Where to move post college??? page

[cruncan]

Hello,

I'm graduating from college in the spring and I'm clueless as to where I want to move. What are some cool cities for a 23 year old? I like the outdoors and fitness. I would like a place with open minded primal/paleo females. Not too crowded, not too small.

THANKS

[zoebird]

NO clue, but thank you for writing "graduating *from* college." Because "graduate college" is just ridiculous IMO.

Where do you want to be in the world and what sort of work do you want to do (because that can narrow the field).

[EyeOfRound]

....where the jobs are. Unfortunately, a lot of the "cool" places are already overpopulated by young college grads, which doesn't make for a great job market, and by rich old people, which drives up housing prices.

[cruncan]

I want to stay in the U.S. I'm an entrepreneur and I can take my business where ever I go. I'm tired of ALABAMA!

[zoebird]

If you have your own business that you can carry anywhere, then go anywhere that interests you. When I was graduating from university, DH and I considered southern california, but for some reason were to afraid to do it. Sad, really.

Do some research of different towns, and go from there. Or, get an RV and go on the road and see where you want to be.

[Sasha the Cat]

I mean yeah, in all seriousness, move to where you get good connections and expand your business, and then build a life there that you're happy with. People I know who move someplace to be happy wind up being just as happy or unhappy in their new place than they were in their old place. It's YOU that builds a good life, not your surroundings.

Now. That said, I'd like to put in a plug for Austin, TX. :-D It's a VERY health-conscious and outdoorsy city, and warm enough that you can get good sunlight and outdoor fun year-round. Lots going on, cool, open-minded people and a ton of diversity. And the cost of living is still not as high as it is in other places with a similar vibe, like Seattle.

Madison, WI is another excellent option. Much the same, but more so with the low cost of living and less so with the year-round sunlight. Oh, and really, really good locally-raised, organic/grass-fed food is readily available in both locales.

I really love my itinerant lifestyle, but Austin and Madison currently top my "places I'll go when I retire or if I get canned" list. :-)

[trekfan]

I'll second Texas, as I have friends there who love it.

I'm currently in Virginia at the moment and I love it here. Great outdoors stuff (hiking, nature parks), great wine, organic stores for quality food (not too steep in price), and the countryside is just beautiful. I too hailed from Alabama and don't miss it at all (who misses tornadoes, Super Fried Southern food, and hot/humid summers? Not me). I highly recommend Virginia.

[robinmbers]

yeah,good idea,If you have your own business that you can carry anywhere, then go anywhere that interests you

[cruncan]

I've heard good things about Austin. I also heard it's not what it used to be, because the pop. is growing so fast that the city can't keep up. IDK haven't been there. Virginia? I'll look into it. What about the DENVER area?

[Sasha the Cat]

Yeah, it's not what it used to be, but that's just nostalgia - it's true of any place you could possibly go. I've lived in Austin pre and post population boom. The soul-sucking suburban sprawl around the city keeps expanding outward, but at the same time the "Keep Austin Weird" vibe keeps expanding into the suburban sprawl. Traffic has gotten worse, but it's still LEAGUES better than other comparable cities. For ease of getting around, Madison trumps Austin hands down, though. You don't even necessarily need a car in Madison, whereas in Austin (and anywhere in TX, I'd posit), you really do.

I've known people who really loved living in Colorado, but I don't know much about Denver in particular.