Worth the Splurge: Living in a Place You Love

The most expensive thing in my life? Rent. I know this is true of everyone, but the rent for my apartment here? 4x what I was paying in Bloomington, IN. 

What else has grown exponentially? My happiness level. I'm not sure you could measure it. Bloomington isn't a bad city, in fact, its a really nice one, and it has a bunch of hidden gems. Finch's is great, and you should absolutely have a cocktail at Farm.

View From Eastern Market 

The problem was that I had been living in a college town since I moved into my college dorm room at MSU (GO GREEN!) at 18. Almost ten years later, I REALLY needed a city. A brief stint studying abroad in London showed me that I'm a much happier gal in the middle of hustle and bustle, meeting new people regularly.  

On 21st Street in Dupont 

Some people are the opposite, they thrive in environments like small towns. Some people want to sail away to the islands and never come back (god bless Jimmy Buffet and Margaritaville). Whatever it is that makes you happiest, it's worth the splurge. 

In smaller places, I tend to feel trapped. I'm not an "I love this bar," type of girl (caveat: unless I'm at a Toby Keith concert, then I'll be bellowing it at the top of my lungs), going to the same couple places every week makes me feel like I'm going in circles. Eventually, I'll close off and just stay in. I'm the opposite in a city, happy to be in the middle of it all, still maintaining my privacy, cherishing a group of close friends. Everyone else? There are just too many people here for anyone to care whatever it is I choose to wear/think/do with my life. 

From the Top of the Kennedy Center 

Finding a job here will be harder for me than finding one in the midwest. Hell, I may have to work at anthropolgie waitress for a few months until something comes along. But I know it would be impossible to find a job here without a D.C. address on my resume. If I have to wait a while for a job, it's worth it, because I smile every morning when I walk out the door. 

Morning Walk to my Spring Externship 

My Point? Find the place where you breathe easiest, the place that feels most like home. I may have to deprive myself of some shopping to live here, but I don't doubt for a single second that it's worth it.