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A couple of months ago I posted a thread about an interest in moving to NC.
Well, since then, I actually HAVE visited NC. Granted, it was only for four days, but I miss it. I keep getting these pangs of sadness and wishing I was there.
I have several friends in the area. When I visited, I stayed in Chapel Hill and visited that and Durham. I loved both areas, especially Durham.
I also visited friends in High Point and Winston Salem. I was only there for half a day though lol.
Anyways, I'm from up here in the country part of CT, so I don't really worry about adjusting too much to NC. It's not like I'm moving from some huge city (LA, NYC, etc) to NC. I'm a country girl at heart, but can also adjust to many lifestyles. I've interned in NYC and that has made me realize I love a slower paced lifestyle than that. I graduate college in a few weeks with BA in Communications. I got into grad school up here in CT for Marriage & Family Therapy, and plan to pursue something similar in NC.
I've looked up schools and it seems that most of the schools that offer that program, or similar ones, are either in Greensboro or Charlotte. I'm a little bummed that nothing in The Triangle area has my programs but oh well. I do have all my friends in the Triad area so it's cool.
I've never been to Charlotte, but my brother went a few weeks ago (he lives in NYC) and LOVED it and now he wants to move down there too haha. I was surprised, but he loved the city.
So now I'm trying to find out which one would be a better fit for me, or if you think it's possible to move somewhere in between so that if I do go to school, I will have more options. I plan on living in NC and working for a year or so before I can become a resident, that way I can pay in state tuition .
To tell you a bit about myself:
I am 23, female (obviously), into kind of an artsy scene, like indie music. I would take something interesting that is artistic over going out and partying. I don't mind going to bars, but it's not a weekly thing for me. Maybe once a month, if that. I love movies and music, those are my two big passions and what I enjoy filling my time up with the most. Well, that and my two dogs That's another thing I've noticed when looking at apts in NC, it seems much more dog friendly there. It's so hard to find a place in CT with one dog, let alone two!
FYI, you are not "guaranteed" in-state tuition after living here a year, though that is a prerequisite.
There are "artsy" parts of both the Triad and the Metrolina (Charlotte) areas, though the Triad is more blue-collar overall. However, UNC-Greensboro is known for their graduate Theatre Dept, and there is a lot of arts stuff going on there. Similarly, Winston-Salem has UNC School of the Arts which draws a lot of neat arts stuff,. film festivals, etc. to that city. Still, I think Charlotte is going to have more of that sort of thing, especially large-scale Broadway touring companies, etc.
As far as "halfway in between", there isn't much that would fit what you're used to. Salisbury is technically in between, but it's not much of a "city", nor are any of the others (Statesville, Lexington...). Mooresville is a hopping area, but I believe it's more of a "bedroom community" to Charlotte and very suburban. The Charlotte subforum has a lot on Mooresville. I frankly don't think living between CLT and the Triad for the purpose of taking advantage of both would be all that practical; better to live closer to one or the other and learn everything about that one.
Off topic of your listed cities, Asheville is extremely artsy. Have you looked into it at all? Its a very eclectic town. Not my taste, but about as close to the mountiand as you could get with lots of downtown things to do.
You say you will be working? Why don't you see where you get a job offer first? No matter where you live in NC, you can drive to where any of your friends are in a few hours. Charlotte is definitely the largest city as far as hustle bustle and stuff to do. Traffic in Charlotte is awful in my opinion--like a mini-Atlanta. But Asheville, Winston-Salem and even Greensboro are more artsy and less crowded.
Traffic in Charlotte can be gruesome - by NC standards -but if she's lived in NY she might not be disturbed by it at all. Still, take it into account. What you are used to there, you will quickly lose once you've been here for a few months. The heart aches for what it needs, and will accommodate quickly.
I live in Greensboro. I used to commute 1.5 hours (each way) to my college campus. Hubby drove just over an hour to work. It's normal up there in the DC/VA area. Yuck! I hated it, and all the suits and yuppies. Now he "commutes" 12-15 mins, and I have to convince myself to "drive all way across town" which is what, 20 minutes?! *chuckles*
I like the country as much as the city, so NC is a great place to be, and I think you will like it too. However, living with too much country could make you rebound, psychologically, too strong of a change too fast. Charlotte is loved by many, and lots of people like it. I haven't met too many who don't, and then leave. Just my personal experience.
Raleigh is great too, for diversity, Durham. I felt the same way as you when I got home after my very own 4-day visit. I had fallen in love with the Triangle, and found myself just longing for it. I live in Greensboro, and don't feel the same way about this town, but I do consider it our first foot in the door. I'd like to find our family in the Raleigh area one day.
I have a BA in Psychology and was looking into the Masters programs for counseling as well. I have met some of the folks from the Counseling program at UNCG, and they all just rave about their instructors and professors. The campus is very central and easy to get to, the tuition is decent, and the cost of living here is fair and moderate. The UNC campus at Charlotte (UNCC) has some really great curriculum, and more choices academically, but I haven't visited there personally - yet.
On a side note, if you love art things, do make sure to have a stop at Seagrove Pottery when you are in the Piedmont. There are some really cool works here, made from the earth under our very feet! What more can you ask for.
Actualy, it's against the Terms of Service to bump your own posts...
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That's another thing I've noticed when looking at apts in NC, it seems much more dog friendly there. It's so hard to find a place in CT with one dog, let alone two!
