Living vs traveling

After one month living in San Francisco, it still hasn’t quite hit me that I’m not just here on vacation. There’s a lot to see in a big city, and it’s a bit overwhelming to dive into it all at once. Especially as a freelancer, “just” out of college, when I have a lot more control over my time. So what’s the best way to transition? Well, I’m still trying to figure it out. But here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

On freelancing:

• Morning productivity is essential.
• Don’t work in your pjs.
• Overdosing or underdosing on coffee isn’t exactly healthy. (*still working on this one)
• Bring business cards. Everywhere!
• Treat freelance (even pro-bono!) like a real job. Keep real hours, or get a real job.
• Keep learning! Remember how you learn more outside of class than in class? It’s the same thing when you graduate. Just without the classes.
• Creation over consumption keeps a creative mind happy.

On city life:

• Cook in, drink out. Food is delicious here, but expensive!
• Despite what most maps look like, California is not 2 inches long. It takes time to get anywhere.
• iPhones are the key to the city. Sorry, Steve, you just don’t have the apps.
• Dress to impress. You never know who you’ll meet, or why you’ll wish you showered today.
• Don’t be flaky, but if you blow a guy off chances you aren’t going to see him again.
• Discover one new thing every day. This is most important, and fun way I’ve found to deal with exploring the city, as a resident not a tourist. Thanks to google maps + phone gps, yelp, and foursquare, it’s a lot easier to figure out where the hot spots are and how to get there. I’m currently on a mission to find my favorite bar and cafe in the city. There are a lot, but in the end it’ll hopefully help with my decision of where I want to live.

When you are traveling, it’s super easy to break routine, and do what you want, when you want. I’m not a naturally routine-oriented person, so perhaps that’s why I enjoy traveling and exploring so much. Though this move has definitely reoriented me with the importance of a dose of stability. Most of these are old concepts I’m re-adapting to, from my glory days in Barcelona. So far, I still love it and can’t wait to find my perfect little (world domination!) niche!

Advertisement