“Cities were always like people, showing their varying personalities to the traveler. Depending on the city and on the traveler, there might begin a mutual love, or dislike, friendship, or enmity. Where one city will rise a certain individual to glory, it will destroy another who is not suited to its personality. Only through travel can we know where we belong or not, where we are loved and where we are rejected.” 
― Roman Payne, Cities & Countries         Ever since I was little, I dreamed about moving to the city. I was mesmerized by the skyscrapers and energetic lifestyle and all the possibilities that city life has to offer. I’ve had the privilege of visiting some of the most beautiful cities in America. But visiting a place and living there is an entirely different experience. You only get to experience the most exciting and vibrant moments, like seeing the sights, going to the shows, and trying the top restaurants, because you try to fit as much experience as possible into a few days. Committing to a place and integrating yourself into its culture and day-to-day routine, however, molds you and changes you in ways you can’t control. And once your mind has been expanded by the new experience, it can never go back to it’s old dimensions. That being said,  I decided to take a chance and move to a new city this summer. I’ve traveled all my life, and I always thought I’d jump at the opportunity to just pick up and move. But honestly, it was a lot harder than I thought to leave the comfort of the familiar and take on a new place. It’s the little things you realize you’re going to miss when you’re sitting in the car with your home and your family waving goodbye shrinking in the rearview mirror. That sounds pretty dramatic, like something from a country song, but you really do think of it that way and you have to weigh the outcome. Is the experience worth the sacrifice? If not, are you the kind of person whose ok with never knowing what might be lying on the other side of an adventure? For me, I wasn’t sure if the sacrifice was worth it when I walked out the door, but I knew that I had an insatiable desire for more and I would never have more if I was unable to take risks. So I took a job in Dallas and here I am. It’s only for a few weeks so the risks are minimal and so far it has been a crazy adventure with all the ups and downs that you would expect.  I wouldn’t trade a second of it.   If you’re looking for a reason to take your wanderlust on a road trip, here are 5 reasons to pick up everything and move to a new city. They might sound kind of cliche, but hear me out: