I Moved To A New City — Alone — 4 Months Ago…Here’s What I’ve Learned So Far About Making Friends

In mid-December 2022, I said an eager goodbye to Atlanta, the city I was born in and had called home for the last 10 years. I literally could not wait to leave; I was ready to start my new adventure in Jacksonville, FL — just a 5-ish hour drive South.

After 3 back-to-back weekend trips down to my new house, my Outback was packed to the brim with the last of my belongings…kitchen appliances stacked on top of boxes, beloved plants carefully propped up so they wouldn’t fall over during the drive, books and tote bags full of last minute finds wedged tightly into every available nook and cranny. As long as I didn’t open the trunk until I got there, everything should stay in place. My car felt heavy, even as I was going 80 miles per hour down I-75.

Why I decided to move to a new city in the first place

Atlanta will always have a special place in my heart. It’s my hometown. It’s where both my maternal and paternal ancestors lived for as far back as I can trace. It’s where the majority of my friends and family live. But living there started to feel heavy.

I had spent the pandemic in Atlanta, and it was a deeply lonely time for me — I was going through a devastating divorce and most of the friendships I’d built…