The desire to break free of your surroundings and venture off somewhere new once college ends is equivalent to sirens tempting weary sailors to their doom. In other words, the feeling is hard to ignore. Just like the tempting voices of the sirens, the thought of starting fresh in a new place can be a wholly consuming thought at the ripe age of 22. However, for those of us lucky or fortunate enough, this desire can become a reality. So, that’s why we’re here to provide you with some tips on how to prepare to move to a new city once school ends and the real world begins.

1.) Save Up As Much As Possible

This is perhaps the most crucial tip because even if you’ve accepted a job offer in the city you’re moving to, you likely won’t get a paycheck for a couple of weeks. You’ll also have to put money down on your new apartment, which means you should have quite a bit of money saved up. Your new apartment is also going to need furniture, in addition to affording food and any travel expenses, such as public transportation or gas for your car. It’s a lot to consider and prepare for, so you’ll want a few pretty pennies saved up for when you arrive at your new abode. Explore your options for saving up money, even if it means working a non-ideal job for a bit to make it happen.

2.) Learn Public Transportation Routes

Commuting is a big deal in any city. Before moving to your new home, be sure to explore the routes you’ll have to take, even if it means exploring them on the internet. Becoming familiar with the correct bus/train route that works for you is crucial to making both your morning and evening commute that much smoother. After all, you don’t want to wing it and find yourself lost amongst subway tunnels when you should have been at your desk at your new job 20 minutes prior.

3.) Take Care of the Essentials

Both the idea and reality of moving are incredibly exciting, but taking care of the essentials can be a bit of a slog. However, there is a certain weight that is lifted from ones shoulders upon taking care of essential business. These include changing your driver’s license, registering to vote, informing your bank(s) of where to send your monthly statements and bills, and the list goes on. There are many things people forget to take care of before moving, but you don’t have to be one of them. After all, you don’t want to miss crucial payments due to not paying a bill you never actually received.

Moving away after college is exciting, and it should be! Just be sure to set yourself up for success as opposed to thinking you can handle everything on the fly. Research your area, save your money, and take care of essential business. If you can do that, you’ll likely be golden, or at least silver. Happy moving!