As a new college graduate, the thought of taking on a new city is exciting, yet scary. The media portrays large cities as dangerous grounds for young adults; however, somehow, thousands of young adults feed into major cities across the nation, trying their hand at a fulfilling career.
I've recently moved to a new, major city: Indianapolis to be exact. I'm from a small town, about an hour away and I felt as though I knew the city, I knew what to expect, how to drive, what to-do on a Friday night. Wrong. The only thing I knew was where to shop in Circle Center Mall.
1. Driving in the city is stressful.
Everyone drives the small, winding roads way too fast. No one seems to know that a yellow light means "slow down" and a red light means "stop." I've come so close to being hit from people's lack of awareness of this basic driving knowledge, more times than I care to admit. One-way streets turn into two-way streets and back to one-ways, some streets don't follow a basic grid (I'm looking at you Mass and Indiana Ave.), and some roads just seem to end all of a sudden. I've been living here for a little over a month and I still need my GPS 80% of the time to find my way around.
2. Parking in the city, is even more stressful.
Lucky enough for me, the house I'm currently living in has reserved parking behind the house and is designated for tenants only. However, sometimes, the construction workers next door believe that they have a right to the parking spots and I'm forced to park on the street. I have to channel my driving school days and parallel park. Paying for parking can cost you an arm and leg if you stay at your destination awhile, so I suggest you get yourself a Fitbit and track the steps it takes to park in a free spot and walk to your destination (probably around 1,000 steps: only 9,000 more to go to reach your goal! Yeah!). Hey, we need that exercise if we plan on drinking all those beers tonight, right?
3. Just one block can change a neighborhood
Growing up in a small town, you know that one part of the city is where you shouldn't go when it's dark, but in the city, there are portions I wouldn't visit in the day or night hours. I've learned through my limited time residing in Indianapolis that going up, down or even across the block in certain neighbors can change the safety greatly. I feel safe on my block and neighborhood, but if I go a few blocks south or east, then that's a different ball game.
3. Following the local news stations on Twitter causes too much anxiety
I believe people should be aware of what is happening in the news, both nationally and locally. People need to have an insight of what is changing in this world; however, the local news stations on Twitter: boy, they are constantly posting shootings, robberies, hit-and-runs, etc. You name it, the news' Twitter page is covering it. I literally had to unfollow them just so I wouldn't feel scared of living in Indianapolis. Sure, there are scary pockets of Indy (as highlighted above), but I also want to feel comfortable enough to explore the city and not be scared.
4. City bars make me feel like a small child
I've stepped into a handful of bars downtown and felt like I was a 12 year-old pre-pubescent girl. My jean shorts, "cute" top, and a sandals I had picked out looked like I stepped out of Limited Too compared to the fabulous girls with their skinny jeans, open-backed tops, Kylie Jenner lip kits, and perfect contour. Yeah, let me order my vodka-tonic or Moscow mule and I'll hide along the wall. At least, my feet will feel perfectly fine after hours of standing, socializing and dancing, unlike yours that have been squeezed into your stilettos.
5. Ultimately, I love the city
If you feel the desire to take on a new challenge, explore a new place without any idea of what to expect: move to a new city and fully immerse yourself. I'm still slowly gaining confidence to go out, discover new restaurants and bars, and attend different events around the city, but hey, I'm at least doing something exciting, right?!
