Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well, after much money saving (except for one thing...), much dreaming, and much waiting...I finally made it to Rapid City! I left Southern California about a month ago and besides my family the only thing I miss is a microbrew named Stone Brewery.
Second impressions of Rapid City is just as good as the first impressions I had a little over a year ago. The people here are amazing! Friendly beyond anything I had ever experienced in my prior 27 years of life. The city is just beautiful! I currently live in an apartment about 2-3 blocks from downtown, unfortunately I don't have the money to spend every night eating at a new joint. I've been to the Firehouse Brewery a few times and I must say that the Chukkar ale has more flavor than a bag of Skittles! (Firehouse, if you use that line I get a quarter for every person that says it).
The weather is something else here, compared to what I'm use to. In San Diego it is sunny and 75 year 'round. Not too long ago it was 91 degrees, then 2 minutes later it was 63 degrees and HAILING! I almost pulled my car off onto the side of the freeway to wait for the hail to stop! That was one of the coolest weather experienced I have ever had! Even if it did nearly reach 100 today, it still ended up raining on me and the rain itself was COLD, while the air was hot! Weirdest feeling ever!
I really wish I hadn't bought $2,000 worth of sound system for my car about a month before I had left, I get the strong impression that blasting your music and setting off car alarms is frowned upon here. I suppose that is probably for the best.
Right now there are only a few things that annoy me about Rapid City.
1- you all drive too damn slow! I know I am use to the hustle & rush of San Diego, so I know it is something I'll get use to eventually, but for now...why do people attempt to merge onto the freeway while going 35mph?
2- the apartment I am in has absolutely no insulation between me and the renters in the home above me. I hear every arguement, every footstep, everytime they turn on a water faucet, and everytime one of them rolls over onto the other side of the bed. Not to mention the dogs and kids......which I guess I just mentioned.
I'm going to start looking for (possibly) a downtown studio loft if there are any renting right now. I know I saw one for $400/mo a week or two ago, but they were looking for "experienced renters" and my current apartment is the first apartment I've ever rented, and I've only been here a month .
When I first got to Rapid City I stayed in a hotel for about a week and a half, then I stayed overnight at a different hotel and decided to put in a job application for that second hotel. Two days later I got an interview, two days after that I started my first job in Rapid City!
I am finding that getting a second, evening job is a bit more challenging (considering that my first job was instantaneous), but I'm hopeful that an opportunity will present itself. I'll need to get another apartment before finding another job, I think. I am barely making due now with my 3-4 hours sleep a night and I really cannot even fathom throwing a second job onto my plate right now, I'm just too exhausted in the evening.
One thing that does concern me a little, is that I think it will be extremely difficult for me to be able to persue a college education (architectural design/drafting preferably) and still be able to make ends meet on a single job. That plan is a little further down the road, though. For now I'm concentrating on finding a different, quiet studio/apartment, then finding an evening job.
So all-in-all....this is an amazing city and I can really picture myself being happy here. Whatever you all are doing to make this city so great, keep doing it!
PS - if anybody knows of any downtown apartments/studios going up for rent in the next 2 months, around the $400-$600 range, let me know!
PPS - are snow chains really needed for city driving in the winter?
PPPS - are there any other microbreweries here besides Firehouse? I want to, eh...support the local economy!
PPPPS - are there any "clubs" or groups that meet up once a week to do things like hiking or just hang out together? The only people I know here are the people I work with and I'd like to get some additional friends in the lineup!
First off, the traffic moving slow. That's because there is no need to be in a hurry in Rapid City.
No, chains are not needed if you have decent tires. The city streets are bladed very well during times of snow. If a nasty blizzard hits and they have a hard time keeping up, you might have snow on the streets for a few more hours than normal. If you live in the country, chains are not a bad idea.
As time goes on, you'll find that you have more time then you need. Right now, you are wasting a lot of time because you are not sure where you are going, or how to get there. You are not sure where you want to go. But once you get used to Rapid City, where to eat, where to go out, how to get through all the traffic to and from work, you'll have more time on your hands.
Glad to hear you found work so quickly. Instead of looking for a second job and try to work it into your already busy schedule, you might just look for a better paying job than the one you have. Maybe even a job that will give you more hours for overtime.
Well, after much money saving (except for one thing...), much dreaming, and much waiting...I finally made it to Rapid City! I left Southern California about a month ago and besides my family the only thing I miss is a microbrew named Stone Brewery.
Second impressions of Rapid City is just as good as the first impressions I had a little over a year ago. The people here are amazing! Friendly beyond anything I had ever experienced in my prior 27 years of life. The city is just beautiful! I currently live in an apartment about 2-3 blocks from downtown, unfortunately I don't have the money to spend every night eating at a new joint. I've been to the Firehouse Brewery a few times and I must say that the Chukkar ale has more flavor than a bag of Skittles! (Firehouse, if you use that line I get a quarter for every person that says it).
The weather is something else here, compared to what I'm use to. In San Diego it is sunny and 75 year 'round. Not too long ago it was 91 degrees, then 2 minutes later it was 63 degrees and HAILING! I almost pulled my car off onto the side of the freeway to wait for the hail to stop! That was one of the coolest weather experienced I have ever had! Even if it did nearly reach 100 today, it still ended up raining on me and the rain itself was COLD, while the air was hot! Weirdest feeling ever!
I really wish I hadn't bought $2,000 worth of sound system for my car about a month before I had left, I get the strong impression that blasting your music and setting off car alarms is frowned upon here. I suppose that is probably for the best.
Right now there are only a few things that annoy me about Rapid City.
1- you all drive too damn slow! I know I am use to the hustle & rush of San Diego, so I know it is something I'll get use to eventually, but for now...why do people attempt to merge onto the freeway while going 35mph?
2- the apartment I am in has absolutely no insulation between me and the renters in the home above me. I hear every arguement, every footstep, everytime they turn on a water faucet, and everytime one of them rolls over onto the other side of the bed. Not to mention the dogs and kids......which I guess I just mentioned.
I'm going to start looking for (possibly) a downtown studio loft if there are any renting right now. I know I saw one for $400/mo a week or two ago, but they were looking for "experienced renters" and my current apartment is the first apartment I've ever rented, and I've only been here a month .
When I first got to Rapid City I stayed in a hotel for about a week and a half, then I stayed overnight at a different hotel and decided to put in a job application for that second hotel. Two days later I got an interview, two days after that I started my first job in Rapid City!
I am finding that getting a second, evening job is a bit more challenging (considering that my first job was instantaneous), but I'm hopeful that an opportunity will present itself. I'll need to get another apartment before finding another job, I think. I am barely making due now with my 3-4 hours sleep a night and I really cannot even fathom throwing a second job onto my plate right now, I'm just too exhausted in the evening.
One thing that does concern me a little, is that I think it will be extremely difficult for me to be able to persue a college education (architectural design/drafting preferably) and still be able to make ends meet on a single job. That plan is a little further down the road, though. For now I'm concentrating on finding a different, quiet studio/apartment, then finding an evening job.
So all-in-all....this is an amazing city and I can really picture myself being happy here. Whatever you all are doing to make this city so great, keep doing it!
PS - if anybody knows of any downtown apartments/studios going up for rent in the next 2 months, around the $400-$600 range, let me know!
PPS - are snow chains really needed for city driving in the winter?
PPPS - are there any other microbreweries here besides Firehouse? I want to, eh...support the local economy!
PPPPS - are there any "clubs" or groups that meet up once a week to do things like hiking or just hang out together? The only people I know here are the people I work with and I'd like to get some additional friends in the lineup!
Congrats and welcome! I hear ya on some of the drivers, but then again, I probably drive too fast. You have my sympathy for the apartment issue, too. LOL I only lived in an apartment for about six months after I moved here, but even then, I was hardly ever there. Occasionally I heard the baby above me crying, but it really wasn't too bad. It was on the north side of town, but it was decent, reasonably priced and most importantly, allowed my dogs.
That's great that you found a job so quickly. I would agree with Elk Hunter. It might be better to look for a better paying job rather than a second job, especially now. There is so much to do (and eat) and to get out and explore in Rapid and the Black Hills. A second job would definitely leave you with not much time to spare.
Weather here can be crazy, but overall I love it. I moved from farther east where it gets very humid, so to me, Rapid weather feels great in the summer. The heat yesterday was not normal! When I moved (been here a year and a half) I was skeptical that anyone can get by without central air conditioning here, but I have found it really can be done. I love love LOVE the cool summer nights! There are few things more miserable to me than trying to get to sleep when it's still hot and sticky at night.
You should go to meetup.com. There is a Rapid City friends meetup group, and right now they are planning things weekly (ex. Thursday night Summer Nights downtown, Saturday Farmers Market, Music in the Square, etc.). I signed up but have never gone to a meetup. I'm kind of chicken that way. There might also be a hiking group. Otherwise, just try to get out and get involved in some activities. If you enjoy the outdoors, you will love it here.
One thing that does concern me a little, is that I think it will be extremely difficult for me to be able to persue a college education (architectural design/drafting preferably) and still be able to make ends meet on a single job. That plan is a little further down the road, though. For now I'm concentrating on finding a different, quiet studio/apartment, then finding an evening job.
First, congratulations on your move! I think you will love the area.
Have you contacted (the) school's financial aid department? I went through college on a combination of awards, state, and federal grants. Seems like you'd be eligible. It's worth checking out.
I've not contacted any college aid programs, and I really don't know anything about them. Right now I've got around 1k a month in bills to pay, and with my current job alone I'll be lookin to make around 14k this year. So, unless college loans will pay for my rent, I cannot see myself attending any formal education in the near future.
If anybody happens to find a studio apartment in need of a quiet (though I play acoustic guitar), non-partying, responsible tenant...that's me! Unfortunately, I've got very little official renting experience...infact I've got about 28 days worth.
I'd really like to stay at my current job for at least a few more months, seeing as how I just got the job about 3 weeks ago, and I really like almost everybody I work with. Either way I cannot see myself getting a very high paying job. The only real work experience I have is working at a golf course and working at an auto repair shop (for 10 years). I will not work at an auto shop ever again unless, of course, they want me to help them design concept models for new Ford or Chevy cars
I dont know that I can expect anything more than minimum wage at this point, since pretty much any job for me will be me switching into a new field entirely...which I am very much open to doing.
Anywho, thanks for all the replies/advice everybody and thanks for the warm welcome! I'll checkout that meetup.com place. thanks!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
You have my sympathy for the apartment issue, too. LOL I only lived in an apartment for about six months after I moved here, but even then, I was hardly ever there. Occasionally I heard the baby above me crying, but it really wasn't too bad. It was on the north side of town, but it was decent, reasonably priced and most importantly, allowed my dogs.
