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All I can think is try to spend more time downtown and try to find some bike, hike type of meet up groups.
Other than that if you are definitely going to be outta here in 9 months or so I say squeeze the hell out of the hill country and Austin, do every single thing possible...events, shows, festivals, tours, parks.
I have lived in cities where I didn't know a soul but it was easier because they were vibrant cities.
All I can think is try to spend more time downtown and try to find some bike, hike type of meet up groups.
Other than that if you are definitely going to be outta here in 9 months or so I say squeeze the hell out of the hill country and Austin, do every single thing possible...events, shows, festivals, tours, parks.
I have lived in cities where I didn't know a soul but it was easier because they were vibrant cities.
Thanks, I will try to make the best of it. Maybe make a couple weekend trips to FL to tide me over until I can move back.
Well, I think the harshest thing for you is that you are going to constantly be comparing it to where you're coming from. I did this when I moved to Iowa City from southern California. I transferred from Boston U so I thought I was ready for winters (HAH!). My first year because I was constantly comparing Iowa to Ca and Boston, you just can't do that. It's not the same place so you have to try and make the best of it.
I'm a very active person as well and one of the things that I took up here was trail running. There are tons of places to hike (preserves and the like). If going downtown is your cup of tea its not that bad traffic wise later in the evenings...coming back after drinking some is another story.
Just try to drop the comparisons, I know it's hard. I'm not a huge lover of Austin but I realize that I'm stuck here so I'm trying to make the most of it.... I don't think the summers are that bad, toasty yes, but thats why you go to the springs I have other suggestions but need to get some sleep. Stay positive!
You mentioned you were going to turn down the job and then your next post was that you took the job and hated it here.
What happened in between? I was under the impression that you actually turned down the offer with "no" so did they up the ante after you did that?
If you like the beach lifestyle, try out Hamilton Pool/Barton Springs or maybe even Hippie Hollow (compare to Haulover Beach in Miami lol!)
The dryness here will be a godsend come summer time. Yesterday was 90 degrees but the low was 57 this morning because dry air cools down at night more quickly. When it's 90 in Florida the low is usually a very humid 70.
Try a lot of the outdoor cafes and nightlife downtown. Our downtown scene is a lot more vibrant than Tampa/St Pete.
I also recommend you milking your time here. Since summer time is around the corner, here are some summer time activities (as well as general Central Texas things):
1. Tubing Guadalupe/Comal Rivers
2. Schlitterbahn
3. Barton Springs (go on very hot days, water is always cold)
4. Hamilton Pool
5. Go to San Antonio, do Riverwalk, Sea World, Fiesta Texas
6. Go to Round Rock Express game
7. FL doesn't have good BBQ so you need to experience it here. Eat your fill of BBQ at Franklin's, Salt Lick, Rudy's.
8. Go to Fredericksburg, walk around, eat some German food.
9. Try to make it out to Big Bend National Park if you can while you're here.
10. Try to make it out to South Padre Island if you can while you're here.
That'll get you started. When you finish this list, post on here and I'll provide more things to do.
Well, I think the harshest thing for you is that you are going to constantly be comparing it to where you're coming from. I did this when I moved to Iowa City from southern California. I transferred from Boston U so I thought I was ready for winters (HAH!). My first year because I was constantly comparing Iowa to Ca and Boston, you just can't do that. It's not the same place so you have to try and make the best of it.
I'm a very active person as well and one of the things that I took up here was trail running. There are tons of places to hike (preserves and the like). If going downtown is your cup of tea its not that bad traffic wise later in the evenings...coming back after drinking some is another story.
Just try to drop the comparisons, I know it's hard. I'm not a huge lover of Austin but I realize that I'm stuck here so I'm trying to make the most of it.... I don't think the summers are that bad, toasty yes, but thats why you go to the springs I have other suggestions but need to get some sleep. Stay positive!
Thanks, yea I find myself doing comparisons a lot. When I moved from Ohio to Florida, I was in heaven. It was so much nicer and I fit in very well. It felt more like home than Ohio surprisingly.
When I decided to take the job and give it a try here, I was dreading leaving Florida, but I was sort of stuck with no other choice. Now I even find myself missing Ohio and my family there. I'm very close with my parents and they will most likely move to Florida eventually, but they will not move to Texas.
I'll try to be more positive and make the most of it while i'm here, i'm just having a rough time lately. I'm sure I can put up with it until my lease is up anyways. After that, I'm going to head back to St. Pete.
You mentioned you were going to turn down the job and then your next post was that you took the job and hated it here.
What happened in between? I was under the impression that you actually turned down the offer with "no" so did they up the ante after you did that?
If you like the beach lifestyle, try out Hamilton Pool/Barton Springs or maybe even Hippie Hollow (compare to Haulover Beach in Miami lol!)
The dryness here will be a godsend come summer time. Yesterday was 90 degrees but the low was 57 this morning because dry air cools down at night more quickly. When it's 90 in Florida the low is usually a very humid 70.
Try a lot of the outdoor cafes and nightlife downtown. Our downtown scene is a lot more vibrant than Tampa/St Pete.
I also recommend you milking your time here. Since summer time is around the corner, here are some summer time activities (as well as general Central Texas things):
1. Tubing Guadalupe/Comal Rivers
2. Schlitterbahn
3. Barton Springs (go on very hot days, water is always cold)
4. Hamilton Pool
5. Go to San Antonio, do Riverwalk, Sea World, Fiesta Texas
6. Go to Round Rock Express game
7. FL doesn't have good BBQ so you need to experience it here. Eat your fill of BBQ at Franklin's, Salt Lick, Rudy's.
8. Go to Fredericksburg, walk around, eat some German food.
9. Try to make it out to Big Bend National Park if you can while you're here.
10. Try to make it out to South Padre Island if you can while you're here.
That'll get you started. When you finish this list, post on here and I'll provide more things to do.
I sort of got stuck with having to make a decision quickly, and they did up the ante a bit.
I prefer a lot of humidity. My body and sinuses feel way better in humid heat compared to dry heat. I know people differ in that aspect.
I've been around downtown here, I just enjoy the smaller more compact downtown area of St. Pete and the fact that it's on the water. There are some nice spots here as well though. I do enjoy my time when I hang out there.
I'll have to check out some of your suggestions, thanks.
At the very least, this move to has helped you undeniably realize what's most important to you in your surroundings and where you call home; in my opinion, this affirmation is important for everyone. Comparing and contrasting is normal and part of helping us determine what we like and don't and what we 'need' to be content.
You'll never wonder again... you KNOW what makes you happiest and that cannot be undervalued.
At the very least, this move to has helped you undeniably realize what's most important to you in your surroundings and where you call home; in my opinion, this affirmation is important for everyone. Comparing and contrasting is normal and part of helping us determine what we like and don't and what we 'need' to be content.
You'll never wonder again... you KNOW what makes you happiest and that cannot be undervalued.
Definitely! I don't regret it at all. If I hadn't made the move to give it a try, I would have always wondered if I had made a mistake by not taking the job.
Thanks for posting again OSU. Good to hear how things work out for folks. Sorry it hasn't yet for you.
Quote:
I also recommend you milking your time here. Since summer time is around the corner, here are some summer time activities (as well as general Central Texas things):
1. Tubing Guadalupe/Comal Rivers
1A. & Gruene. (Gruene Hall & the Gristmill)
2.Schlitterbahn
2A. & Wurstfest the first week in November.
3. Barton Springs (go on very hot days, water is always cold)
4. Hamilton Pool
5. Go to San Antonio, do Riverwalk, Sea World, Fiesta Texas.
5A. & eat at a few SA Tex/Mex joints.
6. Go to Round Rock Express game
7. FL doesn't have good BBQ so you need to experience it here. Eat your fill of BBQ at Franklin's, Salt Lick, Rudy's.
7A. And a pilgrimage to Lockhart & Luling
8. Go to Fredericksburg, walk around, eat some German food.
8A. & before enjoying Fburg, hike to the top of the Rock in the early morning hours.
9. Try to make it out to Big Bend National Park if you can while you're here.
10. Try to make it out to South Padre Island if you can while you're here.
10A. & if you can't make it to SPI, at least give Port A & Corpus a try. It's not St. Pete, but it isn't half bad.
Added a couple to your list CBach.
Now watch....OSU will meet a nice Texas girl & he'll be living here for 40 years.
Thanks, yea I find myself doing comparisons a lot. When I moved from Ohio to Florida, I was in heaven. It was so much nicer and I fit in very well. It felt more like home than Ohio surprisingly.
When I decided to take the job and give it a try here, I was dreading leaving Florida, but I was sort of stuck with no other choice. Now I even find myself missing Ohio and my family there. I'm very close with my parents and they will most likely move to Florida eventually, but they will not move to Texas.
I'll try to be more positive and make the most of it while i'm here, i'm just having a rough time lately. I'm sure I can put up with it until my lease is up anyways. After that, I'm going to head back to St. Pete.
CBach gave you some excellent suggestions. This may seem a bit weird but my s/o and I actually enjoy going to San Marcos sometimes (during the summer). It's got a great spring going through the campus almost and its a very walkable town which is something I think you're looking for. It's a 30 min straight shot south on I 35. Its got some decent bars and many people just hangout by the springs and play open games of volleyball etc. It's more of a youthful group say 20-30 (closer to 20 though) but honestly its a good way to meet people and many people are active there. There is also purgatory creek which is great for hiking. My s/o actually greatly prefers San Marcos over Austin (lack of traffic) and he's 31 and similar to you prefers the walkability of town, outdoor activities (we are very active), have no kids etc and we can just enjoy ourselves. I actually decided to go back to school recently because I got Typhus last summer (a month after living in TX) and after two weeks in the hospital and almost dying (developed bacterial pneumonia --> acute respiratory failure placed on an oxygen vent, became septic and went into organ failure) and the resulting damage of my stay has been that I now have a a horrible fear of hospitals and my job involved working in a hospital and having good hand dexterity and I have some nerve damage in my right hang (cant tell for normal activities but can never be a dentist again). Anyways, the commute was a bit too much for me (still gaining back the 25lbs I lost in the hospital that dipped me below 100lbs which is just not healthy on a 5'6 frame) so I decided to get a small place in San Marcos during the week and I go back up to Austin on the weekends. Funny thing is my s/o now comes down to San Marcos because he greatly prefers it!
So the other option is also considering a different place to live. Granted it would change your commute time - do you have to work 9-5 hours or can you be slightly flexible. We own a home off of Manchaca and William Cannon and he works at Apple off of 360 if he leaves between 8-9 it takes him 45 mins to get to work (6 miles) if he leaves after 9-915 it takes him no more than 15 minutes. So thats something to consider.
I know its tough. I hated Iowa quite a bit when I first lived there but now I miss it a great deal (mostly Iowa tailgates and the awesome people from the midwest) and I did not like Austin when I first came here at all. But I just try to focus on it's positives and I'm content. One thing I cannot comment on though is the dry heat... to me its less humid than Iowa but more humid than S. California. I honestly prefer the dry heat (so does my hair)... but have you thought about getting a netty pot and doing saline nasal rinses? This could be very beneficial. Sorry for the babbling but if you want my s/o is always looking for a workout/fun buddy ... However, he hates clubs so that is something he would never do but you can pm me.
Stay positive and definitely check out San Marcos and Gruene (we love the Gristmill)!
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I have other suggestions but need to get some sleep. Stay positive!
