All too often, I find myself encouraging others to move to new places. It offers new opportunities and new perspectives, and overall is something I find very beneficial. After all, I've lived in eight different places, and many more if I were to include minor moves in the same metropolitan area.

However, I also realize I've paid little attention to the immediate result of relocation, which is having to adapt to a new area. I've discussed some of the difficult areas, such as the logistics and finances of moving, but adapting to a new place is something else entirely - and it isn't always easy. Even I find it somewhat weird at times, but for those who have spent most or all of their lives in one place, I imagine it can get extremely stressful. The good news, however, is that it doesn't take forever, and there are ways to go about it.

First off, I like to tell people that they are, in fact, building a new life. I've built-up separate chapters of my life in various different states, and many of them started entirely from scratch. This is something crucial I always remind myself: the life I built-up in my last state also started from ground zero four or five years back. If I can do that there, I can definitely do that here. In fact, oftentimes we start to realize (barring extremes) that geography isn't as important as we think; if you can build up friendships and professional contacts in one place, you can do it somewhere else. It's also not a simple linear process; this isn't a video-game where you leave one saved game and start a new one. You still have your accolades, talents, abilities, work history, and pretty much everything else you've built for yourself unless you explicitly want to get rid of everything and start over.

Plus, this is opportunity. It's normal to initially get frustrated and view your situation as a hindrance, but that's not the right way to look at things. It sounds cliche, but keeping that positive outlook can and will change everything. I've been on both opposing viewpoints and the difference it makes is unbelievable. Keep that positive attitude, seriously.

Alright, we've discussed the broad concepts of outlook and mentality, so let's look at some of the specific actions you can take. First and foremost, don't waste time. I look back at when I started college; every second I spent doing nothing in my dorm room drove me crazy. I felt as if I could be out meeting people, so that's what I did. Did it pay off? Absolutely. The people I met at the beginning of freshman year led to a variety of friendships, relationships, and professional contacts down the road. That being said, meeting people at college is a tad bit easier than in other situations. If you've just moved somewhere and are looking for people to meet up with, I find Facebook groups to be phenomenal. Search for an activity or concept you like in your area, such as "Chicago Hiking" or "Dallas Democrats" and see what comes up. MeetUp is a great service too, although I personally have had better luck from social media. Also, don't forget: every person you meet is an avenue to meet more people. Seek out the little opportunities; they can have the most impact.

Secondly, treat it like an adventure. You're in a whole new place, and if you're just wasting time sitting around, you're missing out on whatever that place has to offer. Sure, I find myself sitting around on my computer watching Netflix and writing articles, but that tends to be after a long and eventful day. You're going to have times when it's simply not feasible, but overall, try to make the most of it, and don't be afraid to do things by yourself. We fall prey to this belief that if people see us by ourselves, they will assume we're unpopular or have little friends, but that's simply not true. Logistics and schedules don't always play out, so within the realm of safety and feasibility, don't be afraid to go hit up new things solo. Maybe even wear a funny and offensive t-shirt; it's always nice to have something to spark conversations with strangers.

Next, learn to love technology, but not overuse it. What do I mean by this? Simply, accept the fact that you can still communicate with anybody in your family and friend groups all over the world. They're not gone, and don't think that they are. At the same time, don't let cyber communication with previous contacts interfere with your time that could be spent making new friends. I've discussed this many times before, but friendships do not die just because of distance, and closeness between family members is not determined by proximity either. Just trust me on this one.

I also recommend that you find some things you like, and make them your own. We have a tendency to initially distance ourselves from somewhere, or say it's not our actual "home." If you're somewhere new, find some restaurants, entertainment venues, sports teams, etc. that you particularly enjoy, and take pride in them. Be ready to defend your new place, and find ways to really attach yourself to it. Join local chapters of an organization, for example. Once you get used to saying, "I'm with the [insert city here] branch," you and others will start associating yourself with this area. Over time, it all starts to feel like home.

Now, a common source of discontent I see with people when they have to start building up new friendships and social groups is the belief that any good reputation they might have is lost, or they have to start over. To a degree, this is true. After all, if you're a beast at basketball or playing guitar, people aren't going to know that off the bat, so you will have to prove yourself. However, there is some good news here. First off, skills don't go away, so it's really not that hard to get "re-known" for something. Secondly, the desire to prove yourself to new people acts almost like competition in the marketplace: it causes you to curb any complacency and focus on improving and/or demonstrating your ability. You also have the ability to somewhat choose what you want to be known for. I'm known as a photographer and video producer, other friends are mine are known as guitar wizards or for their fitness. If you like playing guitar, but would rather be known for your ability to draw, you can do that. After all, you're in a new place with new people, so you have a lot of opportunity and ability.

Alright, so let's assume that you're doing all of these things, and it's working, but you're still not quite where you want to be. First off, that's completely normal and it's not an overnight process. You don't harvest crops right after you plant the seeds; it takes time. Secondly, this does not have to be your permanent destination. After all, we're not trees. Our location is not permanent. If you eventually want to go somewhere else, or even back to your hometown, you have that option. I actually think a lot of people take decision-making way too seriously. Not everything involves a significant risk of serious loss or physical danger, and many of these things aren't permanent. You can change your college major, your job, and where you live. Never forget that.

Lastly, there is one very important concept I want everybody to remember. As I once told a good friend of mine, "You either leave and say goodbye to a lot of your friends, or you stay and watch as everybody else starts to leave." People are dynamic creatures, and our lives are everchanging. The life you once had somewhere else was never destined to stay that way forever. Remember, this is a new chapter, new opportunity, and a new beginning to better things.