Moving away from my hometown was something I had longed for, for a bit. I wanted a change and would often say "If I was offered a job in Texas I'd pack up and leave tomorrow". I just knew it was my time to spread my wings just a little bit more, venture off and see what other parts of the world had to offer me. I thought moving out and living on my own would be an adventure enough, which it surely was for a bit. But I was ready for some bigger changes when that fell stale.

Leaving your comfort zone can be scary, but diving in head first like I did made it exciting. Where will my new weekly gas station be? Where will I go grocery shopping? Where will my go-to hungover taco joint be? There were so many unanswered questions, but that was the most exciting part. Sometimes it's nice not to have the answer and just figure it out as you learn. But as you learn, you realize sh*t things really are different! I am not in my comfort zone. In fact, I am around 1k miles away from that zone. And to some, that can feel terrifying. To some, that can feel liberating. And I think to a lot of us, we fall somewhere in between. The excitement of not knowing exactly what's to come, but still having a solid plan for this big change.

As my journey has started, continued and progressed, I want to share 5 things I learned moving away from my hometown, for anyone who thinks maybe their next move, is this.

1. Everything is new (duh!)

From the moment you wake up in the morning, to the moment you go to sleep, everything you'll experience is new. If you make a change like I did, from NY to FL, there are some big, obvious changes like palm trees! Which I don't think I'll ever get used to, or the temperature change.

2. After a few short weeks, you'll be shocked at what no longer feels new and is just your new regular

It's interesting how quickly we adapt to new surroundings. How fast you will find that new gas station you go to weekly, or where you now shop for your groceries and beer.

3. Grocery stores are seriously different in every state

Like, the things they sell, the brands, the prices! Everything is different, and no- different isn't bad. But if you're used to your brands, you may have to add trying a new hot sauce brand (like I did) to the list of changes, because not everything is sold everywhere.

4. Heroes/subs/hoagies/sammys are not all created equal

Depending on where you are from and where you are moving to, you'll fall into one of those categories. But let me tell you, the NY style hero you get from the corner deli, is not a typical stop in other states. A small or maybe big adjustment for my Italian hero lovers, but that's the beauty in trying new places. It's only taken me 3x to find a great deli!

5. Home is never that far away

It's not. Home is a Facetime, a phone call, a text message, a letter, a train ride, bus ride or a plane ride away. Feeling home sick is normal, but that's the beauty of connectivity and how easily you can pick up your phone to see or chat with your loved ones.