How Can I Make it in California? (Los Angeles, San Diego: high school, university)

[John23]

It really depends on where you go in california. Such a diverse state.

Northern cali is different than southern. Bakersfield, Fresno, etc are different than coastal cities.

My tip for anyone thinking of moving here...California is probably the worst place to move in the country if you're poor with money, or have poor money related habits. There's so much media stimulation (in say southern california), and so much temptation (i.e. a few years ago buying 5 homes you couldn't afford)....and the rush/rush mentality, I dont know....people get swept into things that I dont think would happen elsewhere.

And visit as others said.

[Aquilina]

You know what I did?...I packed my stuff up, left NY and drove cross country to California when I was 17, right out of high school. My friends thought I was insane. I had no money, no job, nothing. But I had a blast, made connects, found work, finished college, and now Im 25, happy as I could ever be, and with no regrets! And guess what? All my friends now live out here too. Some even went to law school at USC. A lot of people come and go from LA. But if you give it chance (more than a year), it will be the best thing you have ever done. But I will say, in order to survive in LA, you cant wait around for something to happen... you have to make it happen. Good luck.

[jc76]

My advice: If at all possible fly out there on your time off (Summer, Spring break). Get a little rental car that's good on gas and hit the road. Invest $100. in a GPS, it's well worth it. Go explore California. Before hand do some research on areas that sound like you, also research the bad areas so you don't accidentally wonder into them
I would start in San Diego and work your way up the state. Visit some of the many colleges out there. Make a week out of it, get a feel for the people and how things are there. That's my advice NEVER MOVE SOMEWHERE WITHOUT VISITING FIRST!!! Even visit a few times to be safe. Your visits are "vacations" kind of so remember in real life you probably won't be as happy as you are on vacation.
But I think you will dig CA, I do! Good Luck!

[adysmom]

Originally Posted by citybound7

For as long as I can remember all I've ever wanted to do was make it out in California. I've been seriously thinking about this since my freshmen year in high school (I'm 17 and just now becoming a senior). Lately, I've been building myself up financially in order to make my dreams tilt a bit towards the logical side. If anyone's from California do you have any advice for me? I don't know how it is over there, I've just heard that it is pretty expensive. I'd love to hear from others, thanks

I don't know why you would even want to try to move to californa. There are many nice places to move without moving to a place like california. You had best think about it real hard before you do it.

[boi2socal]

I picked up my bags and moved here at a rather young age. It has taken me about five years of living here to get somewhat comfortable. I have one foot on the ground...waiting to get the second firmly planted. There are days I wonder why the hell I'm here and other days I know I couldn't live anywhere else. I definitely had a plan when I moved here...just didn't have a back up plan and plummeted into huge debt.

I definitely recommend coming here as a student which it appears you are planning on doing. Coming here without a degree will insure you a life of destitution. Entry level jobs here don't pay much more than they do in other parts of the country but it is way more expensive to live here. There definitely are good paying jobs but you should be educated and have somewhat of a network.

From my perspective there are two type of successful people in LA: Plain Lucky and Hard Working with Some Luck.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by citybound7

For as long as I can remember all I've ever wanted to do was make it out in California. I've been seriously thinking about this since my freshmen year in high school (I'm 17 and just now becoming a senior). Lately, I've been building myself up financially in order to make my dreams tilt a bit towards the logical side. If anyone's from California do you have any advice for me? I don't know how it is over there, I've just heard that it is pretty expensive. I'd love to hear from others, thanks

I will say, first off, I always wonder about threads like yours: you may be a teen ager playing on the computer today cause you have nothing better to do, you may be one that is just curious or, you might be real. If you are for real, forget about moving to California until you have both finished high school and college. Then make sure you have a great job and money in the bank before you move. Maybe you should start by taking a vacation with a few friends and enjoy the beach or whatever.

You ask if you can make it? Not unless you plan on making your living selling drugs or getting a small part in a porno film. I don't know where you live now, but I bet you would pass out if you knew the price for things is California..

I will add one more thing, why do you think you want to move to California, do you speak spanish fluently? That is something that would be helpful to you.

ok, now I have read the responses and yours, still I think your are nuts...You talk about already having a couple of scholarships offers, that is very rare for someone with a year left in school as they normally are given out til much later (about 1/2 through you senior year) or even later. What Ca schools have you been accepted to or have you? Probably none yet. I would guess you have absolutely no idea what college costs in Calif. Why don't you stay in Ga, they have some absolutely great schools, then after you graduate from college re-evaluate what you really want to do. LIke others have said, visit a few times. For those, who say, they did and it worked, most didn't do in in the past couple of years and I know I am sounding negative, but let's be honest, for everyone who goes to CA with very little money (less than $10,000) and makes it, there are 100s of others that do not.

Nita

[Todd.LA]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I will add one more thing, why do you think you want to move to California, do you speak spanish fluently? That is something that would be helpful to you.

Please, let's stop painting a picture of Los Angeles as a place where poor English speakers are bewildered and unable to communicate with anyone; it's just not true. The most common language in LA county is and remains English. There are a lot of Spanish speakers around, but most people who speak Spanish at least know a little English and many are totally bilingual. If hearing other people speak in languges other than English makes you uncomfortable, then LA is a bad place for you to live, but it's just untrue to suggest that people who only speak English are somehow disadvantaged in LA.

[uptown_urbanist]

I disagree with some of the above comments; college is not the time for staying safe and sticking around at home (although nothing wrong with that, either); while it's nice to visit a school before you decide to go there (rather than make a mistake and be miserable and have to deal with transferring) it's not absolutely necessary. And as far as moving to a new city sight-unseen, that's fine too, especially if you're young. I wouldn't go into huge debt simply to choose a CA-based school over elsewhere, but until you're officially accepted and have financial aid offers in hand you won't know if it's cheaper to stay in-state or go elsewhere, especially if you're a strong student.

We moved to LA without ever having visited, due to a job opportunity. I ended up loving it. (and never drove, either, defying another stereotype often posted on these boards) I'd encourage a school tour visit more for making sure the school fits rather than worrying about whether you like the state or city. You're young - if you hate CA you can leave after you graduate, or if it's really bad, transfer after a year or two of school. In the meantime might as well come now as a student and at least give it a chance, rather than kick yourself later always wondering what might have been.

Oh, and I agree with Todd above. You don't have to speak Spanish to live in CA. It's nice if you do, and if you don't then living in CA offers a great opportunity to learn (lots of chances to practice), but it's not a necessity. If you're in school it's even less of an issue. Depending on specific post-school job or career it could be useful (or possible necessary) to know Spanish, but that's true in many places outside of CA, too.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Todd.LA

Please, let's stop painting a picture of Los Angeles as a place where poor English speakers are bewildered and unable to communicate with anyone; it's just not true. The most common language in LA county is and remains English. There are a lot of Spanish speakers around, but most people who speak Spanish at least know a little English and many are totally bilingual. If hearing other people speak in languges other than English makes you uncomfortable, then LA is a bad place for you to live, but it's just untrue to suggest that people who only speak English are somehow disadvantaged in LA.

that comment was made in jest. I was simply pointing out, to re-locate you better know what you are doing. If you had read some of my other postings,I have always mentioned this idea, everyone is hispanic is nuts. Boy are you out there someplace. Relax and enjoy life, don't take every comment so seriously...

Nita

[JonathanLB]

It's usually just really boring, straight-laced people who don't like it in California.

The only thing I hate about California is, well, the state. I mean, I love most of the cities, but this state is a piece of Moderator cut: language. They have no idea what they are doing, they think the solution to a deficit is raising taxes. Only really moronic liberals think that way, anyone with a brain knows that if you raise taxes you actually have LESS money. People move away, people evade taxes, and business suffers. It's a domino effect. It is not the solution and that has been proven time and again.

I personally love Los Angeles, despite things like that, but even I don't know if I will stay in the state if I can't make some serious cash in the next year. I can get a condo that's very nice back in my home city for half the price that's about 70% the space. Or I can get one for about 2/3 the price that's actually bigger than what I have now. So there is some appeal to that, and where I'm from, Oregon, there is no sales tax at all either. And you don't have to pump your own gas. Pumping your own gas and having to pay more for gas, despite being closer to refineries in Texas, etc., is a huge slap in the face with a giant sausage.