What is one thing you wish you'd known before YOU moved to NoVa? (McLean: construction, school)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Nova is not hip, and further more we don't wish to be.

Speak for yourself. Those in their early-20s moving to NoVA and suffering with the tough cost-of-living vs. salary ratio deserve someplace "hip" as a reward for all their hard work and to blow off some steam. A year-and-a-half of living in Stepford was all I could handle before asking myself "What AM I getting in return for my hard work?"

[HEATHER72]

I wish someone told me that when refering to let's say road North 29 and South 29... it's more like north = east and south = west. To this day it still confuses me! This can also be true for signs for 495. I have yet to figure out what is the outer and inner loop.

[movedoften]

I will gladly beat the dead traffic horse one more time.

I really don't think you can understate the effect that it does have on many of us.

Although I work from home now, I did the 2.5/3 hour round trip for about 1.5 years.

To an outsider, that by itself can be a little ominous but in some ways manageable. I have lived in LA and San Diego and dealt with traffic so I was not phased at the thought of living here. The difference is, they have a 21st century freeway system.

I think that the domino effect of bad traffic is the real issue. People often complain about how unfriendly folks are here. I can tell you that I am a nicer, more outgoing, happier person with a 10 minute commute compared to a 1.5 hour commute. I think that a high level of work focus by so many here combined with horrid commute times can simply drain people.
It surely affects the opportunities for many people to have a life after work M-F by simply getting home so late and being exhausted.

People, like me, who are in sales then have to deal with it going to and from sales calls. There are very few things in this world that are more unproductive than sitting in traffic in the middle of your work day.

I used to find myself leaving so early for an appointment for fear of being late due to potential traffic issues, that I would sometimes get there 30 minutes early. Other times I would be there in the nick of time.

I can only imagine how hard it is to have a family and deal with it.

I also find that the traffic here seems to rarely dissipate. Living in Fairfax and getting to DC almost anytime by car is a major hassle.

I find the metro experience from Fairfax is very good on weekends but the weekdays it can be brutal if you need parking or have to take a bus to get there. In my view, leaving center city DC at 5 or 6 and taking the orange line all the way back to Vienna then grabbing a 30 minute bus ride is not an enjoyable experience.

If you live in Arlington and have to ride it for 4 or 5 stops, that is not bad.

Fridays and Holidays leaving the area and Sundays coming back can be so atrocious that it often is prohibitive to want to go anywhere.

The weekends provide a little relief but Rt. 66 can often be clogged up then as well.

If you gave me the choice of making either the cost of housing or traffic more reasonable, I would much rather pay higher rent and have less time in my car or the metro.

A lifestyle filled with long work hours and a bad commute can make your life pass you by very quickly.

Time is the one commodity that you can never get back.

With all of that said, I also feel there are ways to manage the traffic here to make it slightly more bearable.

I always encourage people to move as close as they can to their workplace within the upper reaches of their budget.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Speak for yourself.

Actually, I'm speaking from observation. If people around here wanted to be hip, they would be. I've seen lots of little bookstores, coffee shops, and other such spots open up over the years. Some do well, but a lot more of them close, because they don't get enough patrons. If there really was a market for hip hangouts here, you'd see a lot more of them opening. Instead, most 20-somethings I know here prefer to eat at Chick Fila. Chick Fila is not a hip hangout, but it's a place you'll see a lot of 20 somethings.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Speak for yourself. Those in their early-20s moving to NoVA and suffering with the tough cost-of-living vs. salary ratio deserve someplace "hip" as a reward for all their hard work and to blow off some steam. A year-and-a-half of living in Stepford was all I could handle before asking myself "What AM I getting in return for my hard work?"

It's called DC.

I'm not saying DC is super-hip, but for people into hip, or artsy, or counter-culture, or edgy, or whatever, these people are going to get their kicks in DC. A person can find hip in DC (art studios, bands, hangouts, etc). And then there's Baltimore.

What do you suppose kids in Reston did 20 years ago before Reston was anything like what you had available? They went to clubs in DC. And the ones I met in downtown clubs were having fun, not complaining about the traffic they suffered while getting there.

The assessment that NoVA isn't hip and doesn't want to be is pretty much correct. It's not saying that there are no hip people in NoVA or that nobody in NoVA wants to be hip. It's saying that middle-of-the-road, pragmatic is much more typical.

And if someone is so adamant to believe they "deserve" someplace hip, they could create it themselves. DC and Arlington have a great history of a DIY scene with motivated individuals who've started things from scratch instead of expecting a scene to be handed to them.

[beatlecrazy]

I moved here in 2008, but my husband already lived here. He didn't tell me how horrid the traffic was, but at least I was used to it (grew up in/close to Philly). My old commute in PA SHOULD have taken me 30 minutes, but it was about an hour. My commute here is from Manassas to Chantilly, and should take about 20 minutes or less, but it takes about 35, which isn't extremely bad.

A lot of people around here put a good emphasis on being in shape, going to the gym, going running or exercising outside. Where I lived, no one really was into that. A few people had gym memberships, but never went a lot. People around here really motivate me to be healthier, and I appreciate it

[cdmurphy]

It wouldn't have been a dealbreaker for me, but I was surprised to find that self-service car washes (the kind where you pull into a bay and wash your car yourself with the sprayer and brush) are rare here. I prefer that kind. I finally found one in Manassas that I like.

Also, it is tragic that NoVA lies in a weird zone that is too far south for White Castle but too far north for Krystal. What is that all about??

On a more serious note - depending on where you're moving from, NoVA may be the most ethnically diverse place you have ever lived. Some people think this is cool, roll with it, embrace it; others may be bothered or puzzled or offended by it. If you come from a place that is segregated (I lived for nine years in Kansas City, where you could draw clear racial boundaries by certain streets), NoVA may seem strange to you. Even if you think you are open-minded about diversity, you may find yourself in situations where you find your beliefs challenged. And that's okay. Living here is a learning experience. Take advantage of the opportunities here - go to a cultural or a religious festival, get to know your neighbors from a different race or ethnic group, ask questions. People love to talk about themselves.

NoVA has its limitations. Like any other place, it cannot be all things to all people.

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Here's the one thing everybody should know before moving here: Bigotry is not cool here. Racial/ethnic/religious/etc. jokes will fall flat. Cutesy bigoted nicknames for areas of town will alienate most people.

Also, trying to sound cool by "talking ghetto" doesn't go over well here. We're focused on education, and also on sounding educated. We don't care that much about visual appearance but we really care about speaking intelligently. You don't need to have a college degree (though it helps) but you do have to use words correctly. That doesn't mean using fancy words. Simple, direct words are fine (in fact, preferable).

Good said! Er, I mean, well said. Seriously, I think you are right and this is something distinctive. On the other hand, moving from a large city in the midwest, I found it surprising how segregated racially certain areas here still are, despite much more international diversity. There, for example, if you go out to a middle class restaurant, you will likely see middle class diners, black and white. I see that less here. Maybe it is a bit more of a holdover from the old south.

Also, Caladium, re: your other great post about movers from different parts of the country - I agree re: midwesterners. . It's enjoyable to have union members/blue collar workers work at the house because they remind me of their midwestern counterparts - except that they are driving from far away to work in the DC area. NoVA is pretty similar to many midwestern cities--with better weather and much more expensive houses and worse traffic, as others have said. There is also a loss of space issue. It still is hard for me (after many years) to accept having so little space in one's home/yard, and having to make so many decisions (e.g., what furniture to buy and how to arrange it) based on space limitations, and I think that's true for others. Otherwise, it's a pretty easy transition.

[chariega]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Actually, I'm speaking from observation. If people around here wanted to be hip, they would be. I've seen lots of little bookstores, coffee shops, and other such spots open up over the years. Some do well, but a lot more of them close, because they don't get enough patrons. If there really was a market for hip hangouts here, you'd see a lot more of them opening. Instead, most 20-somethings I know here prefer to eat at Chick Fila. Chick Fila is not a hip hangout, but it's a place you'll see a lot of 20 somethings.

I think your version of "hip" isn't the hip that DC is. There are a lot of ppl in the 20-something age range who qualify cool as flashy. Bookstores, coffee shops etc. for the hip in DC only serve a purpose (food, wifi, books, etc.) but are not places to "hang out" for the 20 something crowd in this town like in say, Seattle, or someplace. Hip in DC-speak is usually more club/bars or restaurant/lounge type places which open new spots every other week in the DC/VA area. I agree with RestonRunner, there are a lot of people trying to be cool in DC, whether they're rough neighborhood urban pioneers, downtown bar/club hoppers, Arlington urbanites, etc.

Now, these are only a few generalizations, OF COURSE, but for every generalization there is at least .00002453 ounces of TRUTH

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by chariega

there are a lot of people trying to be cool in DC, whether they're rough neighborhood urban pioneers, downtown bar/club hoppers, Arlington urbanites, etc.

I'm glad to hear it! Always good to hear that those who are looking for those things have a variety of places to go.