what does move to a dream city really feels like is indescribable, but here’s what I can tell you: Friendship will never feel the same. The people you grew up with, your go-to friends—the ones who just get you—aren’t around anymore. You still love them (I miss you guys every day), but calls and texts don’t replace their presence. And new friendships? They take forever to feel warm. You’re starting over in every sense. The comfort of routine is gone. Your favorite coffee shop? Doesn’t exist here. Your go-to meals? Different grocery stores, different brands. Even the way you wake up feels unfamiliar. It’s a full reset, and that’s exhausting. There’s no familiar “third place” to save you. No favorite café that holds your best and worst days, no park bench where you’ve cried and healed. Every time you want comfort, you’re searching for it. Which means more money spent on places that just don’t feel like home—yet. The highs are breathtaking, but the lows hit harder. Yes, you’re living the dream. The city, the energy, the opportunities—it’s everything you wanted. But when loneliness hits? When the city feels cold and unfamiliar? There’s no safety net, no childhood home to retreat to. Just you, figuring it out. You become a version of yourself you don’t fully know yet. In a new city, surrounded by new people, you evolve in ways you never expected. It’s exciting, but also disorienting—who even is this version of me? The process is beautiful, but it can also feel like losing yourself before you find yourself again. And yet… despite all of this, I wouldn’t change a thing. Because with time, the loneliness fades, the city starts to feel like yours, and one day, you’ll walk down a street and realize—this is home now.