Moving from Los Angeles to DC area (affordable apartment, how much)

[eusungl]

I'm a 24 yr old male, just graduated from college this month, and will be moving to VA sometime this year(don't wanna get into the reason why, it's a long story).

What are some good areas in or around DC for:

1. job opportunities for a recent college grad (my degree is in psych so finding a job will be tough.)

2. meeting people (since I have no friends in the state of VA, just family).

3. affordable apartment/rooms for a recent college grad

4. friendly people. I haven't done much traveling around the US, but I can't help but notice when I visited other countries how much more friendly the people were compared to Southern CA.

Also if anyone else has moved from southern CA to DC, I'd like to know how the transition worked out for you.

[Zippy7fo]

Originally Posted by eusungl

I'm a 24 yr old male, just graduated from college this month, and will be moving to VA sometime this year(don't wanna get into the reason why, it's a long story).

What are some good areas in or around DC for:

1. job opportunities for a recent college grad (my degree is in psych so finding a job will be tough.)

2. meeting people (since I have no friends in the state of VA, just family).

3. affordable apartment/rooms for a recent college grad

4. friendly people. I haven't done much traveling around the US, but I can't help but notice when I visited other countries how much more friendly the people were compared to Southern CA.

Also if anyone else has moved from southern CA to DC, I'd like to know how the transition worked out for you.

1. You'll find a job. You have to be a total bum to not find a gig with a college degree in DC region.

2. Yeah you'll meet great people from all over the world.

3. LMAOOOOOOO!!!! College grads and Professionals all would like answers to that question. Right now I've narrowed it down to Delaware and Central PA

4. Hey its a large metro. Some people will be nice and some will be the stereotypical east coaster, just depends on the background....

[saganista]

Originally Posted by Zippy7fo

Right now I've narrowed it down to Delaware and Central PA

Better move quickly if you want to get in on that Delaware gig...

eusungl -- Just a way of saying that the DC area is pretty expensive. But so is SoCal. Cliché advice for locale to a 24-year old would be to check out the Ballston Corridor (pretty much everything between the Court House and Ballston stations on the Metro Orange Line). It's high-density upscale yuppie heaven. There's also Old Town Alexandria which also very lively and a little more artsy than Ballston. Both these areas can be a tad expensive, so make sure you've got the decent-paying job lined up first. Per Zippy's post, as long as you are breathing normally, you shouldn't have too much problem finding one of those. There are a lot of other very intersesting areas around also, and you might like some of them better than Ballston or Old Town. It would depend on tastes and expectations, but keep in mind that commuting in the DC area can easily become a lifestyle-destroying nightmare if you don't figure it out properly in advance. You need the type of housing that you like and can afford, and then it has to enable a reasonable commute. Those are the three big things. Don't forget the thrid one...