Advice for a west coaster moving to the east coast

[Anonymous]

Get used to people being a LOT more uptight than what you're used to. About clothes, about food, about politics, about career, you name it.

To be sure, it's not all bad. For example, I appreciate the fact that on the East Coast people still respect the concept of dressing well for fancy occasions. It really irritates me when I visit my family out West, go out to a nice dinner at a "white tablecloth" establishment, and half the customers are dressed like they just finished cleaning the garage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived all over the US and 6 countries for school and work. I come from California -- the East Bay. They only thing I can't stand weather-wise are the humid summers. They are brutal. Worst I have ever encountered. I love the other 3 seasons.

I love how green the summers are though

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m from the Pacific Northwest. I moved to the East Coast for my first job out of college (Boston) and it was a huge culture shock. Everyone seemed rude, cold and socially conservative. Even white people were segregated—Irish neighborhoods, Italian neighborhoods, etc. The constant feeling of being rushed and ignored passed as I got used to it, but it was a lonely and exhausting first winter. DC (not The Hill, but regular-jobs-DC) is much less uptight and, surprisingly, less segregated (racially and socioeconomically, which says a lot about Boston) in my opinion. I agree about the weather—snow for months on end is hard. It also feels like outdoor activities are harder to find, but that’s mostly because of the traffic.

DC is less uptight? Wow, Boston must be really bad!

Oh, Boston is awful.

[Anonymous]

We moved from WA state to DC 2 years ago. Still happy with our choice. Love how much less passive-aggressive people are, how much more is actually done at work, and can’t believe what people write here about DC summers - try 8 weeks of rain, 3 weeks of nice weather and 3 week of smoke, and let’s see how that goes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from WA state to DC 2 years ago. Still happy with our choice. Love how much less passive-aggressive people are, how much more is actually done at work, and can’t believe what people write here about DC summers - try 8 weeks of rain, 3 weeks of nice weather and 3 week of smoke, and let’s see how that goes

Did you both grow up in WA? I have made a similar move and was also happy with the lack of passive aggression in DC vs the PNW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get used to people being a LOT more uptight than what you're used to. About clothes, about food, about politics, about career, you name it.

To be sure, it's not all bad. For example, I appreciate the fact that on the East Coast people still respect the concept of dressing well for fancy occasions. It really irritates me when I visit my family out West, go out to a nice dinner at a "white tablecloth" establishment, and half the customers are dressed like they just finished cleaning the garage.

Depends on where you live in the DMV but generally speaking, I would describe this area as 30% uptight, 30% reacting to clenched butt cheeks, and the other 40% truly don’t GAF. Transplants, natives and temporary residents can wander in and out of any of those groups for any reason especially with the mini power circles and bubbles that of course can be popped at any given moment.

Welcome!

[Anonymous]

OP, tell us more about you. Age, where you're thinking of moving to, area of work.

[Anonymous]

Don't spout off about your beliefs about natural foods, oddball philosophies, etc that are common dinner conversations on the west coast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will pass people in the street who when you smile and say hello, will simply stare back at you, silently, as if you are a martian.

Signed someone who has lived on both coasts.

+1

Many people on the east coast don't say hi even when you say hi to them. There is just this blank stare. It's the weirdest thing.

My experience was pretty much the exact opposite. I moved to DC from Palo Alto, and was blown away that everyone I passed on the street in DC seemed to say, "Hi--how you doin?" I got into the habit of doing it, too. When I went back to Palo Alto, I swear the first lady I said "How you doin?" to on the street called the police on me. I am a white woman, so it was not a race or gender thing--it just freaked her the hell out.

D.C. is a Southern city and south of the Mason/Dixon line. Transplants often have to get used to the culture of speaking to strangers in passing on the streets and when entering rooms it’s common practice to address everyone with a greeting. If you mean people on the east coast that don’t speak, you are talking about NY/NJ and the New England areas. I look for people who are able to adapt to the DC Southern culture when making decisions about hiring interns for full time staff positions.

Signed,
A DC Native

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will pass people in the street who when you smile and say hello, will simply stare back at you, silently, as if you are a martian.

Signed someone who has lived on both coasts.

+1

Many people on the east coast don't say hi even when you say hi to them. There is just this blank stare. It's the weirdest thing.

My experience was pretty much the exact opposite. I moved to DC from Palo Alto, and was blown away that everyone I passed on the street in DC seemed to say, "Hi--how you doin?" I got into the habit of doing it, too. When I went back to Palo Alto, I swear the first lady I said "How you doin?" to on the street called the police on me. I am a white woman, so it was not a race or gender thing--it just freaked her the hell out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will pass people in the street who when you smile and say hello, will simply stare back at you, silently, as if you are a martian.

Signed someone who has lived on both coasts.

+1

Many people on the east coast don't say hi even when you say hi to them. There is just this blank stare. It's the weirdest thing.

My experience was pretty much the exact opposite. I moved to DC from Palo Alto, and was blown away that everyone I passed on the street in DC seemed to say, "Hi--how you doin?" I got into the habit of doing it, too. When I went back to Palo Alto, I swear the first lady I said "How you doin?" to on the street called the police on me. I am a white woman, so it was not a race or gender thing--it just freaked her the hell out.

I’m from the Bay Area and totally agree. Especially black people are so friendly in DC. In my neighborhood, which is pretty racially mixed, everyone knows each other, says hi, grabs each other’s packages, etc... The newer, white residents almost never say hi, though, so maybe it depends on where you live in the city?

[Anonymous]

The people are much more friendly and chatty. And open, and expect you to be open too. Prepare to up your small talk game

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a young person, have lived on the west coast my whole life, and am thinking of moving to one of the larger cities out east.

This is something I've wanted for a while- I like the classic look of the cities, the foliage, the old buildings, but I have some concerns.

I have heard the east coast is very fast paced, and if you're not on the ball, you will get left behind. I consider myself a hard worker but not looking forward to being outpaced by colleagues or not being able to have a work/life balance.

I've also heard east coast people can be shockingly direct. My family is mostly passive aggressive when they get mad, and that's what I tend to be used to. It's worked well where I live, but I'm not sure how I would be able to handle conflicts with the kind of people who "tell it like it is". To me, again, thinking of work situations, it sounds somewhat daunting.

Would love to hear from anyone who has made this move or has experiences in these areas.

East coast is too big of a category. There’s going to be a big difference between places like Atlanta and Charlotte from Philly and New York.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a young person, have lived on the west coast my whole life, and am thinking of moving to one of the larger cities out east.

This is something I've wanted for a while- I like the classic look of the cities, the foliage, the old buildings, but I have some concerns.

I have heard the east coast is very fast paced, and if you're not on the ball, you will get left behind. I consider myself a hard worker but not looking forward to being outpaced by colleagues or not being able to have a work/life balance.

I've also heard east coast people can be shockingly direct. My family is mostly passive aggressive when they get mad, and that's what I tend to be used to. It's worked well where I live, but I'm not sure how I would be able to handle conflicts with the kind of people who "tell it like it is". To me, again, thinking of work situations, it sounds somewhat daunting.

Would love to hear from anyone who has made this move or has experiences in these areas.

East coast is too big of a category. There’s going to be a big difference between places like Atlanta and Charlotte from Philly and New York.

Atlanta and Charlotte are in the south, so not "east coast", even though they are technically on the eastern coast. But east coast generally refers to the northern half of the coast

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s very fast paced. People are always “on.” The closer you are to DC, the more your news is dominated by politics.

Not everywhere you people are leaving out the half of the east coast that is south of DC.
Personally I would pick Savannah or Charleston, but it sounds like OP wants something bigger.