What do you do first when moving to new area all by yourself?

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If you were going to move by yourself into an entirely different area with no previous contacts, what would be some of the first actions (first couple days) you would take? Or can anyone whose done this share wisdom from their experience?

Where did you meet new friends?
How did you get to know the cool places of the area?

― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I go for a random walk!

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I figure one good thing would be to look online for shows of good bands and see where they are playing, if they are playing near.

― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:19 (twenty-one years ago)

"Mark" the "territory."

― s1utsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:21 (twenty-one years ago)

You go around your new neighbourhood pissing on the landmarks?

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe you should come to Australia.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:39 (twenty-one years ago)

go for a walk in the evening and see which pubs /clubs sound the most interesting then go inside.
get the local paper to see whats happening in your new neighbourhood.

having said this, i have done neither of these things when moving to a completely new area. the friends i made resulted from meeting people through work, and now, with a toddler-in-tow and a new neighbourhood to explore, i am making friends via ( shudder-from-my-former-self ) playgroup. guess that last one doesnt suit you :-) but i think that you are on the right track if you head off to see some bands.

― donna (donna), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I've done this a few times and one of the best ways for me to get to know my way around is to drive around until I sort of get lost and work my ay back to wherever I 'm now living. As long as the city's not too big, it seems to help me to get my bearings and I usually happen upon a few interesting places. This also, of course, works with walking.

Also, finding a local, corner bar and talking to the bartender and maybe a regular or two over a few beers is always nice. They're usually very helpful as far as pointing you in the right directions.

Looking at this, it makes me feel naive, but I have yet to be mugged or led astray by suggestions from strangers. I guess I've been pretty lucky.

― Charlie Rose (Charlie Rose), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Read the local alt weekly, especially the politics and gossipy parts, to get a general feel of the local focus/zeitgeist. Simple and unimaginative, but informative.

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 8 October 2003 04:59 (twenty-one years ago)

First actions:
1. Look up the city on the web and see what's up
2. Answer some "Musician wanted" ads in the local paper--a great way to meet people and figure out what's happening in a place.

― Orbit (Orbit), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 06:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Locate dealer. Hide from world.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I've just realised that I've never actually moved anywhere that I knew no one - as an adult, that is. Did it plenty of times as a child, but there's always school to provide a social life, or lack thereof.

I'd pick up a local paper and scan the listings and the advertisements to figure out where "hip" (cough) hangouts and extrapolate the associated neighbourhoods from there, and go check them out. Stuff that you are interested in will usually be clustered together in districts. You just have to figure out where they are.

― kate (kate), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 12:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Depends, are you talking about moving to a new city or simply switching hoods? When moving to a new city, my tactic is usually to start by spending time in the mainstream spots in the center so as not to get too familiarised/fed up with my own area. It's also a good way to learn the dynamics of the nightscene.
If you can find another token newbie, that's even better, as it makes it easier/more appealing to go and check out the cool places and perhaps ditch him/her for new more interesting people.

― Baaderist (Fabfunk), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 12:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Here's what I plan to do once we're in Chicago:
- Look for people to be in a band with, either in the Reader or on fliers or whatever.
- Hopefully meet some cool people through whatever job I'll have.
- Maybe join a book club? I've never been in one before, but it sounds interesting.
- Accost strangers on the street.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 12:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I would be careful taking Nicks last suggestion!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

spend 2 years accosting strangers on the Internet who live where you're moving to!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, that'll never work.

― cis (cis), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh shit Nick, I just realized I have a really good friend who lives in Chicago who's a great drummer! I'll see if I can dig her email addy up from my Big Jar Containing Pieces of Paper Bearing Really Important Information at home, cuz when I talked to her last she said she'd been looking for someone to play with.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Okey dokey. I'm sure Sarah will be looking for music projects/collaborators too.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 17:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Find the Tim Hortons.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

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