19yrs old, getting out of college in 2yrs, & want to move to California (San Francisco: rent) - (CA) - City-Data Forum

Rytawi · 02-24-2007, 11:51 AM

I am a 19 year old white male who will be graduating from MSU in 2 or 3 years and I am going to move once I graduate. I spent a lot of time living all over the state of Georgia until I was thirteen after which my parents moved to Southwest Missouri where a have lived ever since, more specificly Springfield, Mo. Anyway I have been trying to thinking hard over the last 6 to 8 months about where I want to move to. I have a few specific attributes I'm looking for in a city: I'm a love big cities so the bigger the better, as warm as possible (has to be at least warmer than my current location), Also I want to in a state boardering an ocean. In short the two places the I am set on, but can't decided between are Atlanta, Ga and Southern California. I have done a lot of research on both, but because I spent most of my time GA around atlanta I know a lot more about it (personal experience) and feel comfortable there. I'm fortunate to have traveled to just about every state and major city in the midwest and east (excluding the northeast, new york and up), but I have never been to the west at all. I'm going out to Eugene, OR to vist my sister this summer and I've planned to stay a week in Southern California after I leave her house. So i was hoping for some advice on where to visit and what to do while I'm there to get a feel for Southern California. Also some advice on where a good place for a 22 year old man fresh out of college should look at moving to in Southern California. I'm a business major so I assumed there would be a lot of opportunity out there. Lastly I am more interested Southern California than Atlanta because from what I have research Southern California seems like Atlanta times ten. My only two requirements in a city as I stated before are as big and as warm as possible and Southern California seems like it would give me more of both of those than any other city in the U.S. I would appriciate any feed back I can get on this delimma and I want to say thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read and comment on this post

Rytawi · 02-24-2007, 12:09 PM

Also I just wanted to say I'm not one of theses people who watches one of the many tv shows about people living California (The OC, Laguna Beach, ect.) and want to move out there to live some kind of deluded fantasy life. Also I'm not an over enthusiastic college student who thinks he's going to move to Southern California and own it in 5 years. I know it will be a difficult move at first because I'm not rich, but I have really good credit. My hope is to move out there, work my way up to a good job, eventually start my own business, enjoy my free time in the sun and on the beach, in a place with a lot of opportunity, and become a Californian.

ferretkona · 02-24-2007, 12:28 PM

You might want to stop and visit San Francisco between Oregon and LA.
SF has a long history and is very diverse. Prettier beaches than So CA. So CA can be kind of Helter Skelter at times. Not in a bad way, just not adhesive. So CA is so spread out that it is hard to do several things a day, traffic will slow you down.

As far as things to do or see. What are your interests? There is a lot of things to do in So CA. I am taking my wife to a art festival in a few minutes. Many events are seasonal, some year long.

Rytawi · 02-24-2007, 02:03 PM

I'm pretty into cars and I seem to have a facination with tall buildings so maybe a leasurely drive around downtown L.A. might be the best idea. I would also be interested in your thoughs on where a guy just starting out like me should being looking for housing in Southern California?

Rytawi · 03-21-2007, 06:13 PM

Also is there anything I should "know" before I get to california? Like anything that might make thinks easier to adjust or things not to do that would be specific to the SoCal area?

MylisaCrestline · 03-28-2007, 03:01 PM

Rytawi - I think Ferretkona is right on about San Fransicso! I am from Riverside, CA (about 1 hour from the beach), and "UP NORTH" is much prettier than where I am at..... and there are large builindgs in every city...esp SF. It's the best! People always want to move up there!... please go there to see what it's like for you. As far as things you should "Know" ... be careful so that no one still your wallet....I've been warned of this myself esp in SF. If you stay in SF - you can get a bus pass to go anywhere for cheap. Let's see....you check-in to hotels around 3 p.m. and have to check-out the next day around 11:00 a.m. or noon, generally. (That's probably common anywhere as you know). You can take a AMTRACK (train) around the California coast!! Look up Amtrack and see what they have as far as a week on the Amtrack. (you can sleep on the train) They have tours that stop off at all the major/popular cities along the coast in CA. I think that'd be the best for you. Then, the next time you come out, rent a car... but don't rent a care the first time. Go on the Amtrack along the cost. You can find them on the website.. buy tickets ahead of time of course. Anyways... I can't think of anything else right now.. but please feel free to keep asking me or anyone else questions...

midnightbirdgirl · 03-28-2007, 04:07 PM

Rytawi, personally, I would stick to Atlanta.
But then again, I am not you. I don't want to discourage you, but cost of living here is very high, crime is high as well, it is not all sun and sand and such. We have major issues with illegal immigration here, and the good life is pretty cost prohibitive.
Living here and visiting here are two vastly different things, if you can afford to come on a temporary basis, maybe a few months, instead of a few weeks, it would be a lot more helpful in making a permanent decision.
MBG