I'm probably moving about 1,000 miles away from where I want to live (east coast to midwest) and I keep telling myself to 'hunker down' for a few years and then I'll be able to return to my ideal locations. Stupid idea, or man up?
I'm probably moving about 1,000 miles away from where I want to live (east coast to midwest) and I keep telling myself to 'hunker down' for a few years and then I'll be able to return to my ideal locations. Stupid idea, or man up?
Depends on the situation. Married, kids, wife w/ job---no thanks. Just out of school---man up. You might find out that the location is actually enjoyable.
Where?
I faced a similar dilemma at one point. My options were to move to Oklahoma for a high paying job at one of the supermajors straight out of grad school or to stay in New England and work as a consulting scientist for about 1/3 of what I would have made in Oklahoma. Having little debt I chose to stay in New England with my loved ones and family. A few people have told me I made the wrong decision, including my own father, but I don't have any regrets. A place is just a place. Losing people is real sadness.
You'll have to decide what is right for you.
genuine random a hole wrote:
Depends on the situation. Married, kids, wife w/ job---no thanks. Just out of school---man up. You might find out that the location is actually enjoyable.
Where?
Actually you have it backwards. When you're young, you should strive for a good job in your ideal location. If you're married with kids, your life is over anyway and it doesn't matter where you live. Does it matter if you're in Peoria or Manhattan when all you're going to do is come home and help your kid with his homework?
Yes, I have taken jobs in two towns that were off the radar and not places I would have simply chosen. I just dove in and embraced the experience. Spent 9 years in the first place and still live in the 2nd.
If you go in with an attitude of contributing and yet staying true to yourself, it is amazing what you come to appreciate about a place.
Pretty much guarantee the most successful guys from your high school or college don't live near home. You move where the opportunity lies.
I'm in the military, so yes.
If your attitude is "hunker down" and then move back, don't do it. Don't defer happiness like that or you'll never let yourself be happy.
However, if your attitude is to actually enjoy the place you live then you can do it. Most of the best things in life can be done in any city. Go to the bar, get plastered, see what happens, join a running club, it's all the same at any city.
crazy raisin wrote:
If your attitude is "hunker down" and then move back, don't do it. Don't defer happiness like that or you'll never let yourself be happy.
However, if your attitude is to actually enjoy the place you live then you can do it. Most of the best things in life can be done in any city. Go to the bar, get plastered, see what happens, join a running club, it's all the same at any city.
This is all well and good assuming the OP is moving to a midwestern city. In that case, it would be a mistake not to go. He just needs to find people with similar interests and he'll enjoy it. However, it won't be as nice if he's thinking of moving to a less populated area.
For instance, I moved to a town of ~15,000 last year to work in a town of ~3,000 about 20 min away. This was after living my whole life in a decently sized city where I knew a lot of people. During the week it's generally fine. I come home from work, run, get things done, etc. The weekends can be a real drag though. I'll go to the bars, but you can only hang out with the old farts/white trash so many times before you get bored with it. If my job wasn't as good as it is there is no way in hell I would live here.
If you believe you will be unhappy there don't do it. You only get so many years on this planet use them wisely.