Stress, Planning, and the little green men who say "Fear!"

[Therin]

Ok, well, for better or for worse, I've decided. I'm moving to Atlanta. Ok. So? I don't even know where to start! I figure I'd better find a job, but how am I supposed to get a job when I can't get down there for an interview? Also, Atlanta is a big place. Where will I be looking for a job? How much do I need to make to support myself?

First things first, I guess I need to have a plan. I need a list of things that need to be accomplished so that I can make the change successfully. The trouble is, I don't know what order they should all be done in, nor am I sure I even know all the things that need doing. Let me start, though, with what I have.

I need a job.
I need a place to stay/live.
I need a vehicle. I don't know if I can make the ten hour drive down there alone, but currently, that will be the only way I keep the car I have now, so I intend to try.

On to the details.
First: The job. Since I can't think how someone would hire me if I can't get in for an interview, I think I'm going to have to rely on getting a new job here with a company which has branches down there, thereby enabling me to apply for a transfer when I'm ready to move. But how much to I need to make? I don't know what the bills will be, nor do I know wha tthe cost of living in general is. Hell, I've never even been grocery shopping before!

Second: Somewhere to live. I don't even know where to begin. Where do I look? How do I know what's expensive and what isn't? What am I looking for in an apartment? I have no idea. In the end, I want to be in Doot's complex, but that is seeming farther and farther away the more I think about it. Faye mentioned room-mating with me, and that would be awesome, but he can't get down there until february. What do I do if I'm ready before then?

Third: What else do I need!? Someone, please tell me!!

Also, in case it wasn't made clear. Any and all help will be met with nothing but gratitude, in large amounts.

[Tobias]

dude...first off, easy there! A move that far is something big. You have to think everything through many MANY times...but calmly. Also, dont expect it to be done at the snap of a finger. Lots of planning goes into a move like that.

Also, if Faye isnt ready till february....thats good. It gives you a nice time cushion to rely on for finding things out. And trust me, if anyting, your probably not gonna be ready by then, or almost ready...and more than likely not before.

I dunno...just make sure to think this thing through and not get stuck without a place to stay...cause that never is good!

*explodes*

THat is all

[reaper]

Are you going to school? cause if you transfer to a college down there you are set on the place to live part, then you just gotta find a job.

[Therin]

Not going to school, unfortunately.

Tobs, although I thank you for the advice, I know already. I've been thinking about it off and on since...I think late February or March. I finally decided. Now I just have to figure out how to go about it.

[Sperrit]

I gotta go with Tobs on this one, man. Don't go off half-cocked, alright? Moving's a big deal, and you don't want to go about it lightly. There are a lot of things to think about. You need to not only have a job and a place to live, but you need to figure out HOW you're getting to where you're going, how much it's going to cost, what you're taking with you, what you're leaving, when you're leaving, how long it will take. Plus, there's always WHY you want to move.
....
Why DO you want to move?

Join the Fun

[Therin]

1st: Almost all of my friends are down there. I have one or two up here where I live. The rest are POers, most of whom live in GA.
2nd, which goes hand in hand with first: GA is the hub of PO. I don't know how it is with you, but this place is pretty much my life, and to be able to actually hang out with the people to whom I can currently only talk would be worth moving there on its own.
3rd: Code*Atom is in GA. I realize that's not a very powerful reason, but it's in there, nonetheless.
4th, and you may upbraid me for saying this, but it's there anyway: There's a girl involved. You who may know who, please refrain from mentioning her name.
5th: Independence, as much as it seems like an insignifigant reason.

As for how I'm going to get there: Currently, the only thing I can think of is to drive. Any other way, and I lose my car, thereby severely limiting my range of conquest. If I drive, I have to factor in gas: 50 miles is roughly a quarter tank, so every two-hundred miles, I'll have to stop for somewhere between $15 and $20 worth of gas, depending on prices. If I figure that GA is roughly 600 miles south, I'd say $150 should be enough for gas and emergencies. What else do I need to worry about spending money on? Food. Another $100 should do it. Finally, I'll need a stockpile of money in case of greater emergencies. I'm told I should have enough to support myself for three months, without a job. That all depends on rents and such, but lets say 800 a month, total, including groceries. $2500 should be enough to cover it. No, the math doesn't fully work out, but it's better to overestimate then plan exactly and have nothing to take the curveballs that life tends to throw at you. Or have I underestimated? That's why I'm asking, because I don't know.

What will I take/leave? Most important is clothes, but I can fit almost all of my clothes into my duffel bag. Next, I'll have to see what I might need in the way of furniture. If it comes down to it, all I need is something to sleep on, but even then there isn't anything small enough to fit in the car. I'll talk it over with my grandmother when I get nearer to being ready and we'll see what we can figure out.

When do I leave? As soon as I'm ready, and not before. How long will it take? Well, it's a long haul, so if possible I'd like to only have to make it once. However, I may end up borrowing a van from a family member in order to have more room to transport things. If I have the van, I'll drive it down with as much as I can fit inside of the necessities, stay wherever I'm staying for a day or two to unload, and drive back. 13 hours each way, puts it up to four days, give or take. I don't have much, so it'll probably only take one trip, two at the max, but then I'll have to go back, if only to get my car, because I can't just leave my family van-less indefinitely. So that puts it up to three trips, probably, but lets say I make four trips down and three trips back, pausing for a day or two for breath between each one. That makes 19 days before I'm fully here. Just shy of three weeks. Did I leave anything out?

Thank you, Sperrit. Everyone, please, please keep asking questions. It's how I get my mind organized.

[Ultrawolf]

(stupid suggestion)
if you plan on bringing alot of stuff instead of doing the van thing isn't it possible to pack up everything you wanna send in boxes and then have a friend or family member mail them to your new place in Atlanta?

[Girkon]

mmmm I find it helps to write a list of what you're gonna need and the prices involved. Research is the big issue and you'll need to know if you can afford it. Take your rent (if you're gonna split it and thensome), your electric and heating if needed, food, any furniture, gas, and any other luxuries and thensome you'll be having. Once you have a legible list down you can know what job you need and work for. At least then you'll have some physical number.

[Faye]

D00D!! I sooooooooo wanna move to GA with you man. I have my mind set on the move, but like you said, its all in the timing. I have jumped into a move without being ready once before, but luckily I was still in the same city so when everything went to shit, I could still move back home. I will not be able to recover that quickly if I am 4 states away from "home". There is just a lot of planning and risks involved that I am not used to. I like to play it safe most of the time and have all my bases covered before I leap into something like this.

There are a few things that a currently tieing me down to Texas atm. Things I really dont want to talk about, but currently I am not even sure of when I will be able to leave.

Like therin said, not haveing a vehicle will seriously hinder my ability to find work in Atlanta. So the purchase of a car must be made before the move. As far as belongings.... I could fit all my earthly possesions in a couple of duffle bags. I have pillows and blankets, so I could sleep on the floor. Assuming I am able to move, I could easily have enough money saved up by then.

The whole thing comes down to the timing..... when I am ready and more importantly, when I am able.

[Therin]