I want to move from MI to NC, but I don't know where to start in my planning. Any suggestions?

Question

I was thinking about moving to New Bern or Jacksonville. I'm a 21 year old female and I want to find a college in the area too. I'm also a little confused about whether to look for a job before I move or vice versa.

Answer 1

I was answering someone earlier, telling them about NC, so I'll tell you some of that too. I've lived here all my life. I don't know what your career field is, but I'd recommend doing at least some preliminary looking before you move. It can be hard if you're fresh out of school. But if you don't need a professional job yet, you can find work in retail or food service pretty easily. It's a great state for colleges--I'll mention some highlights.

I don't know much about the area around New Bern & Jacksonville--more about the Piedmont and Mountain regions. There's also Wilmington, if you want to be near the beach. It's close to Myrtle as well as less commercial beaches and has a college of about 10,000, I think (UNC Wilmington).

Greensboro is up-and-coming with about 225,000 people (the 3rd largest city) and more things to do every day, and is situated between the mountains and the coast in the Piedmont region. It has nice parks and 5 or 6 colleges, including UNCG (a big school), Guilford College (small), Greensboro College (small) and NC Agricultural & Technical College (big).

Winston-Salem is a little smaller but has a vibrant art scene and is located close to Greensboro. It's a little closer to the mountains. Wake Forest, a well-known large university, is there. So is Winston-Salem State University, and a college for women, Salem College.

Charlotte is big--the biggest NC city with over 500,000 and growing. Charlotte gets all the great bands and has lots to do. Carowinds amusement park is there. I hear it has good nightlife but haven't actually checked it out. It's closer to the mountains than the coast.

Raleigh is the second-biggest city, located in the Triangle area that also includes Durham and Chapel Hill. Raleigh gets good bands too, and is closer to the coast (perhaps 2-3 hours). It's the state capital and a research center so it has better opportunities for career professionals than some other places, I think. There's lots to do over there, from state museums to nightlife and such. Chapel Hill is a fun town close to Raleigh. It is centered on UNC-Chapel Hill, a large and somewhat prestigious university.

Many people like Asheville, which is a small city in the mountains. It has a good downtown. A nicer climate than the rest of the state, usually. Many rural areas nearby, if you like to live in a slower area. UNCA is there, and it is a smaller, liberal-arts university.

If you do decide to move, I hope you like it here! Don't let anyone tell you that a city is boring--there's always stuff to do if you find it.