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Old 10-15-2013, 12:33 AM
 
8 posts, read 13,439 times
Reputation: 11

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Recently moved from the Midwest to Waco to take a faculty job at a college there that will remain nameless. I'm early 30's, single and no kids, and not-terribly religious. Love the job, except for the fact that....

...Waco is a social wasteland. Now, I knew this somewhat going in, the religion, the lack of nightlife, the scarcity of singles who are not college-students, etc. But I didn't expect it to be *this* bad.

Now Austin is a wonderful city, and I'm thinking of moving closer to the area once my lease is up. Right now I'm thinking Georgetown; within the Austin area, but also near I-35 to commute to work. Google maps tells me it would be about an hour-and-fifteen commute. Does this seem accurate? Anyone else have experience with such a commute?

Any advice or insight would be much appreciated. Thanks.
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Old 10-15-2013, 02:02 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
527 posts, read 1,229,368 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arxon View Post
Recently moved from the Midwest to Waco to take a faculty job at a college there that will remain nameless. I'm early 30's, single and no kids, and not-terribly religious. Love the job, except for the fact that....

...Waco is a social wasteland. Now, I knew this somewhat going in, the religion, the lack of nightlife, the scarcity of singles who are not college-students, etc. But I didn't expect it to be *this* bad.

Now Austin is a wonderful city, and I'm thinking of moving closer to the area once my lease is up. Right now I'm thinking Georgetown; within the Austin area, but also near I-35 to commute to work. Google maps tells me it would be about an hour-and-fifteen commute. Does this seem accurate? Anyone else have experience with such a commute?

Any advice or insight would be much appreciated. Thanks.
An unnamed college in Waco, got it

Having gone to a certain unnamed college in Waco as an undergrad, what you say is all pretty much accurate. You can definitely make the commute in an hour and 15 to hour 30, depending on the traffic. Check Google Maps for rush hour traffic info.
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Old 10-15-2013, 07:33 AM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,449,279 times
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I like to drive as much as the next guy; but choosing to spend 3 hours a day in the car EVERY day? Plus the extra $20+/day in fuel costs, not to mention wear and tear? No thanks. Georgetown is a nice place; but it's not going to be flooded with single thirty-somethings. Now, you're going to add another hour's drive into Austin for your social life? Yikes! Guess I'm too old and too married for that!
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Old 10-15-2013, 07:50 AM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,189,088 times
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One thing you'll want to consider is that there is a LOT of construction going on on I35 between Salado and Waco right now which will take a while to complete. You'll want to figure that into your travel time.

And it's not an hour into all of Austin - I live about 15 miles north of Georgetown, and it takes about 45 minutes into North Austin (my husband's business used to be there and so he drove it daily).

Before all the construction hit, it would take us an hour to get to Waco, so an hour and fifteen sounds about right.

I'd say make the drive and see what you think. See how much gas it takes and figure that into your budget. Check out the town.
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Old 10-15-2013, 10:47 AM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,982 posts, read 6,696,604 times
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Too long a commute unless it was not everyday.

Looks like there is a concentration of coffee shops in the area around Franklin Avenue and 4th/5th streets. One of the more fun neighborhoods perhaps?
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Old 10-15-2013, 02:55 PM
 
Location: central Austin
7,228 posts, read 16,021,625 times
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I know someone who commuted to Waco twice a week for TWO years for an academic job at an unnamed university! It was BRUTAL. And this was 10 years when traffic was less and there was much less construction.

And Georgetown is home to its own nameless university, many faculty live in Austin and consider the drive to G-town to be long! Anyway, I would look long and hard to find your people in Waco. They must be there. Try Meetup, try the Unitarian Church! At least wait another year or two until the highway construction is done.
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Old 10-15-2013, 03:56 PM
 
Location: Texas Hill Country
2,392 posts, read 9,618,356 times
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If you are gonna do that drive why not north towards DFW? 1.5 hours get you into Oak Cliff so if you are on the outskirts around the metroplex it might be only an hour..
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Old 10-15-2013, 07:37 PM
 
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I'd definitely consider the outskirts of DFW, but it is equally as far away per google maps.
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Old 10-15-2013, 07:46 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
527 posts, read 1,229,368 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arxon View Post
I'd definitely consider the outskirts of DFW, but it is equally as far away per google maps.
You could go to Temple
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Old 10-15-2013, 10:47 PM
 
8 posts, read 13,439 times
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LOL, I've been to Temple...and comparatively, I'd rather stay in Waco .

The major issue for me is, well, dating. I want to meet an educated woman around my age who doesn't have and doesn't want kids. While that would be a challenge anywhere, it's a virtual impossibility in the Waco area.

I did a Match search within a 50-mile radius of Waco; of 800-some women in my given age range, about 400 are childless. Once you screen out those who "definitely" want kids, I am left with 48 results. Exactly 48. This isn't even factoring in education, degree of religious devotion, personality, etc.

The exact same search within a 50-mile radius of Georgetown, which would include the Austin area, yields over 530 results.

Now, if moving to the outskirts of the DFW area would yield the same results, I'd definitely consider it too.

I'd rather not be single for years and years to come, and to me, it seems, a commute would be worth it.
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