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The 5 things no one tells you about moving to a different city

October 21, 2017 in Lifestyle
The 5 things no one tells you when you're moving to a different city

For some people moving to a different city (or even country) is a dream come true. Everyone can see themselves walking arm in arm around New York City with their BFF Blair Waldorf or strolling around London in cute wellingtons with an umbrella ready in hand. I mean, moving to such a big place has to look like all the movies and TV shows, right? Let me tell you that – it’s not all roses. There are some things no one tells you about moving to a different city.

I moved to London over 4 years ago. It was my plan since I visited when I was 11 years old. I remember when I was leaving, I looked out of the window and said ‘I’ll come back London, I promise.’ And I always keep my promises. So When my mum came up with an idea of going to a university in England I jumped at the opportunity without considering it twice. How could I say no?

I want to share with you the 5 things I wish I knew when I was making that decision (alongside some photos of London I took). It wouldn’t have changed anything, but maybe I would have felt a bit more prepared for what was coming.

Maybe you’re reading this post because you’re about to move out. Or maybe you are just dreaming about it and planning that one day you’ll set a foot on a different land. Either way, keep reading.

The 5 things no one tells you about moving to a different city

The novelty wears off

I didn’t even think about it when I was moving out. I was 18 years old and I felt like the world was opening its doors in front of me. My bags were packed, I had boxes of my stuff scheduled to arrive a week after me and I felt a bit like Jack Dawson at the very front of Titanic shouting ‘I’m the king of the world!’. And at the beginning it was great. On my first day, I walked up and down the Oxford Street and drank my very first Starbucks in Hyde Park. I was living the dream. It lasted for a good couple of months as everything was so new and so amazing to me. Even my mum kept saying that that happy bubble of mine would eventually burst. And it did. Slowly but surely, Big Ben was just another building, Starbucks didn’t taste as good as before and it rained so so often I gave up on seeing the sun for more than a month in a year. Don’t get me wrong, I still love London immensely, but right now it’s just another city to me. A very pretty one, mind you. 

It gets lonely

Moving out on your own to a completely new place means you have to start from the beginning. You need to form new friendships. You’ll have to find new spots to hang out at. It can be quite daunting. Especially for someone with social anxiety. Back at home I never had many friends, because not many people stick around long enough for me to show my true colours. So for a very long time, I actually had no one to hang out with. At some point, I lost all motivation to go out and do anything because I had no one to share it with. Then the homesickness kicks in (more below), so you really want to give up on this adulthood malarkey and go back to being an innocent child. It takes time to make friends and form good bonds. The key is to not give up. Four years later I have a strong group of friends whom I can count on. No matter how difficult it feels, the right people will find you.

The 5 things no one tells you about moving to a different city

You’ll feel homesick a lot more than expected

My mum used to tell me stories of how she used to cry all the time when she was away at uni. How she would smell her clothes and wish she was at home with her family. Most of the time, I listened to it but thought it was a bit dramatic. After all, I’m only a couple of hours away by plane and we can talk on Skype every day, right? It’s not quite as simple as that. When the novelty wears off and loneliness comes in, what you miss the most is to have your loved ones next to you. To vent about the rude customer assistant in a coffee shop. To hold you as you cry because some horrible guy broke your heart (turns out guys are the same in every single part of the world). And finally, to not have to deal with every single problem on your own. Phone calls are great, Skype is great, but nothing will ever replace a mum’s hug or an argument with your sister. Also, you will feel like you’re missing out on so much of family life. And it’s a bit weird to watch them make plans and go about their lives without you there. Even though all you want is for them to be happy. It’s just weird.

Life gets poor

Okay, I am very aware student life means scraping by each month. Before I moved to London I hadn’t worked a day in my life. It just wasn’t a thing in my family, I never had to work and never felt the need to have my own money. Not because I come from a rich family, I just didn’t need anything. Which is why it was so difficult to get an actual part-time job to support myself on my own. I had to budget so so hard in order to have money for food and travel. London is so expensive and to someone who didn’t have to think about money it was quite difficult for me to comprehend budgeting. I wish I was taught about that at school, because hey, I still haven’t used most of my Maths or Chemistry knowledge, but I would have been more than happy if someone showed me how to do taxes. Being on a strict budget sucks, but the satisfaction of finally having your own money (at some point) is an incredible feeling.

Cooking becomes less enjoyable with each day

Guess what, you have to do it every single day. It’s bound to get boring at some point. Usually sooner rather than later. I still don’t know how I managed to not order a takeaway for the first year and a half of moving out. That’s my little achievement. Then suddenly one day I couldn’t be bothered and discovered the magic of living in a big city – the cooked food can be delivered to your door (Hallelujah!). It took me a very long time to fall in love with cooking. I used to make chicken with vegetables every day for so long, at some point I couldn’t even look at poultry anymore. I feel so bad for taking my mum or dad cooking for granted, but I also learnt to appreciate being cooked for a lot more. Maybe invest in a couple of cooking books before you move out, because, sooner or later, you will feel fed up with the not-so-varied diet.

The 5 things no one tells you about moving to a different city

Moving out has its ups and downs. But moving out to a completely different country – that’s the scariest rollercoaster life could offer. The good news? It’s also the most enjoyable one. If you have a chance to do that, grab it with both hands, because an opportunity like that doesn’t knock on your door twice.

Until next time xx

Where would be your ideal place to move to?

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Read more: The best way to remove makeup or What’s in my bag, you’re asking? Loads of dirt apparently…

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Tags : big city life, Moving out, the 5 things no one tells you about moving to a different city

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Comments

  1. Anu says

    October 29, 2017 at 9:01 pm

    I’d love to move to London as well or maybe somewhere in Scotland. I actually love rain and being alone so those wouldn’t really be a problem for me. I also cook my own food almost every single day so that’s not something I’d have to get used to either. The one thing that would stop me from moving though is that I don’t think I could be so far away from my mom and my dogs! I’d miss them way too much. My mom has been talking about moving abroad as well though so maybe she could come with me ;)x

    Anu | Based On blog | Bloglovin

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 30, 2017 at 4:50 pm

      That would be so cool! I wish my family moved to London so I could have them nearby. Scotland is beautiful, a great place to live for sure.

      Reply
  2. Leslie says

    October 28, 2017 at 12:48 am

    What a wonderful post to anybody that’s about to make the move! I’m such a homebody so I don’t know how I would deal with moving away but probably Spain for me!

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 28, 2017 at 10:26 am

      Spain sounds lovely!

      Reply
  3. emily isobelle jane says

    October 26, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    I am so with you on nothing replacing a mums hug, its by far the thing I missed most. I’m the type of person who is always around people so when I moved out I had to get used to the fact I was going to be alone sometimes! I completely agree about the ups and downs, but its so exciting and rewarding its totally worth it!

    loved this <3

    emily

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 27, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      It is difficult but now when I go back home after a while I start missing being on my own! It’s definitely something you can get used to. Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Abigail says

    October 24, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    Gorgeous photos – moving away from everything you feel comfortable with is such a difficult thing to do, but it certainly sounds like you’ve made the right decision!
    http://www.asideofspoons.uk

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 24, 2017 at 3:51 pm

      Thank you! I can’t wait to walk around London with a good DSLR so I can improve my photography, it’s such a photogenic city!

      Reply
  5. Charlie says

    October 23, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    I don’t live alone but I can definitely relate to some of these points (knowing how to cook roughly 3 meals is never a good thing hahah).
    Charlie | http://www.charlieswonderland.co.uk

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 23, 2017 at 7:28 pm

      How challenging is it to come up with something interesting to cook every day?! haha

      Reply
  6. andthenzen ✨ says

    October 23, 2017 at 8:45 am

    I don’t even live alone, but I definitely recognise some of the points you raised here! I moved away from my home town a few years ago, and recently, I’ve been so home sick – I just feel so far away from my sister and best friend! When I was younger, I always dreamt of living in London, I just don’t know if I could do it now though.. 🙈

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 23, 2017 at 10:03 am

      It definitely has its ups and downs! But I think it’s worth a try

      Reply
  7. Savana says

    October 22, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    You raised such a good point which was the same for me, you just don’t seem to enjoy food as much.

    I live your content and pictures. Best blog out there.

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 22, 2017 at 8:56 pm

      Oh thank you so much! It really means a lot to me <3

      Reply
  8. Alice says

    October 22, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    These definitely applied to me when I moved into student halls and I moved within the same city! Moving away from what you know and are comfortable with can be much more challenging than people let on x

    Alice http://www.accordingtoalicex.com

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 22, 2017 at 4:57 pm

      It’s such a big step isn’t it?

      Reply
  9. Alice says

    October 21, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    I never took the plunge to move away for uni, I just didn’t have the balls to do it let alone go to a whole different country so I applaud you! I can imagine it getting horribly lonely at times as my mum is my best friend and I’m such a bad cook, I’d end up living off of toast!
    Alice Xx

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 21, 2017 at 10:59 pm

      Thank you! It was terrifying, but in the end I think it made me who I am today and develop in a way I wouldn’t have if I stayed home. There’s time for everything!

      Reply
  10. Lily says

    October 21, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    I’m glad I moved to university and experienced this all with a safety net haha! I would love to move to Australia, America and London one day. Even if its for a couple months – one year, the experience would just be amazing x

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 21, 2017 at 11:00 pm

      Definitely do so if you ever get a chance! It’s an incredible experience

      Reply
  11. Julie Sofie says

    October 21, 2017 at 5:10 pm

    I agree so much! I moved to Edinburgh a bit over 2 years ago and while I still love the city the novelty does wear off and starting from zero when you’re all alone is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Great post! Xx

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 21, 2017 at 11:02 pm

      Thank you! It is super hard, I thought I’d enjoy the clean slate but it was literally starting a life from nothing.

      Reply
  12. Katelyn Hawkes says

    October 21, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    I just moved to Austin, Texas from another big city in Texas. I’ve always wanted to live in Austin, even while I was in college. After all, Austin is the music capital of the USA! I have to agree with the first point. It does lose its luster after awhile. Instead of being in awe of the Downtown skyline, I’m starting to notice the gross smells and dirty people that linger along the streets.

    It does get lonely too, and poor. Such a big city costs so much to live in, it’s ridiculous.

    I think that the last point is more of an experience from being in college for the first time. Youre no longer at home where there is always a meal cooked by your parents. But this was a great post, nonetheless! I hope to visit London someday. Those are some great photos!

    xoxo

    Reply
    • Julia says

      October 21, 2017 at 4:48 pm

      Austin, wow! I have never been to America, I want to visit one day though! You’re very right about the last point, but I never even thought it would be so difficult to cook every day haha that’s why I included it in the post. Thank you for commenting and let me know when you’re in London, I can show you some secret places!

      Reply

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