New city, new life!

Think of uprooting a well thriving sapling from its stamping ground and planting it in a totally new purlieu: you leave it with only one option and that is to adapt itself to its surroundings — to struggle or give up. Picture yourself in a similar situation, being displaced from your surroundings and being placed in a set of alien conditions.

For some, just the idea of change brings in fits of anxiety.  However, even those who proudly declare that change is the driving factor in their lives will secretly admit that the thought of relocating themselves gets them nervous. I remember it wasn’t easy for me to move to Chennai after having lived in Dehradun for the first 20 years of my life. Fitting into the hostel life wasn’t all that was needed. Adapting to the city culture was equally essential.

Ten months long stay there and I learnt the dos and don’ts of the city. For instance, not staying at the beach after 11pm else the police will come and frisk you, make all the food orders by 9pm (as the city sleeps early). Never ask for parathas in a south Indian joint, avoid wearing skirts for an evening walk and so on and so forth. However, when it came to fitting into Mumbai, it was rather easy as it allows you to be yourself.

So what is it that you really need to take care of while shifting your turf? And how do you prepare yourself for it? No amount of suggestions from family members or endless rounds of counseling by much-concerned friends would help unless you’re prepared for it. The truth is that instead of focusing on how you’ve had to move out of your comfort zone, try to discover the new city with an open mind before complaining or deciding if it’s good for you or not.