Lifestyles

Post-Grad Wanderlust

Plenty of Places to Move After Graduation Other Than Back to Your Parent’s House

If you are coming upon graduation, your college days at the University are about to be a thing of the past in just one month. Even if you’ve still got a year or two left, it is never too early to start thinking of your future. These following thoughts have likely crossed your mind more than once throughout your college experience. Where will I end up? Will I have to move back home? Where can I get a decent job offering? The answer is there are plenty of places to be considered outside of the garden state. You have the power to choose where the wind takes you.

Obviously, NYC and Philadelphia are  predictable choices for students at the University. Each city has accessible internships which can lead to jobs. Both cities are close enough to visit home, but not too close to avoid it. These cities, however, are still quite familiar to many students here. Plus, they can be extremely expensive with high rent prices for small apartments.

There is no argument that just the thought of leaving the places where you grew up might seem terrifying, complicated, and a little nauseating.

Being thrown into an unfamiliar place far from home, surrounded by unrecognizable street signs and unfriendly strangers could be discouraging. While these cons are unavoidable, they will be outweighed by the gratification and independence earned through leaving your comfort zone.

University alumnus Kae Crede moved to Las Vegas a few months after graduation in May of 2013.

Crede said, “You should move away after college to reclaim your independence. Most kids move back home and get depressed because they are stuck under their family’s roof again and get stuck in a rut where they don’t ever end up leaving home. The quicker you get out the better it is for you, your independence as an adult, and your career. Moving was the best thing I could’ve done.”

After accepting the uneasiness of moving, research some of the best places around the country for your career and social opportunity. There are unknown destinations across the country to call home that you would never think of, so pack your bags.

Texas is quite the polar opposite of the northeast, but it is equally as hip. Houston and Austin are both ideal cities. The Business Journal ranked Houston number one in the country for young professionals. Buzzfeed claims that Austin is a place where you can live cheap and easy with your friends, especially because it is a college town.

In the west, Seattle might be overlooked due to its rainy perception, but students should look into living here. With many universities here, USA Today claims food and entertainment prices are more affordable to fit the needs of college students. This also makes the Washington city a smart choice for graduate school.

Peter Chace, a junior chemistry and marine science major,  is looking forward to spending this summer in Seattle for his studies.

Last summer, however, he lived in Newport, Ore., which he recommends as a serene living area.

Chase said, “Growing up in New Jersey you develop a certain standard for population density and urban development. Going from the most densely-populated state to one of the sparsest can be a little jarring. The coast range of Oregon is a gorgeous region that’s, at its most, 60 minutes from the ocean, a striking landscape. And the other nice part, the people. Yeah you have your bad eggs everywhere but as a whole the Oregon coast are a kind, amenable population.”

For majors like Chace’s, the west coast is a wise choice.

Also on the other side of the country, in the Golden State, lies a rising city for youth: San Francisco. Though Los Angeles is typically thought of as the place to be especially in the entertainment market, San Francisco is now a California city young people are flocking to. The city has recently been compared to NYC in newspapers like the New York Times.

Buzzfeed acknowledges that San Francisco is the spot to be because there are so many new hot startup businesses to land a job at.

Whether you choose one of these cities or another, make it a must to live elsewhere especially while you’re young.

As St. Augustine said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

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