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Hello! I'm looking for some helpful opinions and answers to my many questions about So. Cal.
I'm looking for a place where I can experience a big city feel, but not be too far away from nature and the outdoors. I absolutely love baseball and want to find a job in anything baseball related. I'm going to be 18 by the time I graduate high school and really want to live somewhere else from Connecticut. I love the weather and the vibe in California. I want to be around like minded people and also be in an area that I can start my career.
I've looked into Arizona and So. Cal because of many reasons. Both offer great weather. Both offer areas that I feel I can get my career started in easily. Both have absolutely beautiful wildlife and amazing parks. Both have an abundance of reptiles and amphibians which I love and would possibly consider making a career out of studying and/or tracking them if I can't get into something baseball related.
Now for college. Long story short, I messed up my first couple years in high school and have very little chance at any major university. I might be able to get into something like ASU which isn't a bad school and I actually like. My guidance counselor and parents agreed that given my situation a community college is best if I do not get into a school that I like. Based on the couple things I want to do for my career I find So. Cal and Arizona as the best options. My guidance counselor suggested an out of state community college in either Arizona or California if I am dead set on what I want to do. She told me their credits would transfer over to state schools much easier than CCs here. She also told me I can get a head start on my career by interning or getting a job there as well. My family isn't rich, but they said they wouldn't mind if I went to an out of state community college even though they're a lot more because of rent. The only thing I know about renting and living in So. Cal is that it's very, very expensive.
Does anyone know of towns or cities that are near community colleges OR easy to get into universities that are relatively cheap? How much would I expect to spend on rent, utilities, food, transportation and other stuff? Being from Connecticut I'm used to very expensive things, but how does that compare to So Cal? More expensive? Less? Same? Would a roommate be a good option if I were to rent somewhere?
How easy would it be to get an internship or job at a baseball team such as the Dodgers, Angels, Padres or minor league clubs? I figured AZ would be easier because of Spring Training and the AZ Fall League, but I'm not sure. What kind of pay would be sufficient for just a basic 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment? I live very modestly and love biking and walking places. I was looking for places that would be near colleges or community colleges, but also provide fairly cheap living.
What is the dating scene like? I'm a very shy person who is interested in having a series relationship with a like minded girl. How difficult is it to meet women in So. Cal? I'm not a drinker or a partier, but not exactly a book worm either. I'd consider myself average looking and motivated towards my career. Any places specifically for meeting women in So. Cal?
I have another thread similar to this in the Phoenix, AZ section, but I want to know about So. Cal. as well. If anyone can give me any advice on which location to pick or on living in So. Cal. that would be great! Thanks for reading.
Location: Simi Valley, California - which was once part of the USA
350 posts, read 537,386 times
Reputation: 394
Connecticut outside of Hartford is very clean, safe and nice.
Most of LA outside of a handful of areas is a cesspool of urban decay. If you cannot afford to live in a few places like Sherman Oaks, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Woodland Hills, or parts of Santa Monica (that means $2k for a studio apartment) don't do it man, take that from a native who is a few years older than you. These people will send you to "vibrant" areas like Koreatowm or Highland Park which are cheaper, but dangerous and ghetto.
I would stay in CT, but if you like the west move to Phoenix. North Scottsdale and East Mesa are really nice, avoid the west Valley, South Phoenix and Tempe of you like safe and secure areas.
Connecticut outside of Hartford is very clean, safe and nice.
Most of LA outside of a handful of areas is a cesspool of urban decay. If you cannot afford to live in a few places like Sherman Oaks, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Woodland Hills, or parts of Santa Monica (that means $2k for a studio apartment) don't do it man, take that from a native who is a few years older than you. These people will send you to "vibrant" areas like Koreatowm or Highland Park which are cheaper, but dangerous and ghetto.
I would stay in CT, but if you like the west move to Phoenix. North Scottsdale and East Mesa are really nice, avoid the west Valley, South Phoenix and Tempe of you like safe and secure areas.
if it isn't clear this dude is the fapper than i can't anymore
Location: Simi Valley, California - which was once part of the USA
350 posts, read 537,386 times
Reputation: 394
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamills21
if it isn't clear this dude is the fapper than i can't anymore
LOL what?
I discouraged an 18 year old from moving to an expensive and dangerous city across the country from his home so I'm a troll??
What's a fapper dude?
Okay, OP why don't you come here right now, LA is perfect and there is NOTHING BAD HERE. You can find really good deals in vibrant and multicultural areas such as Pacoima, Sylmar, Duarte, or South Pomona!
I discouraged an 18 year old from moving to an expensive and dangerous city across the country from his home so I'm a troll??
What's a fapper dude?
Okay, OP why don't you come here right now, LA is perfect and there is NOTHING BAD HERE. You can find really good deals in vibrant and multicultural areas such as Pacoima, Sylmar, Duarte, or South Pomona!
Lol. I didn't take your posts as a troll. I see your point. I do happen to live in a "meh" area in one of the bigger cities here. And even then it's extremely expensive. If I were to stay here I'd be living with my parents til my late 20s and have to take up jobs that I'm not all that interested in. My whole idea of moving to LA or AZ was to kick start my career while at school. Whether that be an internship, part time job or just getting to know the people in the business. While staying with my parents for the next 10 years isn't awful, they both suggest that I should learn how to live on my own.
Obviously LA isn't all that jazzed up as a lot of people make it seem. It's expensive and some parts are dangerous. I was wondering if there are any suburbs or areas that are NEITHER dangerous or expensive. I don't know if that is possible lol.
Location: Simi Valley, California - which was once part of the USA
350 posts, read 537,386 times
Reputation: 394
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueGecko1
Lol. I didn't take your posts as a troll. I see your point. I do happen to live in a "meh" area in one of the bigger cities here. And even then it's extremely expensive. If I were to stay here I'd be living with my parents til my late 20s and have to take up jobs that I'm not all that interested in. My whole idea of moving to LA or AZ was to kick start my career while at school. Whether that be an internship, part time job or just getting to know the people in the business. While staying with my parents for the next 10 years isn't awful, they both suggest that I should learn how to live on my own.
Obviously LA isn't all that jazzed up as a lot of people make it seem. It's expensive and some parts are dangerous. I was wondering if there are any suburbs or areas that are NEITHER dangerous or expensive. I don't know if that is possible lol.
Thanks for the reply! It's appreciated.
Expensive is relative. I can think of a few places that are reasonable for LA ($900 studio apartment) that are safe and clean but they aren't exciting and likely a long commute.
Here's the thing about LA, statistics make it seem way cheaper than it is, because while there are inexpensive areas they are mostly not so nice, sometimes unliveable. I'm talking about gangs, 3 bedroom homes housing 5 illegal immigrant families, ghetto birds with spotlights in the air etc.
You can make it work with roommates, which is what I do. I live in a 4 bedroom house with 3 other guys and it works for me. However if you don't know anyone here I don't know how you will find roommates, Craigslist is filled with very shady people.
California ain't all it's cracked up to be. It's got nice weather, but high taxes, lots of crime, an immigration problem, and we are in the middle of a historic drought where they are actually rationing water.
If you really want to move out here, go to college here. After 1 year you will be a resident and it's quite inexpensive. I go to Cal State in Northridge, which is in the San Fernando Valley.
What exactly are your plans and motives? Do you just wanna be out west with warmer weather? A big city?
I personally would recommend Phoenix over LA unless you've got a reason to come here. It's cheaper, newer, cleaner and although there are ghettoes in Phoenix, they are not the majority of the city and unlike California in AZ you have the security of a stable and rational state government that is not more worried about things like keeping a tiny fish from going extinct or providing free healthcare to illegals (actually happening in CA) and keeping their state running efficiently. Most of LA county is not somewhere that you would want to live, most transplants live in a few select areas and TV shows also only show those areas, but LA is not like an episode of 90210 just like NYC is not Sex & the City, it's a grimy and gritty, majority Mexican city that has real infrastructure problems in a state that is governed by buffoons. Outside of rural country areas you won't find many Californians. Most natives I know have left, want to leave but can't (family, jobs), are planning to leave, or are too rich to care.
If you want to live in a big city, why not start closer to home and go to NYC? NY is no better than CA overall but at least you will be closer to home to start off. I know you feel grown up but you are only 18 so I was start small.
Expensive is relative. I can think of a few places that are reasonable for LA ($900 studio apartment) that are safe and clean but they aren't exciting and likely a long commute.
Here's the thing about LA, statistics make it seem way cheaper than it is, because while there are inexpensive areas they are mostly not so nice, sometimes unliveable. I'm talking about gangs, 3 bedroom homes housing 5 illegal immigrant families, ghetto birds with spotlights in the air etc.
You can make it work with roommates, which is what I do. I live in a 4 bedroom house with 3 other guys and it works for me. However if you don't know anyone here I don't know how you will find roommates, Craigslist is filled with very shady people.
California ain't all it's cracked up to be. It's got nice weather, but high taxes, lots of crime, an immigration problem, and we are in the middle of a historic drought where they are actually rationing water.
If you really want to move out here, go to college here. After 1 year you will be a resident and it's quite inexpensive. I go to Cal State in Northridge, which is in the San Fernando Valley.
What exactly are your plans and motives? Do you just wanna be out west with warmer weather? A big city?
I personally would recommend Phoenix over LA unless you've got a reason to come here. It's cheaper, newer, cleaner and although there are ghettoes in Phoenix, they are not the majority of the city and unlike California in AZ you have the security of a stable and rational state government that is not more worried about things like keeping a tiny fish from going extinct or providing free healthcare to illegals (actually happening in CA) and keeping their state running efficiently. Most of LA county is not somewhere that you would want to live, most transplants live in a few select areas and TV shows also only show those areas, but LA is not like an episode of 90210 just like NYC is not Sex & the City, it's a grimy and gritty, majority Mexican city that has real infrastructure problems in a state that is governed by buffoons. Outside of rural country areas you won't find many Californians. Most natives I know have left, want to leave but can't (family, jobs), are planning to leave, or are too rich to care.
If you want to live in a big city, why not start closer to home and go to NYC? NY is no better than CA overall but at least you will be closer to home to start off. I know you feel grown up but you are only 18 so I was start small.
Thanks for the detailed reply!! I was actually looking into Cal State Northridge, but their out of state reqs are MUCH higher than in state. I could easily of gotten in most Cal States if I was instate, but their out of state index is MUCH higher and I don't think I'll make the cut. If what you say is true about establishing residency in CA then I might go to a community college for a year or 2 then transfer.
While Phoenix may be cheaper I'm not sure how I'll be able to deal with the heat there coming from Connecticut. Phoenix offers more jobs as far as baseball goes and I might have a better chance there, but for business in general I feel that LA and the area has a lot more. I also know that colleges in California (specifically the UC system) is far superior than ASU and UA. I've seen all different stories of transferring to the lower UCs (Irvine, Santa Barbara, Riverside, etc) from community colleges there and it was fairly easy. This would be a possibility for me. Is the rent and COL cheaper in the Coachella Valley or San Fernando Valley than LA? If so that might be a realistic possibility for me!
Also I'm not sure if you'd know the answer to this, but maybe someone else can help me? How difficult is it to get into an opening position at a MLB club? Whether that be just selling stuff at the stadium to getting an opening level marketing job or internship?
Thanks for the detailed reply. I really appreciate it!
Please don't base any life decisions on something that "Jeff from San Dimas" told you on city data. btw, he's a resident troll.
Other than that, you have two options if you want to live a normal and comfortable life in SoCal. Apply and get into a school, and make sure it's bankrolled in some fashion, there are no real "cheap" ways to live here. Number 2, do like myself and others did, graduate college somewhere first then get recruited to work here by a company so that you have a well paying job.
Please don't base any life decisions on something that "Jeff from San Dimas" told you on city data. btw, he's a resident troll.
Other than that, you have two options if you want to live a normal and comfortable life in SoCal. Apply and get into a school, and make sure it's bankrolled in some fashion, there are no real "cheap" ways to live here. Number 2, do like myself and others did, graduate college somewhere first then get recruited to work here by a company so that you have a well paying job.
I'm just trying to gather different opinions and perspectives from people who might live in So. Cal and/or have the same interests as me. I do plan on going to university in one way or another. It's an absolute priority for me. I want some place where I can easily transition into a job or at least start a job while in college. And a place where I can rent off campus that isn't expensive.
I kind of left out something that could be important. One of my best friends also has similar interests as far as what he wants to do in life. We figured if we went to the same school we could save a lot on rent and also have someone we know very well. So that would cut rent in half potentially. I left this out mostly because of how rare it is 2 high school friends go to the same college and remain friends. I'm mentioning it now because it's a small possibility and could help lower rent and COL.
Thanks for the reply! It is always appreciated.
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