How do You Just Pick up And Leave?

[Jakob]

So, where to start? I'm 21 and my entire life I've lived in or just outside of Greensboro NC, spending the majority of my life living in the small town of Reidsville. For many years this city has worn me down. The people, the way of life, and the lack of ambition in people is disheartening. There is barely enough jobs here to support half the population of the city and if you're lucky enough to get a job you're earning minimum wage. It's become clear to me that I need to get away from this place, if I want to better myself. I'm interested in moving to Seattle, Charlotte or Portland, in that order. The problem is, I have absolutely no clue how to go about moving halfway across the country, or even across the state. Where do I start? How do I plan? I have a limited amount of cash to work with and I need to form a plan. I'm not looking for a solution, just decent advice to aid me on my journey of leaving home in search of a better life and education. 

 

 

PS: fug the Saints.

[CamMoon]

I was in this situation after leaving the Military. I didn't want to return home (shitty city in Eastern NC) but really had nowhere to go. The best thing to do in this situation is invest in yourself. Go back/start school. I couldn't get into a 4 year university so I started at community college. Get all of the aid you qualify for. Get a cheap apartment and part time job. Slowly rebuild your life the way you see fit.

[Jangler]

'Go where the climate suits your clothes.

[Jimmy]

I hear Seattle is going to fall in the Pacific because of an impending super earthquake, so there's that.  Degrees are overrated depending on what path you want to take.  I have 3 of them and my drop out high school buddies make tons more money than I do because they learned a trade and now own their own businesses.  If I had it to do over again I would never work "for" another person again. 

Find a job you're interested in, find roommates to share the rent, and learn learn learn whatever it is you decide to do and become an expert at it, start your own business, kick ass, move out and buy your own place, put your former employer out of business, sell your business, retire at 35.

 

Caveat to earning a 4-year degree...some jobs require it, I really want my medical doctors to have degrees.

[SmokinwithWilly]

I actually made the move from NC to WA. It's a long trip, about a grand now for gas depending on what you're driving. Personally I'm not a huge fan of Seattle but I'm not really a big city person. There is lots to do there, but I'm not sure about the employment market since I'm in eastern Wa. Summers are milder, but the most important things is you have to put up with Seahawks on every damn station 24/7 and that poo gets annoying as fug.

[Jakob]

Just to clarify: I want to be a writer, so I'm looking for a degree in journalism or creative writing. Thanks for the replies.

[Jangler]

Maine has worked for Stephen King, just stay off the roads.

[Batman]

1- Join the Navy.

2- Travel the world.

3- Fug hot women.

4- Get paid for said traveling & fuging.

5- Get a free college education.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I think the biggest thing you can do to help with the transition is to have a plan and some tangible short term goals. This will help a great deal. FTW.

[PandaPancake]

I could open my home to a Huddler but you fugers would tell everyone my shenanigans and I'm a nudist.

[PhillyB]

just do it. no offense OP but i feel like you have a long history of talking about doing things here and getting all pumped up and psyched but then just never doing anything about it. this isn't meant to discourage you because i'm the same way, i'll run through an entire plan in my head but then not follow through by actually making it happen. it's something you have to train yourself to do.

my advice would be to find a community college and enroll. you need to be doing something. even if it's just GTCC and you're moving to greensboro, you're still improving your life by leaps and bounds and getting out of what sounds like a stagnant, vitality-drraining situation up in reidsville (fug that place anyway.)

good luck.

[CamMoon]

Just to clarify: I want to be a writer, so I'm looking for a degree in journalism or creative writing. Thanks for the replies.

Even better. Find a cheap community college in Seattle, Charlotte, whereever. Get all of your basic classes out of the way there. Again, get all of the aid you qualify for. Typically there is enough to cover all tuition with a little left over to blow. Avoid loans if possible, but if not, take out what you need to keep a roof over your head. A part time job really makes a difference here though. Once you're ready transfer to a 4 year school. You should be a resident of whatever state you're in by this time, so you'll be in state tuition. Up and moving is hard and scary but it will be worth it bro

[Inimicus]

If you wait until you have all of the answers, you'll never do it.

Commit to not taking anything with you that wont fit in your car and sell everything else.  Dont let a bunch of accumulated poo keep you tied to a spot because its too expensive to move it all.

Get a job a a national chain.  I have a buddy who got a job at a nationwide retailer just so he could use it for relocation.  He used their relocation plan and although they didnt help him financially, he knew he had a job squared away when he got to his new city.

OR

Just accept that for the first couple of months you'll be in a boardinghouse and pull the fuging trigger.  Ive known lots of guys to just pick up and go and not worry about the details.  It wont kill you and might even make you a more interesting dude.

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

"A journey of 1,000 miles starts with one step. Doesn't matter where, how, or when... But the first step is the most important one."