Moving to a new area?
A lot of people end up moving around in their 20s and 30s, whether to go to uni or college, to get a job, or to get married. It’s becoming a normal part of life for our generation. It can be really exciting, a chance to reinvent yourself, to get out of a rut, and to set new goals. But it can also take a while to adjust, and during that period it’s normal to feel lonely or unsettled.
Last year I moved from the East Midlands to South Wales. I can definitely say there have been ups and downs. We now live fifteen minutes from the beach, Cardiff is a nice capital city, and there are a lot of free outdoor things to do courtesy of the Welsh government. I however now appreciate how easy it was to travel from Nottingham to anywhere else, how much more frequently buses ran, and that I could immediately understand any sign.
But a year on I think I’ve coped pretty well. Our house does feel like ours, I’ve made friends to meet at the weekends, and I’ve finally learnt to pronounce my street name. Our Sat Nav hasn’t coped quite as well, and has taken me to a number of dead ends, but I’m even learning to adjust to that.
I’ve also learnt new things about myself. Having moved from a house with a very small garden to one with an elaborate garden, I’ve discovered that I like planting things, but maintaining … not my strong point.
Moving somewhere new can be scary, because change can be scary. I quite like the anticipation of change but there will inevitably be a point when you think to yourself “I’m not sure this was a great idea.”
Here are some things that I found helped me settle in to a new area:
Try to stay around
It’s important to stay in touch with friends that you’ve left behind, but if you keep going back every weekend it will be really hard to settle and meet new people. We didn’t go back to Nottingham deliberately for six months when we moved, which helped us settle in. Trips back to Nottingham now feel like a visit rather than returning home. When friends come to visit us, just showing them around places in South Wales helps us to feel more like we belong here.
Try new things
While change can be scary, it also provides lots of opportunities. Try spending weekends visiting places in the surrounding area, or take up a new hobby, or decide to cook three new meals each week shopping each time at a different supermarket.
Join a club
If you are moving into another job, you will hopefully be able to meet new people there. But you could also meet people that you have stuff in common with in other places too. Why not join a sports team or an evening class to pursue a hobby you’ve always wanted to take further, and make new friends at the same time?
Be realistic
You will probably not always feel like this was the best move of your life. As the saying goes, the grass may be greener on the other side, but it will still require mowing! Give it time, and don’t feel bad about treating yourself on days when you’d rather stay in bed than be a pioneer.
So whether you are counting down the days until your move or wrapped around the banister refusing to go, being realistic really helps. Your new surroundings will probably not always feel wonderful, but it’s also not likely to be the worst thing that ever happened to you. Change can be unsettling, but it can also be a lot of fun.
If I hadn’t moved I would have missed out on a whole new range of experiences; there have been a mixture of ups and downs, but they’ve all added to a new adventure which I wouldn’t change.
Have fun as you set out on yours!
Written by Kathryn Kendall.
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