To some, moving and relocating their lives is an indescribably big decision. I, however, have moved around so many times that it's always an option lingering about in my head.
In my 23 years of life, I have moved almost ten times. Mostly in different towns of the same county. I momentarily lived in Puerto Rico and have moved across the state. With all these moves, I have attended ten schools, including college. It was exhausting.
Some people have lived in the same place and gone to school in the same district their entire lives. They wouldn't be able to fathom moving so often. I still don't understand why we had to move so often, but I can't imagine it being any other way. Sometimes you need to take that leap and leave what you know to experience something different.
As a child, moving was always scary. The anxiety alone of starting a new school was enough to paralyze. After a while, we moved so often I didn't even bother trying to make friends. I never anticipated staying in one place for too long. But, now, I've had some stability. I know what it feels like to stay in one place long enough to know your neighbors and have friends for years and know where all the best places to go are. It's nice to have some semblance of a routine.
My previous experiences with moving are greatly influencing my life now. Those experiences have shaped my personality in both good and bad ways. Being constantly surrounded by strangers probably attributed to my social anxiety, but moving also gave me an affinity for trying new things and being open to new experiences. Frequently relocating has also prepared me for my most important move yet. My boyfriend and I are getting an apartment together!
Of course, there's some anxiety attached to such an endeavor, but it's different than that of my childhood. It's not as menial as learning the layout of a new school or finding a place to sit amongst children who want nothing to do with the new student. My sense of normalcy isn't changing too much other than it is an entirely new town living with someone I care deeply for and spend significant time with but have never actually lived with before.
The dynamics are different as well. I'm no longer the bystander watching my parents complain about bills and maintain the home. Now, the financial, cosmetic, culinary, and janitorial responsibilities are all mine. Well, mine and my boyfriend's.
The endless thoughts of responsibility are anxiety-inducing and become especially more daunting when considering what this means for my relationship. However, I feel more excited than anything else.
I've moved so many times that it almost felt monotonous. Now, it's embarking on an adventure to independence and a momentous commitment for my relationship.
I've done all the traditional steps. I finished high school, graduated college, chose a career, and started building a business. I did everything you're supposed to do as a responsible adult and functioning member of society. There are no more "supposed to's" left. Now, it's about the adventure and possibilities of life.
Moving out now is about everything I never expected or anticipated life to bring. My opportunity to start this next chapter with my significant other makes it much more exciting. We have the opportunity to learn new things about one another and further intertwine our lives. We get to share the fun, unanticipated things, but we get to share the mundane as well. I look forward to creating a new routine with him, one unlike any before. One that doesn't include gas-guzzling drives on our days off to visit each other, inevitably ending in drawn-out goodbyes.
Yes, moving is scary, and there are so many minuscule and seemingly unimportant things to consider, but it's worth the grand experiences that come along with it. I'm ecstatic to begin this next phase of my life.