When I moved to Washington, D.C., from Colorado over two years ago now, I really had no idea what I was getting in to. Having grown up in the suburbs of Minneapolis and gone to college in Colorado Springs, the District was by far the biggest city I had ever lived in. There were quirks and traits about living in a big city that I wasn’t aware of and frankly wasn’t prepared for. Now, two years later, I’ve learned a few things about big city life and have realized I’m evolving into what they call “a city girl”. Looking back, there’s several ways I’ve stayed sane while living in the Nation’s Capitol and what may help you as you adjust to big city living.
1) Take day trips and/or weekend trips. Even if it’s a quick weekend hiatus to the beaches in Delaware or an afternoon trip to sip wine at a Virginia winery, be intentional about getting out of the city often. This helps with the claustrophobic, “stuck” feeling you can sometimes get while living in a big city by reminding you that life still exists outside of the horns and congested streets! Need some day trip ideas? I wrote about several in a recent post for you to check out.
2) Find Your Neighborhood Go-Tos. Having lived in Capitol Hill for the entire time I’ve been a D.C. resident, I’ve easily found my favorite spots in the neighborhood. Almost daily you’ll find me meandering through the coffee shops and restaurants around Eastern Market, making the neighborhood feel more cozy, manageable and smaller. Not to mention, the baristas and wait staff at your favorite joints will begin to recognize you, making you feel like a true local.
3) Get Involved in Something Random. Several months after moving to D.C., a friend from work asked my husband and I to join (drumroll please!) a bocce ball league. Yes, they have leagues for bocce ball. For us, though, this made all the difference in terms of meeting new people we never would have met before and it got us out of the house on a Tuesday night, which, if you’re anything like me, is hard to do. And who doesn’t feel pride in saying they’ve played in a bocce league? If you’re big city is anything like D.C., there will be a number of sports leagues to join as well as a variety of other random things to get involved in!
4) Have a Car. I know there are many reasons you may not have a car while living in a big city. That’s totally cool! Just on a personal note though, having a car has truly made all the difference for me. I love being able to have the freedom to jump in the car and drive rather than waiting for the bus or metro (even though I’ve done that countless times to and from work!). If you can afford it and it’s something you’re interested in, think about getting a car. It’ll make those day or weekend trips easier.
5) Have a Plan to Leave (at some point). If living in a big city doesn’t jive with your long-term goals or plans, start thinking about your plans once you break up with the big city. Knowing that the big city isn’t for forever will help you survive the busy whirlwind that you find yourself in. For my husband and I, living in D.C. was never the long-term plan, which has made it easier to fall in love with what the big city has to offer for the time we’re here.
nooks & notions 