Moving to Austin from San Antonio (Dallas, New Braunfels: school, colleges, gated)

[L3XVS]

Hi, I've decided to bite the bullet and make the transition of life from San Antonio to Austin! After six gruesome years of trying to adapt to a life of insularity and backwardness, I've finally had enough. It took a lot of soul searching, courage, and ultimately a huge reality check to make me realize that life's too short to be miserable.

Anyway, can someone who's made the move give me any insight on making the transition? I've been to Austin numerously, enjoyed it thoroughly but want to know what it'll be like to actually live there. Your insight is wholly appreciated!

[sapphire]

Leave your backwards thinking cap at New Braunfels, and enjoy your new life in Austin! Sounds swell! Since you've visited "numerously" you should know you're gonna just love it! I'm jealous!

[TexasBlonde]

I grew up in Austin, and absolutely love it. I've lived many places, both inside and outside of Texas, (since I graduated college), and Austin will always be my favorite.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to fire them at me

[CptnRn]

Life is what you make of it in Austin. It is not the same experience for everyone. It can be insular or filled with numerous activities of almost every type imaginable. You have a huge number of choices living here. Your choice regarding where you live should be made to support the life style you seek. Decide what you want and then repost asking for advice on where to live in Austin.

[TMIgrad]

I've lived in both cities and they each have strengths as well as weaknesses. If my experiences are any indication, then life in any city has as much to do about what you make of it as anything else. Austin just affords a much wider variety of things to do with a much bigger variety of folks.

[artsyguy]

So then why are you moving to Austin? It's the exact same junk there or worse. If you are a minority be prepared to be or feel isolated. If you are White Anglo you will be better off.

I've visited in Austin several times. Stayed with a relative for a few months at a time and explored some of the major areas and the big ole' college that everybody worships.

First of all it gets very boring on your second or third week. There is literally nothing to do by your third week of exploration. Mt. Bonnell (go hiking up a small mountain), The Blanton Museum (another UT money making thing), 6th street (cool bars packed with sleazy drunk UT students), window shopping, and Long Horn games are what most people do, however, that is all you have for all the years you will be stuck there. You will forever be stuck in college mode. You can drive a few hours away to the state parks too.

Everywhere you go the people are the same, boring, one sided, shallow, argumentative, and really sarcastic. I don't know why there is so much sarcasm, I guess people think they are in Manhattan but it is like an "in thing" there. So get ready for it. Every now and again you will meet somebody cool, but if you are a minority be prepared for discrimination. Several people have DMed me to tell me their experiences with it.

The colleges weren't impressive. It's very conservative with a non-partisan/neutral facade and ethnic groups are segregated/cast aside intentionally. Doesn't look like a nice place to be.

With anything you have to be smart and see past the facade to understand what a city "really is"....

Well have a great time

Originally Posted by L3XVS

Hi, I've decided to bite the bullet and make the transition of life from San Antonio to Austin! After six gruesome years of trying to adapt to a life of insularity and backwardness, I've finally had enough. It took a lot of soul searching, courage, and ultimately a huge reality check to make me realize that life's too short to be miserable.

Anyway, can someone who's made the move give me any insight on making the transition? I've been to Austin numerously, enjoyed it thoroughly but want to know what it'll be like to actually live there. Your insight is wholly appreciated!

[artsyguy]

You call 60%+ white anglo population a "variety of folks" lol ....... ok that makes a lot of sense

If you are talking about personality. Then I'd have to disagree because most all people are the same there. No variety in most all occasions.

Originally Posted by TMIgrad

a much bigger variety of folks.

[TexasHorseLady]

Seriously, what are you seeking in Austin, rather than what are you trying to get away from?

That'll help with any advice we give you.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

You call 60%+ white anglo population a "variety of folks" lol ....... ok that makes a lot of sense

If you are talking about personality. Then I'd have to disagree because most all people are the same there. No variety in most all occasions.

The U.S. Census Bureau does not include Hispanic in its racial classifications; instead it gauges Hispanic separately (34.2%) - Also from my experience Austin has many Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Halal businesses (in addition to Hispanic)

[bostoner]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

I've visited in Austin several times. Stayed with a relative for a few months at a time and explored some of the major areas and the big ole' college that everybody worships.

I'm confused. You used to post frequently about how you lived and attended grad school in Austin at that "big ole' college that everybody worships" and hated it. Then it seemed you moved back to Dallas, which you preferred. But now you say that you visited Austin several times and stayed with a relative during your visits. Which is it?