I Love ATL

[MattCW]

To answer the OP's question...it all depends on where you intend to live. I'm not trying to be sarcastic and evasive, but many people will say "Atlanta" but mean the suburbs. Heck, I tell most people I meet on my travels, and the rest of the internet that I'm from Atlanta even though I've lived my entire life 20 miles outside Atlanta city limits. The Atlanta area is very different from area to area, you can go five miles in some places and feel like you've gone five hundred miles. Are you looking for a true urban experience? Downtown and Midtown would be good for that. Buckhead would come in a close second to those. Want some urbanness but still be separated from the city? Try Dunwoody and Sandy Springs or even Decatur. Prefer the more pastoral life? Either head very far north toward Cumming, Gainesville or beyond, or head west toward Douglasville then move at right-angles to I-20. Want something in between? There's Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw and Woodstock.

However, Atlanta gets hot during the summer, hot and very humid and there's not much escape short of staying inside. Even though I'm "used" to it, I'm finished, and the climate is one reason I intend to head for New York. We also don't have a robust and reliable transit system unless you live close to the core of Atlanta, or along a MARTA rail line (Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Decatur as I mentioned are on these rail lines). This means that unless you find an area that has most of what you want within a small radius, you'll have to drive...as will everyone else around you, so while we don't have transit, we do have traffic and lots of it. The interstates near the major interchanges as well as the North/South artery through downtown are bumper to bumper at all the rush hours and can easily turn a simple 30 minute drive into an hour and fifteen minute (or longer) nightmare with no alternative. I'm not trying to bash Atlanta here, but glossing over the bad and giving people who come here a huge letdown does more to worsen our image than unjustified bashing does.

[tonygeorgia]

Again, the OP didn't ask our opinion on what city to move to so stick to the OP questions and stop hi-jacking this thread. First I would recommend you signing up for college, a trade school or the AF Reserve once you get here. Dont just sit around your apartment getting drunk all the time. You can do that too just make sure you are also in some type of school. If you go to school dont get a worthless degree because in four years you will have a low paying job plus you will have to pay those loans back. There are plenty of schools here to choose from. Every city in America has 21+ drink age so that isn't a problem.

Some additional things about moving here...

Go to school
Dont get knocked up
Take advantage of everything Atlanta has to offer
Take advantage of our airport and travel
Dont use drugs
etc.


REMOVED - DO NOT DISCUSS OTHER POSTERS IN THE FORUMS... SEE THE TERMS OF SERVICE

[Halo_in_reverse]

Originally Posted by breezybaby2013

Im turning 18 in a couple months in im from omaha when i graduate i wanna move to ATL for something new. I wanna know if its a good place to live, how do I prepare to becfome a resident down there and i graduate in less in 5 months.

I have a couple of questions for you:
1) Have you ever lived away from your parents home before?
2) Do you have plans for college?
3) If you move to Atlanta do you have a support system already in place (friends, family etc..)?
4) Have you travelled much?

The reason I ask these questions is that Atlanta, while wonderful and great, is a very big city. My fear for you is that you haven't gotten saavy enough to make it in such a fast paced city? I would hate to see you rush off and get swallowed up. There are so many things that you need to consider before making such a big move. Being naive could really be a detriment to you. I'm not trying to negate your wishes or desires, I'm just trying to give you some friendly advice through lessons learned by me - the hard way.

And I know you've probably heard this a thousand times, but you really need to make an effort to get a degree. You have your whole life to move around and see what's out there and as someone who has lived all over, I applaud your sense of adventure. Moving to different cities can be wonderful AND life changing. You will gain a better sense of community and thusly become a far more open-minded person. A degree will open doors for you that a HS diploma never will. I would even suggest seeking a Masters Degree. If you want a nice life then get a degree, very few people truly succeed without it.

All that being said, if you do decide to move to Atlanta before you have a degree:
1) Make sure you have money saved to support yourself for at least a year until you can find a job.
2) Understand that not every person you will encounter has good intentions.
3) Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
4) Understand that there will be days that the loneliness and homesickness will be soul crushing
5) Understand that those days will pass.
6) Develop a network of friends - quickly. Friends will be your greatest source of strength.
7) Be willing to accept jobs that are menial and you WILL be on the very bottom of the totem pole.
8) Be willing to accept defeat - if you get here and fail, make sure you have an exit strategy.
9) Always use protection
10) Keep your mind open and have fun!

Whatever path you choose, I hope it gives you what you need. Good luck

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

you still wet behind the ears...still a baby...you dont know what you want to do

[GA2013]

I also love ATL!!!