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Old 01-19-2016, 11:31 AM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
9,763 posts, read 15,700,579 times
Reputation: 10850

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I'll throw a few thoughts and ideas out there.

For the Triangle, I agree that Carrboro is probably closest to what you are looking for, but I wouldn't expect a mini San Francisco or anything. There is a small, walkable downtown (which I personally find to be a bit rundown), and there are definitely lots of intellectuals, grad students, medical residents, university profs, college graduates who are job hunting or just hanging out until they move on, etc. There is definitely a laid-back, liberal vibe and some people who live "alternatively" like in a co-op or commune type housing. But there are also tons of typical families with mom, dad, and two kids. I think you will find people who think like you and are into what you like, but it's not like everyone you meet will be into new-age, spiritual things.

You might want to consider Hillsborough, Pittsboro, and Saxapahaw as well. Pittsboro and Hillsboroguh are probably not as liberal as Carrboro, but they are somewhat laid-back small towns with attractive downtowns, rather than a typical suburb. Saxapahaw is extremely small but is built out of an old mill town and on a river. I'm guessing you'll find some alternative thinkers there.

Outside of the Triangle, I might suggest Winston Salem if you decide to go to Guilford College. I find Winston Salem to be much more attractive with a denser downtown than sprawling Greensboro. And they are known for being a bit of an art center, which usually attracts liberal thinkers.

Since you asked for other alternatives outside the state, I'm going to throw New Hope, PA out there. It's in Bucks County - about 45 minutes from Philadelphia. It's always been considered an alternative kind of town (specifically attracted gays, I know). It sits on the Delaware river and attracts artists, actors, and writers. So it is definitely a liberal town. And it's close to dozens of colleges and universities in the Phila. region. Of course, it doesn't have the warmer weather that you seek, but would be about 3 hours from Baltimore.
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Old 01-19-2016, 11:38 AM
 
149 posts, read 148,476 times
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Quote:
You made some wrong assumptions though. My idea is extremely well-thought out; for months I've been soul-searching and researching MANY cities (hence my long city-data threads) following the feeling that Berkeley area just may not be the right long-term fit OR that I need to leave it awhile.
Yes, I'm sure you spent a lot of time doing internet research, but you have never actually visited either the Triangle, Greensboro or the school you're talking about attending. This is THE most important part of researching a potential move. Moving somewhere sight unseen is very risky.

People are recommending Carrborro, and they mean well, but Carrborro is teeny tiny. It will basically feel like you have moved to a small town, if you're going to orbit your life around an area that small. I also don't think it has precisely the kind of atmosphere you are looking for. Coming from an Austin or a Berkeley, Carrborro is going to be a sore disappointment (my guess). People are thinking of Carrborro, because that's where the progressive hippies hang out in the Triangle, but it's sheer tininess I think will dismay you.

It seems like you are dead set on moving here though, so there isn't really anything I can say to talk you out of it. I hope I'm wrong and you love it here.
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Old 01-19-2016, 12:15 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,324 posts, read 26,800,173 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NatureYogi View Post
ME:
About me: I'm into hiking, swimming holes, suntanning, the beach, camping, bicycling, rockclimbing, yoga, acroyoga, dance, dog hikes, nondenominational spirituality, holistic wellness, healing arts, all art forms, volunteering, human services field, learning, travel, natural living, fruits and veggies, veganism, DIY, diversity, peace, free spiritness, etc. Will get involved in groups and activities.
I did not know what Acroyoga is, but there are classes in Raleigh and a Meetup Group in Chapel Hill.

Acro Play Yoga | Cirque de Vol

Triangle Circus Arts (Chapel Hill, NC) - Meetup
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Old 01-19-2016, 01:30 PM
 
Location: Chapelboro
12,798 posts, read 16,219,449 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NatureYogi View Post
ME:
About me: I'm into hiking, swimming holes, suntanning, the beach, camping, bicycling, rockclimbing, yoga, acroyoga, dance, dog hikes, nondenominational spirituality, holistic wellness, healing arts, all art forms, volunteering, human services field, learning, travel, natural living, fruits and veggies, veganism, DIY, diversity, peace, free spiritness, etc. Will get involved in groups and activities.

Is Carrboro the most like that of The Triangle? Are there certain Durham neighborhoods like that? Could Greensboro fit well as back-up plan? (Asheville's job market doesn't seem thriving enough.)
Yes. That's Carrboro all over. You'll love it here.
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Old 01-19-2016, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Chapelboro
12,798 posts, read 16,219,449 times
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Originally Posted by Jkgourmet View Post
There aren't many studios or cottages for rent. Quiet and apartments rarely get used in the same sentence. I am unaware if ANY apartment or residential area that forbids smoking outside, I'm not even sure I know if any that don't allow it inside.

Gotta agree with McGinty - I love the Triangle, but I don't hear it meshing with what you are looking for. Asheville, maybe.
This is so wrong.

Carrboro and Chapel Hill. Don't listen to the naysayers. It's what you want. I know these people (the acroyogis, the rock climbers, the hoopers, the nondenominationally spiritual, the naturopaths and reiki practitioners, the organic farmers, the zen buddhists, etc). I know a lot of folks who move from Austin and Portland and San Francisco to Chapel Hill/Carrboro and vice-versa. Chapel Hill and Carrboro are small, but if you want big you can go over to Raleigh. I don't want big, so I mostly stay in Chapelboro.

The no smoking thing may be a little iffy. People who smoke want to smoke at their home (apt), but contrary to what some people on this thread are saying there are LOTS of cottages, duplexes, basement apartments, etc for rent in Carrboro and Chapel Hill, so you don't have to be in a big complex.

Feel free to direct message me with any questions. Many of the folks on this thread are not happy. I've been here for a long time and got no plans to move. Happy to plug you in.

The Guilford to Carrboro commute would not be ideal, but if you just do Tues/Thurs classes it wouldn't be so bad. I know some folks that have done that commute at times. It's not something that you would want to do long term. How much more school do you think you need?

The community colleges around here also offer some great programs. Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro has a program in sustainable agriculture for example.

Last edited by poppydog; 01-19-2016 at 01:45 PM..
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Old 01-19-2016, 01:48 PM
 
336 posts, read 409,074 times
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Thank you so much, everyone. It's so kind of you all taking the time to help.

Am not really asking for advice on colleges but since you guys are curious...I have no interest in taking undergrad classes with kids mostly in their early 20s as I'm 32, tend to have older friends, a very old soul, been through alot of "life," already kinda got my wild party days out of my system, serious about studies. Have about 60 credits of undergrad left and want to finish in a program made for working adults with mainly people in their 30s and 40s, with small evening/weekend classes in location I like, online classes available, and in specific topics.

Other than Evergreen State (Olympia isn't sunny enough for me; have lived near there) or the very heavy load and cost of CIIS in San Francisco, I think that leaves Guilford as my top college choice for undergrad. Either that or can just take all classes online from somewhere good, but it's nice to have the option of in-person classmates. My classes in Guilford would only be once or twice a week so an hour drive isn't a big deal.

As for moving somewhere sight-unseen I agree that isn't usually recommended. Though I have done it before and it worked out great and I admit I do love an adventure. Soon I drive from Berkeley to drive around the east coast. Will see North Carolina, Richmond, maybe Ithaca, and more. Then will stay with family in Maryland to arrange job interviews. I do realize Carrboro is tiny, Richmond seems underrated, etc. Very curious to explore.

Last edited by NatureYogi; 01-19-2016 at 01:56 PM..
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Old 01-19-2016, 01:57 PM
 
Location: Chapelboro
12,798 posts, read 16,219,449 times
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Greensboro has some interesting stuff going on there, too. I have an old friend who is an artist in Greensboro and she's always letting me know about cool events happening there. My nephew went to UNC-G (well known art program) and now lives in San Francisco working as a chocolate artiste! He really loves G-boro, but his girlfriend was in SF. Niece went to Guilford and I think she liked it, too. She moved to some different big city places, but moved back to Greensboro.

I think you might really like Chapel Hill/Carrboro. It sounds right up your alley. Let me know if you have any more questions. Sorry I didn't see your thread earlier.

UNC and Duke have some good programs for working adults, too. Also look into UNC-G, Greensboro College, Durham Tech, and Alamance Community College.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro (no real reason to focus solely on Carrboro — Chapel Hill is also cool and they seamlessly merge together) may be small, but they swing large. My favorite corner of the Triangle for sure. Durham is my next fave. Raleigh (where most of the folks posting on this forum are) comes in third place for me.
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Old 01-19-2016, 02:06 PM
 
336 posts, read 409,074 times
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poppydog, really appreciate your 2 posts. That's the vibe that's been drawing me.

I don't need "a mini San Francisco" (SF is actually too crowded for me to live in or visit too often and is very different from Berkeley) or to only be around people exactly like me (in fact living in Santa Cruz, California, 2 years it started feeling bit too much like just people like me hence I then moved to Austin and Berkeley). Love those specific school recommendations too. Just the other day a sweet guy in Berkeley said his friends moved to the Triangle from Berkeley for cheaper rent and were loving rockclimbing there.

Will think of questions for you or just direct message you. Or feel free to keep sharing whatever you want.
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Old 01-19-2016, 02:07 PM
 
Location: My House
34,936 posts, read 36,076,712 times
Reputation: 26535
Quote:
Originally Posted by poppydog View Post
Greensboro has some interesting stuff going on there, too. I have an old friend who is an artist in Greensboro and she's always letting me know about cool events happening there. My nephew went to UNC-G (well known art program) and now lives in San Francisco working as a chocolate artiste! He really loves G-boro, but his girlfriend was in SF. Niece went to Guilford and I think she liked it, too. She moved to some different big city places, but moved back to Greensboro.

I think you might really like Chapel Hill/Carrboro. It sounds right up your alley. Let me know if you have any more questions. Sorry I didn't see your thread earlier.

UNC and Duke have some good programs for working adults, too. Also look into UNC-G, Greensboro College, Durham Tech, and Alamance Community College.

Chapel Hill and Carrboro (no real reason to focus solely on Carrboro — Chapel Hill is also cool and they seamlessly merge together) may be small, but they swing large. My favorite corner of the Triangle for sure. Durham is my next fave. Raleigh (where most of the folks posting on this forum are) comes in third place for me.
Agree that the OP would likely prefer the CH/Carrboro side of the Triangle (maybe even Hillsborough which is also nearby), it is possible that the OP could find some good schools with programs for working adults (that just aren't advertised so exclusively as schools like GC advertise) in the Raleigh area, and they would be a very short commute back over to the northern end of the Triangle.

My got my undergrad from Meredith College (not sure if the OP is male or female) and they most definitely have a lot of nontraditional students.

I got my MS from NCSU and the night classes over there are full of people who are in their 30s, 40s, and older, too.

Just some ideas.

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Old 01-19-2016, 02:36 PM
 
Location: Chapelboro
12,798 posts, read 16,219,449 times
Reputation: 11214
The Flow Jo is where a lot of my friends go to get their aerial silks fix. The Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw (even teenier than Carrboro) often has open Hoop Jams on Sunday afternoons if you're into that scene. Carrboro is a mecca for hoopers, home of the Hoop Path. I have a friend who is big into the hoop scene and teaches workshops all over the world, San Francisco, London, Bali, etc. Hang out on the Weaver Street Market lawn in Carrboro and you will meet your peeps. There are often impromptu hoop jams, free form dance, etc as well as planned music events. Very vibrant creative culture here.
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