20 Something of the Month: Emily Highstreet
Hello all you beautiful people and Happy May First! May is such a wild month and honestly one of our favorite months out of the year (Birdi’s birthday is this month!). To join such a fabulous month we wanted to make sure our Twenty-Something Guest was just as fabulous, if not more. Every month we will continue to ask an inspiring, authentic, and interesting individual to collaborate with us for a blog post and share their knowledge with our readers on a wide range of topics. I am so extremely excited for our May segment because this is a topic that I was so intrigued to hear about since I will soon be taking a scary yet fulfilling leap and will be moving to a city very soon. Emily Highstreet is such a beautiful soul that I have had the pleasure of knowing for a few years and am blessed to call a dear friend, and truthfully she has become one of my mentors. Emily has taught me that the sky is the limit, to conquer your dreams with grace, and its so inspiring to watch a bad ass women take on a city and live her life to the fullest. In this segment she will be going over tips and her experience within moving to a big city, and adjusting through life in general. I hope this blog post inspires you all to look at your lives and if there is some place you have been wanting to move to or wanting to take a leap of faith I hope you all find the courage to follow your dreams. Thank you so much Emily for an amazing blog and for such a fun shoot day. We hope you love the blog as much as we do and we will be seeing you all very soon! Lets jump into our blog.
Ever dream about moving into a big city? Movies like Maid in Manhattan, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days or Serendipity lead you to believe cities are the place to be to find love. Not to mention metamorphosis into a more sophisticated you.
My name is Emily. Eight years ago I moved to San Francisco after 17 years in an unincorporated town. Wish I could tell you it was as romantic as the movies or that I assimilated with effortless femininity and charm. Instead it usually involved a stutter, stranger, or ugly cry. I adjusted to big city life the hard way - through lots and lots of embarrassing and uncomfortable moments that I honestly wouldn’t trade for a thing.
I may not have fallen in love or founded a start-up that changed the world, but I did make new friends, have lots of laughs, and found comfort in the uncomfortable. Ultimately, everything has worked out better than I could have imagined and I have loved every part of my journey.
Have you ever thought about taking the big leap?
Here’s some tips to make your adjustment just a little easier:
Leave your flip-flops at home
More people = more germs. If the weather isn’t reason enough to leave the sandals at home, then new strands of Staph certainly are.
2. Find a park
Crowds and traffic can overwhelm anyone. Add life’s stresses and it can all be unbearable. Have a park ready to escape to when life gets the best of you.
3. Never abruptly stop on sidewalks
Sidewalk edicate is imperative. NEVER stop mid-walk. Nobody cares that it’s your first time laying eyes on a landmark. Unless you’re face-to-face with Taylor Swift, transition to the side of a walk way before stopping.
4. Sell the car
It’s not uncommon to pay more for your parking spot than your car payment. Plus finding parking at your destination is more stressful than it’s worth. Alternatives are easier and cheaper.
5. Find a friend with a car
When you need to move that dresser or make an escape outside of urban living, have that commuter friend on speed dial. Make sure to pay for gas, bridge tolls and time!
6. Avoid public bathrooms
Never your friend. Avoid at all costs but know where the closest are in the event of an emergency.
7. Go meet your neighbors
Can’t stress introducing yourself to your co-inhabitors enough! I don’t care if it’s awkward or a pandemic (write a note). When an emergency hits, it’s already too late.
In summary, moving to a big city can feel like moving to another country. Cultural norms will vary city to city and it’s up to you to uncover them. Consider it part of the fun! For example, heels during the day aren’t a thing in San Francisco, umbrellas are for tourists in Portland and Sketchers will never be acceptable in L.A.
After moving to a big city I was confronted with new parts of myself that I never knew while living in a small town. Although at times it was uncomfortable, I now reminisce with nostalgia and gratitude. Sometimes life works out better than the movies.
I hope that if you feel called to migrate to a populated area much bigger than yours - you do it.
Cheers,
Emily Highstreet
