of other industries and jobs in the Bay Area. Plus, your graphic design skills may land you work with a tech company.
Downsides? You're from Dallas, so if you're politically of Texas, you might have a hard time in the Bay Area. Housing is expensive. It's less so as you move out from San Francisco, but realize that you may be renting a small apartment for a long, long time.
Lastly, avoid LA. I know there are 13 million happy people there, but the traffic is horrific, nothing is close to anything else, you can't walk anywhere and the pollution is ridiculously bad.
posted by cnc at 1:22 PM on May 22, 2008
The only cities I've lived in for a decent amount of time are Portland, OR and Philly. While I love both places a lot, I'd be hesitant to recommend either place right now, for different reasons. I've never seen more people with college degrees work menial jobs than in Portland. And it is tougher and tougher to live alone; as elwoodwiles mentioned, rents have been rising quite a lot. Philly is neither public transportation friendly nor car friendly. Yeah, it has public transportation, but unless you enjoy riding the bus with chicken carcasses strewn all over the floor and playing "don't sit in the wet spot" and "avoid the surly stare", it is a pretty sucky experience. Parking a car was a huge problem in most places I lived and worked, and I've heard it's gotten worse. Summers there are awful, unless you have A/C. Winters usually suck too, but nothing like say, a Chicago winter.
Seattle may be more what you're looking for, though rents seem pretty damn high there too.
posted by medeine at 1:34 PM on May 22, 2008
Seattle may be more what you're looking for, though rents seem pretty damn high there too.
posted by medeine at 1:34 PM on May 22, 2008
If you're down with Dallas, Atlanta is definitely a step up. I can easily imagine in ten years people referring to the US' 4 major cities. NYC/LA/CHI and ATL. The culture scene is hot like LA, international like New York and young as anything you'll find in Portland [but far more multicultural]. The gulf coast to the south and coastal savannah to the east are just 3 hours. Yes there's traffic and public transportation leaves a lot to be desired--but both are better than what LA has to offer. And rent is cheaper and nicer [historic houses] than Chicago.
posted by caveatz at 2:49 PM on May 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by caveatz at 2:49 PM on May 22, 2008 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: If I was politically of Texas, would I be here?
And yeah, I know better than LA. I'll never forget being at the Universal Studios there once and finding this high lookout point kind of spot, where I could see this thick, clearly delineated band of gray around the bottom edge of the sky. I hadn't expected the rumors to be that true. Bbhglwwhlhgb.
posted by jinjo at 2:54 PM on May 22, 2008
And yeah, I know better than LA. I'll never forget being at the Universal Studios there once and finding this high lookout point kind of spot, where I could see this thick, clearly delineated band of gray around the bottom edge of the sky. I hadn't expected the rumors to be that true. Bbhglwwhlhgb.
posted by jinjo at 2:54 PM on May 22, 2008
If mild weather is important, I'd certainly avoid Chicago; I've been here since December, and this past winter was nasty.
posted by korpios at 3:13 PM on May 22, 2008
posted by korpios at 3:13 PM on May 22, 2008
Except for the extremes in weather, you are describing my previous single life in Chicago to a "T". Had a great one bedroom in a brownstone a few blocks from the lake which gave me my own space but I could hang out with my neighbors. Public transportation, fantastic arts scene, laid back but urban, and I still got to keep my car for weekends and my reverse commute. Street parking was do-able in the right neighborhoods.
Chicago. We have cold outdoors/cozy indoor winters. Our summers are glorious. And we rock.
posted by jeanmari at 7:23 PM on May 22, 2008
Chicago. We have cold outdoors/cozy indoor winters. Our summers are glorious. And we rock.
posted by jeanmari at 7:23 PM on May 22, 2008
Portland, Boston, and San Diego -- cool, incredibly livable, etc. Portland will be most affordable, also least extreme weather-wise.
posted by paultopia at 7:58 PM on May 22, 2008
posted by paultopia at 7:58 PM on May 22, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ml98tu at 10:38 AM on May 22, 2008