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I am considering a job offer to work at Dartmouth College. The job sounds wonderful but my concern is moving from Boston to a somewhat rural area and feeling isolated. I am active here in Boston in meet up but it seems like there are only a few meet ups in the Hanover area. Just wondering if there it is possible to have some type of social life for a single 30 something in the Hanover area. Thanks!
Your social life would, in many cases, revolve around the university. You're not much older than many graduate students in the area from Dartmouth....so it might work for you. To be honest though Hanover is an area I would look at if I was closer to retirement. It has the best medical care in all of northern New England & is a safe place to live. But for a young women in her 30s the area might be too out of the way.
Thanks! I was just living in Florida for 2 months in a retirement community and it was more than I could take. As great as the job sounds, I might be better off waiting until I get something in Boston.
Thanks! I was just living in Florida for 2 months in a retirement community and it was more than I could take. As great as the job sounds, I might be better off waiting until I get something in Boston.
Back up a step. Hanover is NOTHING like a retirement community in FL. You might have construed the meaning of the other poster a little too literally. Less than 14% of the town is over age 65.
I guess what I want to know is are there activities/things to do where I would have the potential to meet other 30 and 40 something friends? I am a little leery of putting myself into a position where I might feel isolated and unhappy.
If I were a single 30 something and had a job offer at Dartmouth I would be there asap. If I were a single 30's something woman I would be there sooner.
Hanover is obviously no comparison to Boston, but if you stay in Hanover proper, you would almost feel like you are walking around in a miniature Cambridge. It's a college town with a chi-chi downtown (by northern New England standards) with bookstores, nice places to eat, shopping etc. What you probably should not do if a vibrant social scene is important to you is do something like live in Enfield and commute to Dartmouth. (Nothing against Enfield!) Unless your idea of socializing is running into fellow hikers or cross-country skiiers, you would probably feel isolated.
The good news is that if there are any meetups or professional society meetings at all up here in Northern New England, they are often at or near Dartmouth. Cost of living will be lower, traffic is no comparison, you're close to outdoor activities, and if you are into New England charm, Hanover has it.
Thanks for the further information! I think I will make a trip up there to make a final decision. My interviews were in Boston so haven't been up the actual campus or town yet. (I actually wouldn't be employed by the college but a health care company contracting with the school).
Definitely visit first hand. It's a nice area, with lots of little outlying towns to give you many cost options for living. Jobs at the Medical Center and the College are generally some of the best in the area.
As for social experiences, I know a bunch of 30-somethings who lament the lack of "options" in the area. There is no conventional "bar scene" or "club scene" to speak of. But there are TONS of professional groups though and lots of opportunities to get out and among people. A lot of the social recreation in this area revolves around the outdoors.
My family is moving to the Hanover area this September -- we absolutely loved the area when we visited but I can see where your apprehension may be coming from -- the same reasons why we loved it is probably the same reasons why you have concern -- it's not a bustling city by any means. I think what comes with that is an opportunity to meet people in 'unconventional' ways -- events put on by the college, outdoor activities, drinks at the ski lodge bar, etc.
What I will pass on is the information I've seen online about Hanover -- while there is no Beacon St. or Boylston St. to get your kicks, the college itself does seem to offer a ton of community events and activities where I'm sure you can get your social fix.
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