So I’m a Floridian and I’ve been interviewing with a company in Denver. I just made it to the 3rd round and will be flown out there for the last interview.
I. Am. Terrified!
- Because reality is setting in that I may actually get this job.
- I’ve never left Florida and I’m 34 years old!
- Never lived outside of Tampa Bay or North Florida. So never been more than 2 hrs away from my family who is centrally located between Tampa and Gainesville.
- Leaving a job of 8 years to start over.
I’ve made a pros and cons list but I’m still scared. It’s just me and my dog and I guess I’d just like advice on how to overcome it.
Comments
You have GOT to do it.
Being scared isn’t a bad thing. This is going to be awesome! Congrats on the 3rd round, you’re going to do awesome!
Everything happens for a reason! You will do great things in Denver. The best it yet to come.
How to overcome it? One breath at a time. One step at a time. And enjoy every step! You will have experiences and get an education and meet people and see things you’d never have gotten to see any other way than a cross country move. Is it scary? Yes. Is it doable? Also YES. Once the newness and the anxiety that comes with that wears off, it will be a blast.
I’ve moved to another country when I was younger than you. If you move, you are only moving within your own country. They speak same language, they have similar system regarding everyday life. Your old life is only a flight away, without dealing with all the obstacles like immigrations, etc.
Everyone is scared when they make changes, that’s natural to feel that way. But it could change your life, and open your eyes. You always have a choice to go back, if you don’t like it.
You’ll be scared. There’ll be days you’ll feel your life is over. But you have to do it for yourself.
You’ll overcome it, one step at a time. You’ll find new friends and new people. You’ll find new things, new places to see. Your family is just a short flight away and even quicker phone call. And if you have it, you can always go back to Tampa. But give it six months.
Probably should take it but if it’s hard to say yes to the job, maybe it’ll be easier to say yes to the place you’d end up. If you have to look at apartments or houses, you might find one with a lot you love and that might make this whole transition easier.
If you don’t do it you will regret it. Take the opportunity – you can always move back. Just plan the best you can. Enjoy.
If you love dogs, the outdoors, craft beer, camping, hiking and generally friendly people, you’ll like it here. The cold, however, is going to be a big adjustment for you. You’ll adjust to it eventually.
Well, all I can say is…. Enjoy Denver Colorado! I, myself, actually came from Denver Colorado, I moved to Tennessee, almost 6 years ago…. I love it here! Go for it
You will probably have moments of high euphoria and moments of horrible depression. You’ll love the change, but idealize the past. You’ll feel good about yourself, but you’ll miss home.
Ain’t nothin to it but to do it. You never know, could be the best choice of your life.
you got it!! Take the leap and see it as an adventure! Positive affirmations
Colorado is so fun, fucking do it. Don’t live in east Denver cities, west side is nicer.
Well it’s time to broaden your horizons! I’ve heard Colorado is a pretty cool spot. Maybe you can escape the whole Florida stereotype. Lol
I briefly moved about 4400km away from home from Hamilton, Ontario to Fort Nelson, British Columbia. That was like 6 hours south of the Northwest Territories. That didn’t work out, but I don’t regret trying it. I drove out and back alone, and that prepared me for the job I’ve had for the last 17 years. I drove 13 hours one way to work a lot for 9 days in the bush, year round. Sometimes 18 hours. I’m glad the company bought gas. Lol
But take the chance, you’ll learn new things and have new experiences.
Deep breath. Take the plunge.
Also, make sure you go to a store IN DENVER and buy a good winter coat some time this fall (and probably some lighter stuff for fall/spring). If you’ve never left Florida, you have NO idea what you’re in for come winter time.
DO IT!! I moved away from home for college and have since always lived a plane ride away in a million different places (move around for work).
Every place you live helps you grow in different, unexpected ways. It’s so healthy to get out of your bubble even if it’s a year and you hate Denver because of whatever (job, weather, etc.) it and decide to move back. Exposing yourself to different people, different cultures forces discomfort and growth.
The kind of communities I joined in all different parts of the country brought out the best in me in small and large ways.
It is scary to put yourself out there and you will probably be homesick but it is so worth it and you can always go back home.
I think you should do it. Big changes are scary but wondering if you should have made the leap and didnt is worse. Good luck!
I’m in Charleston SC and have a son out in Denver, I hope they pay you well enough to cover parking and/or on the outskirts away from the drug zombies walking around. Beautiful outside of Denver.
I do like how you can jump on the interstate and be in the mountains in minutes.
Yet in town…. traffic sucks, in nice weather a scooter would be awesome.
Change can be a great thing!! Embrace it if you can, and most importantly, want the position!
Florida is a shit hole. Get the fuck out and be happy. Nothing to be scared of
I moved across the country by myself when I was 23. I went to church twice on the first Sunday, before starting my new job. It helped “ground me”. Reading helps too. At least you don’t have to deal with paper maps!
Colorado is amazing. What an adventure. Our son just moved to Baltimore. He’s 26. He loves it. We’re from Texas, btw.
I didn’t move out of Florida until I was 62 and wish I had done it much sooner. There’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored. Give it a go and if you really miss home, you can always go back. ✌🏽
You’ll get used to it in Denver once you experience life outside of Florida you’ll actually have 4 seasons to enjoy and not summer all year round plus they have beautiful mountain scenery there too
It’s sooo easy these days with the internet.
Airbnb and Facebook pages are going to be your blessing to get a place the first two months. All you need to do is save for a month’s expenses including rent. Then by the second month you should be able to have cash coming in. By the third month you will be able to search for apartments with confidence.
Join a sports league or hobby. Do not overextend yourself, invest in only one or two communities at a time to really connect with people. Get on the dating apps, people love new people and you will get to know people beyond even the person you’re dating and learning cool places
Winter is going to be bitch but there are enough transplants in Denver to take pity. When I moved to my first cold-cold winter it took two winters to realize this, you’ll never be warm outside you just learn to be cold.
Be realistic. For the first few months you will be anxious, excited, and proud of yourself for taking the risk. Then a bit of malaise will kick in and you will miss home and family. That will last a few months too. But after about six months your new place will feel like home and you will get in a steady routine. You’ll know all the good shops and best place to buy groceries. You will also have made a few friends or at least friendly acquaintances. In a year when you go home to visit it will feel nostalgic but will feel more like a familiar place rather than feel like home.
You go. From now to the moment you sign, nothing to be scared of, you can always go back. And after 2 days there, you’ll like it!
Denver is nice but not the same as FL. Of course you’ll miss the natural produce that sees so fresh and all the scenery. But you’ll get a taste of what life is outside of the tropical state of FL. come back to us when you’re ready. Open arms waiting.
Signed a Floridian.
Just do it! Then give it 5 years, and decide if you want to move on to another location.
If you do do it ( and I think you 100% should!) be sure to drink a lot of water at first. Going from sea level to Denver gets a lot of people because they don’t want to drink brought water at first haha
Well, you’re getting out of the hurricane zone ….
I was like you, maybe a bit younger when I had to leave for job/career reasons. Grew up in St. Pete, went to university in Pensacola (UWF), but the jobs in STEM just don’t pay in FL. I couldn’t wait to GTFO and said I’d never be back except for a visit. Lived the life of an exile in Phoenix, Atlanta, and even the central coast of Maine for a few months. But I never stopped missing it, the salt, the beach, the bay, boating, fishing, jet skiing, swimming in the pool as our Christmas tradition is every year. As soon as the opportunity showed up for my wife and I, we jumped at the chance to come back. We’re not leaving.
Go and check it out – whatcha got to lose? You might find like us that you end up wanting to come back and you can. Or you may end up loving it out there. You don’t want to live the rest of your life wondering “what if I’d taken that job”? Moving trucks move both ways as we found out
Just move to southeast Denver and then it’ll only be 1690 miles away.
Pretty clear solution here
I think moving away from home is important for personal growth. I’m in Denver and people are really chill here so I think you’ll be able to find your people out here. Denver is a great place because it’s close to nature. If you’ve never skied/snowboarded before, now you have the opportunity to try it. If you like hiking and camping, nature is a quick drive away. If you like water, going paddleboarding at the lake is easy. Like concerts? Red Rocks is here. Denver has great dog friendly breweries as well. If you end up not liking it, you can always go back. Being homesick sometimes is normal when you leave your hometown, but embracing the love of a new place could be magical. I wish you luck in your new adventure.
Well, leaving aside the fact that you’ll be getting the hell out of FLORIDA…
Simple reality is that America is America. You’ll find the same stores, same restaurants (though hopefully you’ll also take advantage of Denver’s foodie scene), same basic society. Colorado is a bit more free-spirited, but other than that America is America. The things that will be familiar will outnumber the things that will seem new or different about 20 to 1.
And you’ll pretty much end up doing most of the same things you do today…with a BIT of shortness of breath until you get used to the altitude.
You’re 34. By that time in my life I’d relocated twice, and was shortly to do it for the third time, driving all the way across country the first time, and ending up spending times on both coasts and now smack dab in the middle. There were adjustments each time, but in the end you get a place to live, you go to the market, you get your morning coffee, you go to work, you have dinner and (hopefully) take advantage of some night life…same stuff, different buildings.
Denver is also a pretty straightforward city. It’s very safe, very clean, very well-designed.
Seriously…humans were designed to evolve, grow and expand their horizons.
You haven’t gotten the job yet, so don’t set yourself up for disappointment
If you do get it, be prepared to acclimate to the weather over a few years
You’ll be fine!! Consider this:
My grandfather left France at the beginning of WWII when he was 21 years old, leaving his whole family and everything he ever knew behind. It took weeks to get to the US on a ship, where he was ultimately dropped at Ellis Island. He put the tools of his trade (he was a chef) in a PO box where they were stolen. In spite of it all, he ultimately made his way to Minnesota where he worked as an Executive French chef till he retired in 1975. And then, he wrote a book!
When you’re there for the interview, rent a car and drive around. Look at neighborhoods and visit local hangouts, and see if you can imagine yourself living there. That’s what I did when I was faced with a move out of state. I just didn’t vibe, so I didn’t take the job. There are many cities I’d be happy to move to though, and Denver would be one of them. I think it’s good to take a fresh start though. It might be the best decision you’ve ever made. And if you end up not liking it, FL will always be there.
Sounds exciting!
What an adventure
Everything you’re looking for is on the other side of fear. Don’t worry you will be just fine you will make it, i wish i was moving to Denver.