Change can always be difficult, especially when you venture towards something new. As a born and raised Texan who has never been far from home for more than a week my recent temporary move to Washington D.C. has been somewhat of a culture shock. I figured that there would not be much difference because it is all in the same country, but I have slowly been learning that there is much to understand about the area before you fit in completely. For anyone that is planning on venturing up to the east coast, or more specifically in the D.C. area, here are some tips and lessons learned while living in D.C.
1. Public Transportation Exists
Depending on where you are coming from, this might be something obvious to you. However, in Texas it is more common for everyone to drive places instead of catching a bus. The metro is definitely something unique. It is great because you can travel fairly easily to anything around you. The flip side of this is that the metro can get packed. If you are trying to commute any time in the afternoon, don’t expect to have a bench to yourself, or a seat at all for that matter. Another important rule I learned quickly is stand to the right! To get down to the trains you usually will take an escalator and trust me you will get knocked over or yelled at if you stand on the left. Many people are in a hurry to get to their trains and will fly down the escalator, usually running through anything that gets in their way. Like I said, the metro can be super convenient, but also confusing. It has only been three weeks for me in D.C. and I have already gotten on the wrong train a few times.
2. You Will Walk Whether You Want To Or Not
The metro is great, but unfortunately it cannot stop right in front of your destinations and in some areas the metro stops quite a ways away. This being said, expect to walk a substantial amount everyday. Depending on your level of laziness this can be good or bad. For all of my Fitbit users, you will love the idea of hitting your steps goal every single day. In the south, we have the convenience of using our cars to cater to our laziness, but here you either walk from the metro or pay for parking. I have learned that comfy shoes are a must and it is better to pack light whenever you're going out.
3. Say goodbye to Mexican food
In Texas, I always know that there is a Mexican restaurant usually within a two-mile radius, unfortunately that is not the case here in D.C.. Before you freak out like I did, there are a lot of pros about the food in D.C. I have learned that there is food other than Mexican and while in DC I have experienced foods from different ethnicities. This has been a pretty awesome experience. What is even more awesome is that you can get practically any food delivered to you. At home I think the only food that I can get delivered to my apartment is pizza, but here there are so many free apps where you can order anything.
4. Grocery Shopping Can Be A Workout
Before coming here I never understood the need for companies that delivered groceries, but after my first trip to the store it all made sense. The issue is not the physical shopping portion, the real challenge begins when you are at checkout. If you do not come prepared with your own bags expect a small bag fee. Also, when packing your groceries you will learn how good you really are at Tetris. There is a certain packing skill you obtain when you realize that the more bags you have the more you have to carry. When I went grocery shopping the first time I did it all wrong. I did bring a couple bags, but that wasn’t enough. I ended up walking a mile with all of my groceries and it was quite a workout. My advice to you is to only buy the essentials and use sturdy bags. This will honestly be a lifesaver and I wish I would have figured this out before I decided to go shopping.
5. There Are So Many Free Things To Do!
Like most college students the word free is very exciting! In D.C. most museums are free and there a lot of free concerts. This is awesome because every weekend can be a new adventure. This place is also filled with so much history and it is very exciting to experience! If you get the chance to travel here I definitely recommend taking a day to explore! For my fitness buffs there are also a bunch of free exercise classes from yoga to boot camps!
All in all, D.C. is pretty awesome and once you start to get used to all of the hustle and bustle it is a pretty fun place to live. These tips are helpful for adjusting, especially if you are like me and are coming from the countryside. There is a lot of adjustment to be made, but wherever you want to go, I say do it and love the experience!
