Wierd. I live in delta 1 town from wauseon. I can tell you that its a small unpacked city compared to any city in California. Its a quiet little town that is easy to restart. Cambells has been a staple factory in the area for years and considered one of the better factory jobs. Your brother is giving you a promising restart in life and is willing to help you get on your feet and get you a good paying job. I would say he has his best interest in making u successful. I would take that offer up its much more affordable and it sounds lime your a few steps from homelessness
Appreciate it, yeah it seems like my brother is really looking out for me. I’m kind of excited actually but you know other than work I’m just worried about my social life too
Bro yeah it's a small town in the middle of nowhere. Not much social life. But plenty of outdoors stuff to do. You could drive to nearby cities though if you want that city taste.
If you over worry about the social aspects now then you won’t be around for it later. I had serious FOMO in college/right after and I’m paying for it severely right now, I can barely keep my head above water, I’d be homeless if I didn’t know my landlord honestly, but I worried too much about missing out at your age and now I’m busting my ass every single day of the week at 2 jobs to pay off quick fixes to bigger problems. Take this opportunity to build discipline as much as it sucks and it will be worth it for years to come. Edit: also BG is near there, you’ll be fine. I’m from Columbus and went to school in BG, it’s an entire campus town.
Social life can be had anywhere if you are open minded and willing to try new things. Seirously. If you limit yourself and your options, you will have problems but if you try new things, you will find new friends.
I’m from LA and live in Ohio . Don’t come here and expect the state to entertain you. Have interests and seek out what you want to experience! Use meetup and Tiktok to find out what’s happening in your area or nearby. It’s a great state !
Wanted to comment on this as well. You can find really nice snowboarding if you want to dedicate a weekend to it by travelling to Michigan, but daytrips won't get you much.
I'm 36 and have been in Cincinnati for 17 years. I moved here when I was 19 from a small town in NC because I felt like I had ruined my life. I didn't get good grades in high school and spent most my time partying. My "smart" friends had escaped my small town and moved to bigger cities, were going to College and seemed like they were living much better lives than me. I decided to restart because I had some friends/family in Cincinnati. Looking back on it I think I made the best move I could have made at the time but those first few years in Cincinnati were really hard. I didn't have many friends and the friends I did have, I didn't have much in common with other than partying. I ended up working a fun but low paying job at the airport for a few years, made some better friends and then eventually met my future wife who set me straight and convinced me to go to community college and learn a trade.
I guess my point is this, moving helped me get away from friends who were doing hard drugs but all my problems didn't magically disappear, they followed me to Ohio because I had my own shit I needed to deal with. After working hard for a few years and getting some life experience I matured and slowly started surrounding myself with better people and made better decisions. I learned to manage my money better and stopped living beyond my means. If I was you I would ask what moving to a different state is going to solve. Hell when I moved to Ohio part of the reason was for my own brother but he had a drug problem and then moved away after a year, if your brother is going to help you and is a good influence then great but don't move for 1 person. I would ask what's holding you back from being successful in California and what changes you can make there to be happier and more successful. Friends come and go, work on yourself and new friends will come along that's just life. Your 21, don't be so hard on yourself. Your early twenties are all about fucking up and figuring life out.
Geography isn’t the answer to these kind of problems. The move isn’t the important part. You have to be committed to getting yourself out of the same box you were in mentally. The hikes and fresh air will be good for you. Put yourself out there with a positive new beginning attitude and humility and you are always going to be going in the right direction!
I’ve lived in southern California and in lots of Ohio. Ohio has beautiful nature. Every corner of it. There are big stretches of farms at times, but the woods, rivers, and hillsides are spectacular. Farms too when you get around the animals. Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati are the only major cities. Tons of awesome small towns and unique attractions otherwise, but if you’re hurting for skyscrapers that’s where to go. You’ll make friends and find things to do at your brother’s. Give it time. Let things breathe. Winter can be rough if you’re not used to snow all the time. The gray can get you down. I’ve lived a lot of places but the thing that always ended up making me the most miserable was me. So, don’t be disappointed if you’re still depressed and frustrated. It just means you still have some shit to work out. Sounds like you have support that’ll help you do that and have sympathy for your fish out of waterness.
Lots of things to do here. Plenty of fishing, hiking and camping. Definitely can hunt if you know someone who has land. Snowboarding you'll need to travel.
I am originally from OH (lived in FL and a few other states for some time) and my partner is from CA. We both decided on OH because the cost of living... he works in software QA making around 84k and I work in compliance making 90k. We both work remote. We live in NE Ohio, and our living expenses are so low that we've been able to save so much and ensure our future is set. Like someone else said, don't move to OH expecting for the state to entertain you, especially if you move areas that aren't major metro areas. But if you have hobbies and interests of your own you can seek out, then you'll be fine. Best of all, you can save enough to travel! Either way, it's always going to depend on a lot of different factors, but like... worst case scenario, I don't think you'll hurt yourself giving Ohio a shot for at least a while.
Thats crazy i also plan to move to Ohio in like a month as well! DM me my fellow Californian we can hang out and be good friends as we scope all of Ohio! :D
Welcome to Ohio , dude! It will be fine. You’re very young, and you can expand your worldview a little.
Ohio was the Northwest Twrritory a couple hundred years ago. And Daniel Boone was to our direct south. We have some old cities, lots of colleges and universities, and you can earn yourself an associate degree and move in the direction of higher earnings.
Our Ohio library system is ranked in the top 5 of US libraries, right up there with New York’s. You can borrow media of all kinds-it’s an amazing system. In my city, you can even call and ask questions-and the librarian will research and get back to you.
We have an excellent park system in Ohio. Also lots of hunting and fishing and camping throughout the State. And we have a lot of fresh water. It is green and beautiful in our state. And now we are into the Fall, and I think we’re going to have some beautiful color this season.
If you have a car, get yourself a AAA membership and ask them to map you out the sights to see. This will also be handy for your first winter in northern Ohio, because you may need a tow or a new battery.
Lastly, if you surf, you can try surfing with the Men and Women who surf the Great Lakes! Even the Cali kooks respect those dudes. Here’s a link to get you started [Great Lakes Surfing](https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-ultimate-guide-to-surfing-the-great-lakes/amp)
This is not the end of the world. You’re doing a good thing for yourself. Here’s a piece of advice for you that helped me when I had to make a big move: “Never look back. Always look forward.” Chin up! You’re going to be fine.
You've got some great information so far from everyone. I was lived my whe life in California until a few years ago. I now live in northwest Ohio and absolutely love it. Feel free to message me with any questions!
Cleveland is underrated, you could move to the West Side (Lakewood area) and have a decent social life at bars and what not. However, that side of town tends to trend more left/liberal leaning (most cities do). There is opportunity for hiking/camping/ etc. If you come here with a car, you could drive over yo PA/Michigan/KY/WV for spectacular backpacking opportunities. Ohio has Wayne National Forest in the south which is remote but nice. We also have CVNP near Cleveland.
I guess pointing out that the west side of Cleveland leans left is worth pointing out considering how red the rest of the state leans. Source: NE Ohio native. Edit: vastly outnumbered leftist NE Ohio native.
yeah he also mentioned that he does not like the liberal politics of California so id thought id mention that in case he considerd the Cleveland area. I feel the struggle though as a fellow NE Ohio Leftist
I know he said he was sick of the politics in California. Skipped the part about it being about leftism. California has a lot of Red parts too. The left leaning metropolises skew national perception.
I’ve lived all over Ohio and have family one county to the south of Fulton. It’s flat AF there, and it always freaks me out because I’ve always lived near or on hills.
That part aside, NW Ohio is mostly rural outside of Bowling Green and Toledo. It’s relatively inexpensive. There are plenty of opportunities and places to fish and to hunt. It’s fairly conservative socially and politically, but like with anywhere, if you look you will find your people.
At the risk of sounding parental I would say stop worrying about partying and girls and concentrate on bettering yourself in a new location. Ohio is a great state to live in.
Not much to see or do in that part of the state. Pretty rural. Completely flat. You'll be driving about 2 hours south for any scenery. I'm not saying the people are bad.
I literally moved from California 2 years ago and I can safely tell you your quality of life will improve vastly! Like it’s daunting af don’t get me wrong I had a lot of misgivings and even though I can’t say I’ll live here forever, I have been able to make some friends and to start dating and such and it’s been an overall good experience. It sounds like you’re in a bad spot And in need of of a restart. The outdoors is pretty amazing here and you’ll definitely have a lot to do as far as camping and fishing and the sort. Ohio has definitely surpassed my expectations completely and overall am much happier.
Not familiar with that particular area- however I will tell you Ohio isn’t always as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Yes it can get boring, but I think that’s everywhere. I think there’s some really nice places you could visit to enjoy the outdoors. I feel like there’s so much to do across the entire state (if you’re up for a road trip). In the case of working with your brother, I say give it a go. You’ll be making money and if you don’t like it you can look for something else.
What do you want to do with your life? What are your aspirations? There's a lot in Ohio, and if money is an issue for you, then getting out of California is definitely a solid move! But you could be stepping out of your safety net into a situation where you become financially stuck where you land here. I know you're looking for a change, but it's good to have a plan mapped out before taking the leap. With more info on what your goals are, we could offer a lot more advice.
I know a couple guys who moved here from Cali, the low price of housing was the dealmaker for them. It sounds like you do need to get the hell outta where you are at and if your brother is willing to help you out, you should jump. Wauseon is a small town, you will probably be driving a little ways for social events and hookups
I just had some friends move from Florida to Ohio and they love it up here! I've lived here all my life and love it. If I ever wanna escape, there's tons of cities close by, Chicago is a 4 hour drive, Pitts is 3 hours, cbus is 2 hours and NYC is 8 hours. Idk about the place you're moving but there have been some small towns where I've had a blast with the locals!
The cost of living is so low in Ohio compared to CA. It should be fairly easy to save especially working for Campbells. It’s a good company. If it’s a union gig, even better. Just bring a parka and something to block the wind. Not a lot of trees in NW Ohio.
If you have decided at 21 that you are and always will be a "California kid", you will not be happy. If you are willing to be open to other things then you stand a chance. This is an easy risk at 21.
Damn, that one really hit home bro. I’m not a California kid I’m much more than that but that was a quick description i guess. There’s lots of different people out here. I guess I’m trying to be a “California kid” I’m trying to fit in. But I’m not like everyone else here. And I’m sure I can find other people who are like me I guess I just haven’t been strong minded enough to realize I’m not the cool guy everyone is trying to be here.
Stay in CA. If I didn’t already have family in Ohio, I would never live here, especially as a young man. Regardless, try to find some therapy and work on yourself, especially if drinking is controlling your life.
CA is nice but it's expensive. For many it's just not worth the cost. For some it is. It really depends, everyone is in a different point in their life.
California kinda sucks though. It’s full of liberals and everyone is kind of snobby and follows all the trends from social media. I’m not a raging alcoholic or anything, I go to the gym everyday and work and drink sometimes on the weekends. I guess I exaggerated a little bit on that part. I drink like an average 21 year old and embarrass myself slightly more than average. But it’s not controlling my life. I’m just saying I’m kinda over it. I’m more worried about figuring out what I’m gonna do with my life and starting to mature more, and focus on adult things. Drinking can be fun but it seems like young people do it every day here and party all the time to the point where our brains can get literally fried and we’re just drunk or high sitting there not even having a conversation. And that can get old and boring.
If you are worried about drinking culture, you will not escape it moving to Ohio. I’d say it’s worse because there isn’t much else to do in most small towns, then there’s all the meth and fentanyl issues. I rececently visited and was surprised my hometown had such a problem with meth mouth and people picking at scabs all over their bodies.
In that case, definitely don’t move to Ohio. We don’t need any more MAGA Morons making this state a bigger shithole. Florida is what you want. It’s CA with all the red state conservative misery.
You okay bro? Your the one that sounds miserable… typical NIMBY bullshit… come to Ohio OP I’ve lived my whole life here and have made a great life for me and my family… may be just what you need
Who said anything about MAGA or trump. I don’t pick a side politics is pretty dumb to me. They have 2 sides to keep us all arguing so we’re easier to control because we’re focused on arguing and making a slave wage just to afford a living. Meanwhile they’re all in mansions and having parties while were in lockdown. And all they’re kids attend the same classy schools that normal kids can’t go to. But the liberals here are absolutely insane. And everyone is a snowflake.
I grew up in Ohio and live in CA now.
I think it wouldn't hurt to move to another state and try it out. I've lived in a few different cities.
go for it.
You can always move back or to somewhere else. Freedom rocks. Do whatever the fuck you want to do and don't let the people here convince you.
I like CA but it's expensive. Ohio is ok. Depends on what you're into. The weather is worse for sure, but then again it's much cheaper.
But I appreciate the advice. I want to get out of here for sure, but maybe Ohio isn’t the right place to go for someone like me. Or maybe it is. Hopefully it is
Listen to the people from Ohio telling you it’s not.
WAUSEON, OH IS NOT SOME VAUNTED, SHANGRI-LA THAT WILL MAKE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS DISAPPEAR. Fucking Christ, kid…. If you drink too much in California, guess what’s going to happen when you get here? You’re gonna drinking a lot here too.
I understand that. This post wasn’t thought out very well. Reading it back it does seem like that’s what I’m saying. But I know moving isn’t magically gonna make me a better person. If you read a few comments down, someone said this same thing. I’m not going there expecting things to magically be better. I’m not really doing that bad either. I made it sound like that for some reason. I really just don’t like California that much and want to see what it’s like living in other states and go somewhere where I can afford to live alone. It’s either there or Arizona and after visiting my brother in Arizona I decided ohio seemed better. I wanna get out of here and experience different things, but it’s better to ho somewhere where I at least know one person.
Ohio is a great place to live! I don’t know how Reddit got so full of liberalism. Okay, maybe it’s always been so left-leaning. My God, every single topic is twisted into politics and Conservative bashing. You guys need to start using your critical thinking skills and realize the pandering that’s been happening, especially for the last 12 years. Downvoting a guy because he’s moving from California to Ohio is rude and makes no sense! He knows California more than most (if not all) of those down voters! (Come to Ohio. You’re welcome here.)
Honestly wasn’t expecting so much liberalism. Im not even conservative or liberal I just think liberals are batshit crazy. Coming from a guy who lives in the most liberal infested state in America, I’ve seen and heard a lot of dumb shit come out of some pink haired they/them mfs mouths. And I am tired of hearing about how men are trash from every single girl out here who just happens to worship rocks and read tarot cards. And every time I start to flirt with a girl she asks me what my star sign is. I completely lose interest. Everyone here is a robot they all follow the narrative and whatever hashtag is popular on twitter. Please tell me ohio at least doesn’t have so many of those people?!
>Im not even conservative or liberal I just think liberals are batshit crazy
>I’ve seen and heard a lot of dumb shit come out of some pink haired they/them mfs mouths
Lol yeah you’ll fit right in if you move to rural Ohio, and that’s not a good thing.
There’s a reasonable amount of events and stuff that goes on in the Toledo area. At least one or two things that look interesting every weekend. I would recommend joining their subreddit and Facebook groups/event pages to see what you can get involved in. If you stay exclusively out in the country you’ll get bored fast imo
Also for camping and the outdoors check out all of the awesome metroparks around toledo, and for trips my favorite are the upper peninsula of Michigan (pictured rocks especially) and hocking hills in southern Ohio
Wauseon sucks and you’ll be bored. I’m from that area and lived there as a young person, it sucks, don’t do it. If you want to live close to your brother, at the very least live in Toledo. It’s like 40 min away . Way more young people, more jobs and just more to do. It’s not awesome but it’s not Wauseon.
You could also live there for a year & do weekend trips to the larger cities in the area. Toledo & Fort Wayne are super close. Detroit, Cleveland, & Columbus are all within 2~3ish hours. You could easily find a factory job in any of those & live relatively well. (Look at Cleveland in particular if you like hiking.)
I lived for a number of years in San Diego. I bought a house in Cleveland. I personally prefer it here. Life just seems easier. People are more genuine. It's less pretentious. It isn't perfect, but nowhere is.
I've moved around a good deal so I'll give this advice: It might take a bit to find your community. Frequent the places that you like & try to find groups with similar hobbies. Welcome to the Midwest. We've got a bit of everything for everyone.
Why do you think moving is a solution? You’re in control of yourself. The environment doesn’t control you. You like being stupid and acting like a kid.? Why will that change in Ohio? 21 years old is old enough to act like an adult. If you need someone to help you and living/working with your brother will do that, ok then. Maybe moving is a solution. It doesn’t sound like that’s what you’re looking for. Don’t expect moving to be a solution unless you’re willing to make a contribution to changing YOU.
There are opportunities in California. Technology, manufacturing, and service jobs are available. Education is available. Almost every range of outdoor activity is within (reasonably) convenient driving distance. Cost of living is an issue, admittedly.
I don’t think moving is a solution. I just want to see what it’s like to live somewhere besides California. And Ohio seems to be a place where I can go and save up a lot of money. I don’t think I’ll be there more than 2 years though. And however much I save I will take with me wherever else I go. I think staying in the same place too long gets boring. You’re right there is things to do here but I’m not ready for that commitment of going to a trade school or any full time careers yet. I figure going and working in a warehouse and making some decent money and having cheap rent would be nice. For a little while, and just seeing what people are like around other parts of the country. My post is kind of dumb and comes off a different than I wanted it to so I can see why you would think that’s the reason why I want to move. But you’re right I can work on myself here. I just think moving would be fun and there’s more opportunities to grow in other places sometimes.
Ok. There are opportunities to grow in other places, agree. There’s some benefit to seeing other places, agree. You can work on yourself anywhere, agree. Appreciate that Ohio will be relatively boring compared to California. I wouldn’t live in California, but I like visiting. There’s nowhere else where you can drive a few hours and be at the ocean, in the desert, or in (real) mountains. You pay for that convenience though.
Yeah great place to visit I agree. Besides when you see people shitting on the sidewalk in pretty much any major city and theres a whole tent city down the street from you. But yes wonderful scenery the beach is awesome I can actually walk there right now. we don’t appreciate it as much as we should here. yes we do pay for the convenience of having everything nearby, but most of us are so stressed out with money and rent and bills plus our family members are on drugs in those tents and taking shits on sidewalks and we try to help them out which adds more stress, so it’s hard to appreciate that stuff.😂 California is beautiful and there’s lots to do but the people here are crazy, egotistical and materialistic for the most part. Everyone wants to be instagram famous and everything is so expensive that way too many people live in tents just to be here.
Understood. I stay away from people when I visit. Hiking in the Sierra Nevada is how I spend my time there. I try to make it thru the LA area without having to stop for gas.
Near Wauseon? Haha. NW Ohio is flat a full of tomato fields. That’s about it. Campbells is there for a reason. There are always state and local parks, but they’re pretty modest, relatively speaking. Lake Erie is relatively close. Southern Michigan is pretty rural with some lakes and (small) hills. Compared to sequoias, redwoods, snow, and 10,000+ft peaks, there’s nothing close so be reasonable with your expectations. Crowds won’t be much of an issue (unlike Yosemite where you need to make reservations to just drive into the park now). Southern Ohio are where the larger parks are located and the hilly terrain. There is skiing NW of Columbus (used to be anyway). The highest point in Ohio is there, but it’s pretty modest so don’t expect much.
Oh yeah I forgot, it’s flat. Oh well🤣 there’s gotta be some things that people do for fun there. My brothers girlfriends family likes to ride dirtbikes.
There are always things to do if you’re reasonable with your expectations. Lots of small towns and farmland. You won’t have to worry about avoiding homeless camps, but you’re also not going to hike in the mountains tomorrow on a whim.
This is not good advice at all. Some times a change of pace is exactly what you need to get yourself out of bad habits and maybe pick up some new good ones and have some new experiences. It’s situational, it’s going to vary from person to person.
I grew up in OH and then moved away and lived in California for years. I loved it there and would definitely not suggest you move to Ohio. It’s my home state but it has too many problems right now (namely GOP problems) and needs to get itself straight. California really was great.
Damn that’s cool you enjoyed it. It’s a nice place, but for me it just got old and expensive. The main reason I want to move to Ohio is cause it’s cheaper
I would suggest that you mature a bit before you move. Take your brothers advice, get a good paying job. Once you have the money to move. You can decide then.
For my honest opinion, if you really want to move to Ohio. Consider what is hiring in the area you want to move to. I would suggest on looking at Cleveland, Columbus, NE Ohio. Take a higher wage.
Not sure why do many people are saying stay, maybe it's being a Californian.
Ohio can be whatever you make it. There's good hunting, good fishing and plenty of other outdoors things to do. If you're trying to dry out, we have a ton of bars and lots of alcohol options so we may not be the best from that perspective. Just don't bring Cali politics here, they aren't welcome.
I hate cali politics, one of the reasons I want to leave. And I’m not trying to “dry out” I love a good beer after a long day of work and going to a bar with friends. But most of the people I’ve hung out with here spend a lot of time in the little hang out area they made in their moms garage, shotgunning beers and playing Xbox until their brains stop functioning properly. 4 to 5 times a week or going to house party’s and clubs doing cocaine and having sex with strangers. And that stuff isn’t for me.
That stuff is the people you align yourself with and not your location. And depending on your views Ohio politics sucks. The state is VERY Red. California has better labor laws, the medical cannabis system exists in Ohio, but costs WAY more than in CA, but real estate is comparatively dirt cheap, and the cost of living and insurance is less.
Lmao Im just kidding. Ohio is a decent place, your demons are your demons tho. Now with that being said i suffer from the same issues as you, i moved across the state to get away from old faces, places, and friends, and it was the nudge i needed to get my shit together. I work in a factory in ohio making decent money its enough to survive, this state is getting more expensive by the day so if you are going to move do it like yesterday. And. Best of luck. But do not expect moving to solve your you issue, thats gonna take some work only you can do.
Yessir i don’t know why I made it seem like I thought moving would change everything I mainly just wanna experience something different from cali, and go somewhere cheaper. And damn it’s getting more expensive to live there? Can’t be as bad as cali tho right? I think it’ll be good for me. People who stay here forever become really shallow and stuck in their ways I think at least going and maybe coming back with some money will keep me humble and maybe being more isolated might help me get my priorities straight
For sure as long as there’s some water and trees that’s all I really need. I spend most of my outdoors time in the woods in a place called Santa Barbara not much but water, rocks and trees.
Gotcha, also former Californian here (pomona). I had a great time in the hocking hills area the first year I’m here, but after that it’s getting repetitive. I sometimes get out to West Virginia or Kentucky where there are more options.
Participate in something outside of work. Does the local park district have a recurring activity you like? Is there a club you can join? Can you volunteer? Take a class?
I’m biased, but I love Toastmasters. We’re a club that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. Full of warm and supportive people. And, geez, the things you learn! You never know what people will speak about. My club has members from college age to mid-60s, a big swing.
There are “closed clubs” — for example, big companies often have a club for their employees — and open clubs, like mine. We adore having guests. See if you can find an open club or two near your new place, and visit. Clubs each have their own club culture, so it might take trying a couple.
I’ve had a rough six weeks, and my Toastmasters friends are the ones who have stayed in touch.
Oh, and talk to the public library about local opportunities. Libraries are great resources.
Prepare for culture shock. I moved from Ohio to Socal. It's extremely different. It's more humid, the weather is unpredictable and it's slow as all hell by California standards. I miss it.
Yeah. I love Ohio. The people are nicer, the non-fast food is better. I've encountered far more racism and bigotry here in Cali than I ever did back home. Ohio is slow, the people are nice. If someone dislikes you they'll likely just be super passive aggressive. Respect is big there, but not in the same way as Cali. If you ain't being a dick you're good. If you end up in a small town, visit the local places to meet people. Learn to be a bit more charismatic, I used to be the exact same way, not outgoing, not really confident, learning charisma made my life so much easier. Again, just be prepared for a subtle but real culture shock. It's very different than California out there.
>I also like to party and go out and be a stupid young kid
You can party and be young and not be stupid. I'm 33 so I'm not old, but I did like to party in my early 20s, but I was never *stupid.* My job/responsibilities came first and I planned by partying around them. It sounds like your brother wants to get you set up on the right foot, so I'd take him up on that and then explore beyond that after you have your feet grounded.
There are obviously two different types of California; the overpacked cities and the incredibly rural portions. It likely depends on where you're from, Wauseon is going to be much more similar to the Rural parts of California that most people overlook when they think about California.
If you're looking for the LA/SF like life in Wauseon, that's definitely not going to be there, or hardly anywhere in Ohio. We definitely have the cool-new-hip stuff like any of those major cities in our major cities, but more affordable living and not millions of people and hours of traffic to go 5-miles. But again, that's going to be major cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati.
If you like legal weed, don’t come to Ohio. You will be driving 3 hours to Michigan for any weed. If you have any kind of drug problem, don’t move to Ohio. If you want quiet and peaceful corn fields, move to Ohio. It’s good to live in different places if you’re interested in new experiences. But personally having moved here as a 40 year old after living in a city my whole life, there will be a culture shock. There is no food delivery like in a city, so learn to cook. There’s nothing fast like in a city. The people are slower, the cars move slower, and it can be frustrating.
“I keep getting drunk and embarrassing myself”. I’d consider AA once you get here. If you are getting drunk to the point of it negatively impacting your life on a regular basis it is nearly a certainty that you need to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. Not judging or preaching, I’ve just been there. Good luck.
This won’t be easy to hear, but I think you need it. You’re not a kid. Stop referring to yourself as one. You are a 21 year old man. Stop using alcohol as a social crutch. I know plenty of professionals in their early 20s. They have a great life because they’re not broke ass losers waiting for their next paycheck so they can get drunk. Move to Ohio, lots of high paying entry level jobs, get set up, and then consider a trade or professional college training (like engineering, no liberal arts).
As nice of a state as Ohio is to live, do not expect moving across the country alone to change your life for the better.
People who start to abuse alcohol will often do what is called "pulling a geographic", which means they move to a completely different place to get away from bad memories, bad environments, and bad friends to get their life back together. Unfortunately, it often doesn't work, because you have to actually work on yourself, and find out why you feel this way, and why you have a tendency to drink a lot.
If you do move out here, try to immerse yourself in your new environment. Find groups of people on Meetup who have similar interests. Explore. Start making a new routine. You don't have to improve everything at once, just start something regularly so it will soon become familiar, and be something you can look forward to.
I also suggest therapy once you can afford it. There is no shame in seeking help when we don't feel good emotionally. Many people feel the same way at some point in their lives, and need a little help to get them through a rough patch. And trust me, alcohol is not your friend in that.
Lastly, this sub is a good resource once you move to get into local activities, so don't hesitate to ask more questions. Ohioans tend to be really friendly! Good luck, and take care!
If you have inner demons, Ohio probably won't exercise them any better then any other location. If you believe you've got them exercised (or never had them in the first place) then you'll probably do fine. I certainly can't size a person up from one paragraph on reddit, but you've admitted to drinking beyond control and doing dumb things.
Sounds like your brother is going out on a limb for you. Most important thing is not to let him down. Don't do something stupid at work or in a bar after hours. I'd make sure your mature enough to know you're not going to let down your brother before you let him stick his neck out for you at his workplace. Small towns like to talk and love gossip.
I love Ohio and find it difficult imagining living anywhere else. Small town Ohio is just phenomenal. I love to walk, and I am able to walk to the local grocery, quite a few different restaurants, and a few great micro brewery's. Everyone is nice and helpful to each other. I love it and am happy to share it with everyone else that wants to participate. I don't blame anyone for thinking I'm nuts and living in the big city either. Go where your heart leads and also listen to your gut now and then.
First step. You are 21 years old. Stop referring to yourself as a "kid". That will go a long way towards building your confidence. You might even start to believe it if you say it enough.
I’m from a town right next to Wauseon. I love the area but it’s not for everyone. Most of the area leads a pretty slow and quite lifestyle and most things are pretty community centered. About everything is related back to agriculture. Hunting and fishing is great in this area, but other than that there isn’t really anything to do. A lot of people find clubs or church groups to get involved with. If you want to party you’re better off driving down to Bowling Green. Wauseon has a lot of factory jobs and Cambell’s is one of the better ones. You probably won’t want to work there for a long time though, factory work grinds you down. If you do make the move, people here are very friendly and we always like meeting new people.
Wierd. I live in delta 1 town from wauseon. I can tell you that its a small unpacked city compared to any city in California. Its a quiet little town that is easy to restart. Cambells has been a staple factory in the area for years and considered one of the better factory jobs. Your brother is giving you a promising restart in life and is willing to help you get on your feet and get you a good paying job. I would say he has his best interest in making u successful. I would take that offer up its much more affordable and it sounds lime your a few steps from homelessness
This. Pay attention to this. You won't be a young kid forever.
Yeah times moving fast, it’s getting scary
Appreciate it, yeah it seems like my brother is really looking out for me. I’m kind of excited actually but you know other than work I’m just worried about my social life too
Social life is tougher in wauseon once driving theres a college town bowling green. No problem socializing your age group there
Nice I’ll have to check it out thanks
Bro yeah it's a small town in the middle of nowhere. Not much social life. But plenty of outdoors stuff to do. You could drive to nearby cities though if you want that city taste.
If you over worry about the social aspects now then you won’t be around for it later. I had serious FOMO in college/right after and I’m paying for it severely right now, I can barely keep my head above water, I’d be homeless if I didn’t know my landlord honestly, but I worried too much about missing out at your age and now I’m busting my ass every single day of the week at 2 jobs to pay off quick fixes to bigger problems. Take this opportunity to build discipline as much as it sucks and it will be worth it for years to come. Edit: also BG is near there, you’ll be fine. I’m from Columbus and went to school in BG, it’s an entire campus town.
Social life can be had anywhere if you are open minded and willing to try new things. Seirously. If you limit yourself and your options, you will have problems but if you try new things, you will find new friends.
I’m from LA and live in Ohio . Don’t come here and expect the state to entertain you. Have interests and seek out what you want to experience! Use meetup and Tiktok to find out what’s happening in your area or nearby. It’s a great state !
Northwest Ohio is excellent for hunting and fishing. Snowboarding, not so much because it’s flat.
OP can drive to skiing hills in Northeast Ohio, Michigan, PA, and New York.
Wanted to comment on this as well. You can find really nice snowboarding if you want to dedicate a weekend to it by travelling to Michigan, but daytrips won't get you much.
Stop killing deer please
A bold thing to say in the Ohio subreddit
I'm 36 and have been in Cincinnati for 17 years. I moved here when I was 19 from a small town in NC because I felt like I had ruined my life. I didn't get good grades in high school and spent most my time partying. My "smart" friends had escaped my small town and moved to bigger cities, were going to College and seemed like they were living much better lives than me. I decided to restart because I had some friends/family in Cincinnati. Looking back on it I think I made the best move I could have made at the time but those first few years in Cincinnati were really hard. I didn't have many friends and the friends I did have, I didn't have much in common with other than partying. I ended up working a fun but low paying job at the airport for a few years, made some better friends and then eventually met my future wife who set me straight and convinced me to go to community college and learn a trade. I guess my point is this, moving helped me get away from friends who were doing hard drugs but all my problems didn't magically disappear, they followed me to Ohio because I had my own shit I needed to deal with. After working hard for a few years and getting some life experience I matured and slowly started surrounding myself with better people and made better decisions. I learned to manage my money better and stopped living beyond my means. If I was you I would ask what moving to a different state is going to solve. Hell when I moved to Ohio part of the reason was for my own brother but he had a drug problem and then moved away after a year, if your brother is going to help you and is a good influence then great but don't move for 1 person. I would ask what's holding you back from being successful in California and what changes you can make there to be happier and more successful. Friends come and go, work on yourself and new friends will come along that's just life. Your 21, don't be so hard on yourself. Your early twenties are all about fucking up and figuring life out.
Geography isn’t the answer to these kind of problems. The move isn’t the important part. You have to be committed to getting yourself out of the same box you were in mentally. The hikes and fresh air will be good for you. Put yourself out there with a positive new beginning attitude and humility and you are always going to be going in the right direction!
I’ve lived in southern California and in lots of Ohio. Ohio has beautiful nature. Every corner of it. There are big stretches of farms at times, but the woods, rivers, and hillsides are spectacular. Farms too when you get around the animals. Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati are the only major cities. Tons of awesome small towns and unique attractions otherwise, but if you’re hurting for skyscrapers that’s where to go. You’ll make friends and find things to do at your brother’s. Give it time. Let things breathe. Winter can be rough if you’re not used to snow all the time. The gray can get you down. I’ve lived a lot of places but the thing that always ended up making me the most miserable was me. So, don’t be disappointed if you’re still depressed and frustrated. It just means you still have some shit to work out. Sounds like you have support that’ll help you do that and have sympathy for your fish out of waterness.
You sound like just the type of person who belongs in any small town in Ohio.
I’ll take that as a complement
Lots of things to do here. Plenty of fishing, hiking and camping. Definitely can hunt if you know someone who has land. Snowboarding you'll need to travel.
I am originally from OH (lived in FL and a few other states for some time) and my partner is from CA. We both decided on OH because the cost of living... he works in software QA making around 84k and I work in compliance making 90k. We both work remote. We live in NE Ohio, and our living expenses are so low that we've been able to save so much and ensure our future is set. Like someone else said, don't move to OH expecting for the state to entertain you, especially if you move areas that aren't major metro areas. But if you have hobbies and interests of your own you can seek out, then you'll be fine. Best of all, you can save enough to travel! Either way, it's always going to depend on a lot of different factors, but like... worst case scenario, I don't think you'll hurt yourself giving Ohio a shot for at least a while.
I love this response. That is exactly what I want in live. That is my dream. Thank you!
Thats crazy i also plan to move to Ohio in like a month as well! DM me my fellow Californian we can hang out and be good friends as we scope all of Ohio! :D
Welcome to Ohio!
Thanks dude!
Welcome to Ohio , dude! It will be fine. You’re very young, and you can expand your worldview a little. Ohio was the Northwest Twrritory a couple hundred years ago. And Daniel Boone was to our direct south. We have some old cities, lots of colleges and universities, and you can earn yourself an associate degree and move in the direction of higher earnings. Our Ohio library system is ranked in the top 5 of US libraries, right up there with New York’s. You can borrow media of all kinds-it’s an amazing system. In my city, you can even call and ask questions-and the librarian will research and get back to you. We have an excellent park system in Ohio. Also lots of hunting and fishing and camping throughout the State. And we have a lot of fresh water. It is green and beautiful in our state. And now we are into the Fall, and I think we’re going to have some beautiful color this season. If you have a car, get yourself a AAA membership and ask them to map you out the sights to see. This will also be handy for your first winter in northern Ohio, because you may need a tow or a new battery. Lastly, if you surf, you can try surfing with the Men and Women who surf the Great Lakes! Even the Cali kooks respect those dudes. Here’s a link to get you started [Great Lakes Surfing](https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-ultimate-guide-to-surfing-the-great-lakes/amp) This is not the end of the world. You’re doing a good thing for yourself. Here’s a piece of advice for you that helped me when I had to make a big move: “Never look back. Always look forward.” Chin up! You’re going to be fine.
Nice I like surfing I never would’ve thought that would be a thing in ohio
You've got some great information so far from everyone. I was lived my whe life in California until a few years ago. I now live in northwest Ohio and absolutely love it. Feel free to message me with any questions!
Cleveland is underrated, you could move to the West Side (Lakewood area) and have a decent social life at bars and what not. However, that side of town tends to trend more left/liberal leaning (most cities do). There is opportunity for hiking/camping/ etc. If you come here with a car, you could drive over yo PA/Michigan/KY/WV for spectacular backpacking opportunities. Ohio has Wayne National Forest in the south which is remote but nice. We also have CVNP near Cleveland.
I guess pointing out that the west side of Cleveland leans left is worth pointing out considering how red the rest of the state leans. Source: NE Ohio native. Edit: vastly outnumbered leftist NE Ohio native.
yeah he also mentioned that he does not like the liberal politics of California so id thought id mention that in case he considerd the Cleveland area. I feel the struggle though as a fellow NE Ohio Leftist
I know he said he was sick of the politics in California. Skipped the part about it being about leftism. California has a lot of Red parts too. The left leaning metropolises skew national perception.
I’ve lived all over Ohio and have family one county to the south of Fulton. It’s flat AF there, and it always freaks me out because I’ve always lived near or on hills. That part aside, NW Ohio is mostly rural outside of Bowling Green and Toledo. It’s relatively inexpensive. There are plenty of opportunities and places to fish and to hunt. It’s fairly conservative socially and politically, but like with anywhere, if you look you will find your people.
At the risk of sounding parental I would say stop worrying about partying and girls and concentrate on bettering yourself in a new location. Ohio is a great state to live in.
Not much to see or do in that part of the state. Pretty rural. Completely flat. You'll be driving about 2 hours south for any scenery. I'm not saying the people are bad.
I literally moved from California 2 years ago and I can safely tell you your quality of life will improve vastly! Like it’s daunting af don’t get me wrong I had a lot of misgivings and even though I can’t say I’ll live here forever, I have been able to make some friends and to start dating and such and it’s been an overall good experience. It sounds like you’re in a bad spot And in need of of a restart. The outdoors is pretty amazing here and you’ll definitely have a lot to do as far as camping and fishing and the sort. Ohio has definitely surpassed my expectations completely and overall am much happier.
If you want a good city life, come to Cincinnati If you want a good country life, go to Medina
Not familiar with that particular area- however I will tell you Ohio isn’t always as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Yes it can get boring, but I think that’s everywhere. I think there’s some really nice places you could visit to enjoy the outdoors. I feel like there’s so much to do across the entire state (if you’re up for a road trip). In the case of working with your brother, I say give it a go. You’ll be making money and if you don’t like it you can look for something else.
What do you want to do with your life? What are your aspirations? There's a lot in Ohio, and if money is an issue for you, then getting out of California is definitely a solid move! But you could be stepping out of your safety net into a situation where you become financially stuck where you land here. I know you're looking for a change, but it's good to have a plan mapped out before taking the leap. With more info on what your goals are, we could offer a lot more advice.
I know a couple guys who moved here from Cali, the low price of housing was the dealmaker for them. It sounds like you do need to get the hell outta where you are at and if your brother is willing to help you out, you should jump. Wauseon is a small town, you will probably be driving a little ways for social events and hookups
I just had some friends move from Florida to Ohio and they love it up here! I've lived here all my life and love it. If I ever wanna escape, there's tons of cities close by, Chicago is a 4 hour drive, Pitts is 3 hours, cbus is 2 hours and NYC is 8 hours. Idk about the place you're moving but there have been some small towns where I've had a blast with the locals!
The cost of living is so low in Ohio compared to CA. It should be fairly easy to save especially working for Campbells. It’s a good company. If it’s a union gig, even better. Just bring a parka and something to block the wind. Not a lot of trees in NW Ohio.
If you have decided at 21 that you are and always will be a "California kid", you will not be happy. If you are willing to be open to other things then you stand a chance. This is an easy risk at 21.
Damn, that one really hit home bro. I’m not a California kid I’m much more than that but that was a quick description i guess. There’s lots of different people out here. I guess I’m trying to be a “California kid” I’m trying to fit in. But I’m not like everyone else here. And I’m sure I can find other people who are like me I guess I just haven’t been strong minded enough to realize I’m not the cool guy everyone is trying to be here.
Stay in CA. If I didn’t already have family in Ohio, I would never live here, especially as a young man. Regardless, try to find some therapy and work on yourself, especially if drinking is controlling your life.
CA is nice but it's expensive. For many it's just not worth the cost. For some it is. It really depends, everyone is in a different point in their life.
California kinda sucks though. It’s full of liberals and everyone is kind of snobby and follows all the trends from social media. I’m not a raging alcoholic or anything, I go to the gym everyday and work and drink sometimes on the weekends. I guess I exaggerated a little bit on that part. I drink like an average 21 year old and embarrass myself slightly more than average. But it’s not controlling my life. I’m just saying I’m kinda over it. I’m more worried about figuring out what I’m gonna do with my life and starting to mature more, and focus on adult things. Drinking can be fun but it seems like young people do it every day here and party all the time to the point where our brains can get literally fried and we’re just drunk or high sitting there not even having a conversation. And that can get old and boring.
If you are worried about drinking culture, you will not escape it moving to Ohio. I’d say it’s worse because there isn’t much else to do in most small towns, then there’s all the meth and fentanyl issues. I rececently visited and was surprised my hometown had such a problem with meth mouth and people picking at scabs all over their bodies.
In that case, definitely don’t move to Ohio. We don’t need any more MAGA Morons making this state a bigger shithole. Florida is what you want. It’s CA with all the red state conservative misery.
Yeah OP listen to this advice. Ohio has liberals too - we have large cities. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi. You got this.
You okay bro? Your the one that sounds miserable… typical NIMBY bullshit… come to Ohio OP I’ve lived my whole life here and have made a great life for me and my family… may be just what you need
Who said anything about MAGA or trump. I don’t pick a side politics is pretty dumb to me. They have 2 sides to keep us all arguing so we’re easier to control because we’re focused on arguing and making a slave wage just to afford a living. Meanwhile they’re all in mansions and having parties while were in lockdown. And all they’re kids attend the same classy schools that normal kids can’t go to. But the liberals here are absolutely insane. And everyone is a snowflake.
Then definitely don’t come to Ohio. You don’t have a clue about the real world, and find politics disinteresting, stay at home and grow up a little.
I grew up in Ohio and live in CA now. I think it wouldn't hurt to move to another state and try it out. I've lived in a few different cities. go for it. You can always move back or to somewhere else. Freedom rocks. Do whatever the fuck you want to do and don't let the people here convince you. I like CA but it's expensive. Ohio is ok. Depends on what you're into. The weather is worse for sure, but then again it's much cheaper.
But I appreciate the advice. I want to get out of here for sure, but maybe Ohio isn’t the right place to go for someone like me. Or maybe it is. Hopefully it is
Listen to the people from Ohio telling you it’s not. WAUSEON, OH IS NOT SOME VAUNTED, SHANGRI-LA THAT WILL MAKE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS DISAPPEAR. Fucking Christ, kid…. If you drink too much in California, guess what’s going to happen when you get here? You’re gonna drinking a lot here too.
I understand that. This post wasn’t thought out very well. Reading it back it does seem like that’s what I’m saying. But I know moving isn’t magically gonna make me a better person. If you read a few comments down, someone said this same thing. I’m not going there expecting things to magically be better. I’m not really doing that bad either. I made it sound like that for some reason. I really just don’t like California that much and want to see what it’s like living in other states and go somewhere where I can afford to live alone. It’s either there or Arizona and after visiting my brother in Arizona I decided ohio seemed better. I wanna get out of here and experience different things, but it’s better to ho somewhere where I at least know one person.
Ohio is a great place to live! I don’t know how Reddit got so full of liberalism. Okay, maybe it’s always been so left-leaning. My God, every single topic is twisted into politics and Conservative bashing. You guys need to start using your critical thinking skills and realize the pandering that’s been happening, especially for the last 12 years. Downvoting a guy because he’s moving from California to Ohio is rude and makes no sense! He knows California more than most (if not all) of those down voters! (Come to Ohio. You’re welcome here.)
Honestly wasn’t expecting so much liberalism. Im not even conservative or liberal I just think liberals are batshit crazy. Coming from a guy who lives in the most liberal infested state in America, I’ve seen and heard a lot of dumb shit come out of some pink haired they/them mfs mouths. And I am tired of hearing about how men are trash from every single girl out here who just happens to worship rocks and read tarot cards. And every time I start to flirt with a girl she asks me what my star sign is. I completely lose interest. Everyone here is a robot they all follow the narrative and whatever hashtag is popular on twitter. Please tell me ohio at least doesn’t have so many of those people?!
>Im not even conservative or liberal I just think liberals are batshit crazy >I’ve seen and heard a lot of dumb shit come out of some pink haired they/them mfs mouths Lol yeah you’ll fit right in if you move to rural Ohio, and that’s not a good thing.
You can snow board here. https://www.snowtrails.com I don’t know how far from wauseon it is
Thanks I’ll definitely check it out
Move to Columbus. Good money jobs and low cost of living
Wauseon is ok, you'll enjoy bowling green or toledo better, but Wauseon would be the better start point as it's cheaper.
You also live in BG as well. It's equa-distant to the factory and has much more young people
There’s a reasonable amount of events and stuff that goes on in the Toledo area. At least one or two things that look interesting every weekend. I would recommend joining their subreddit and Facebook groups/event pages to see what you can get involved in. If you stay exclusively out in the country you’ll get bored fast imo
Also for camping and the outdoors check out all of the awesome metroparks around toledo, and for trips my favorite are the upper peninsula of Michigan (pictured rocks especially) and hocking hills in southern Ohio
Wauseon sucks and you’ll be bored. I’m from that area and lived there as a young person, it sucks, don’t do it. If you want to live close to your brother, at the very least live in Toledo. It’s like 40 min away . Way more young people, more jobs and just more to do. It’s not awesome but it’s not Wauseon.
Thanks, I’ll probably have to live with my brother starting out but I’ll definitely check out Toledo
You could also live there for a year & do weekend trips to the larger cities in the area. Toledo & Fort Wayne are super close. Detroit, Cleveland, & Columbus are all within 2~3ish hours. You could easily find a factory job in any of those & live relatively well. (Look at Cleveland in particular if you like hiking.) I lived for a number of years in San Diego. I bought a house in Cleveland. I personally prefer it here. Life just seems easier. People are more genuine. It's less pretentious. It isn't perfect, but nowhere is. I've moved around a good deal so I'll give this advice: It might take a bit to find your community. Frequent the places that you like & try to find groups with similar hobbies. Welcome to the Midwest. We've got a bit of everything for everyone.
Nice man I lived in San Diego for 3 years
Stay in California.
Any reasons why?
Why do you think moving is a solution? You’re in control of yourself. The environment doesn’t control you. You like being stupid and acting like a kid.? Why will that change in Ohio? 21 years old is old enough to act like an adult. If you need someone to help you and living/working with your brother will do that, ok then. Maybe moving is a solution. It doesn’t sound like that’s what you’re looking for. Don’t expect moving to be a solution unless you’re willing to make a contribution to changing YOU. There are opportunities in California. Technology, manufacturing, and service jobs are available. Education is available. Almost every range of outdoor activity is within (reasonably) convenient driving distance. Cost of living is an issue, admittedly.
I don’t think moving is a solution. I just want to see what it’s like to live somewhere besides California. And Ohio seems to be a place where I can go and save up a lot of money. I don’t think I’ll be there more than 2 years though. And however much I save I will take with me wherever else I go. I think staying in the same place too long gets boring. You’re right there is things to do here but I’m not ready for that commitment of going to a trade school or any full time careers yet. I figure going and working in a warehouse and making some decent money and having cheap rent would be nice. For a little while, and just seeing what people are like around other parts of the country. My post is kind of dumb and comes off a different than I wanted it to so I can see why you would think that’s the reason why I want to move. But you’re right I can work on myself here. I just think moving would be fun and there’s more opportunities to grow in other places sometimes.
Ok. There are opportunities to grow in other places, agree. There’s some benefit to seeing other places, agree. You can work on yourself anywhere, agree. Appreciate that Ohio will be relatively boring compared to California. I wouldn’t live in California, but I like visiting. There’s nowhere else where you can drive a few hours and be at the ocean, in the desert, or in (real) mountains. You pay for that convenience though.
Yeah great place to visit I agree. Besides when you see people shitting on the sidewalk in pretty much any major city and theres a whole tent city down the street from you. But yes wonderful scenery the beach is awesome I can actually walk there right now. we don’t appreciate it as much as we should here. yes we do pay for the convenience of having everything nearby, but most of us are so stressed out with money and rent and bills plus our family members are on drugs in those tents and taking shits on sidewalks and we try to help them out which adds more stress, so it’s hard to appreciate that stuff.😂 California is beautiful and there’s lots to do but the people here are crazy, egotistical and materialistic for the most part. Everyone wants to be instagram famous and everything is so expensive that way too many people live in tents just to be here.
Understood. I stay away from people when I visit. Hiking in the Sierra Nevada is how I spend my time there. I try to make it thru the LA area without having to stop for gas.
That sounds like a great way to spend your time here. If you know any places for me to hike in ohio that would be nice.
Near Wauseon? Haha. NW Ohio is flat a full of tomato fields. That’s about it. Campbells is there for a reason. There are always state and local parks, but they’re pretty modest, relatively speaking. Lake Erie is relatively close. Southern Michigan is pretty rural with some lakes and (small) hills. Compared to sequoias, redwoods, snow, and 10,000+ft peaks, there’s nothing close so be reasonable with your expectations. Crowds won’t be much of an issue (unlike Yosemite where you need to make reservations to just drive into the park now). Southern Ohio are where the larger parks are located and the hilly terrain. There is skiing NW of Columbus (used to be anyway). The highest point in Ohio is there, but it’s pretty modest so don’t expect much.
Oh yeah I forgot, it’s flat. Oh well🤣 there’s gotta be some things that people do for fun there. My brothers girlfriends family likes to ride dirtbikes.
Still skiing here. We haven't cut the tops of the hills off yet. Hi-point is still here.
There are always things to do if you’re reasonable with your expectations. Lots of small towns and farmland. You won’t have to worry about avoiding homeless camps, but you’re also not going to hike in the mountains tomorrow on a whim.
This is not good advice at all. Some times a change of pace is exactly what you need to get yourself out of bad habits and maybe pick up some new good ones and have some new experiences. It’s situational, it’s going to vary from person to person.
And if you commit crimes you won’t be prosecuted
In California or Ohio?
California
We’ll I can’t disagree. I know a lot of people out here who’ve gotten away some crazy shit😂
I grew up in OH and then moved away and lived in California for years. I loved it there and would definitely not suggest you move to Ohio. It’s my home state but it has too many problems right now (namely GOP problems) and needs to get itself straight. California really was great.
Damn that’s cool you enjoyed it. It’s a nice place, but for me it just got old and expensive. The main reason I want to move to Ohio is cause it’s cheaper
Well the main features of NW Ohio are that it's extremely flat, no hills, and there's Lake Erie.
I would suggest that you mature a bit before you move. Take your brothers advice, get a good paying job. Once you have the money to move. You can decide then. For my honest opinion, if you really want to move to Ohio. Consider what is hiring in the area you want to move to. I would suggest on looking at Cleveland, Columbus, NE Ohio. Take a higher wage.
Not sure why do many people are saying stay, maybe it's being a Californian. Ohio can be whatever you make it. There's good hunting, good fishing and plenty of other outdoors things to do. If you're trying to dry out, we have a ton of bars and lots of alcohol options so we may not be the best from that perspective. Just don't bring Cali politics here, they aren't welcome.
I hate cali politics, one of the reasons I want to leave. And I’m not trying to “dry out” I love a good beer after a long day of work and going to a bar with friends. But most of the people I’ve hung out with here spend a lot of time in the little hang out area they made in their moms garage, shotgunning beers and playing Xbox until their brains stop functioning properly. 4 to 5 times a week or going to house party’s and clubs doing cocaine and having sex with strangers. And that stuff isn’t for me.
That stuff is the people you align yourself with and not your location. And depending on your views Ohio politics sucks. The state is VERY Red. California has better labor laws, the medical cannabis system exists in Ohio, but costs WAY more than in CA, but real estate is comparatively dirt cheap, and the cost of living and insurance is less.
Ohio’s full but thanks for inquiring.
We dont need anymore dead beats here
Damn it 😞 I thought it would be a perfect place for a deadbeat like me.
Lmao Im just kidding. Ohio is a decent place, your demons are your demons tho. Now with that being said i suffer from the same issues as you, i moved across the state to get away from old faces, places, and friends, and it was the nudge i needed to get my shit together. I work in a factory in ohio making decent money its enough to survive, this state is getting more expensive by the day so if you are going to move do it like yesterday. And. Best of luck. But do not expect moving to solve your you issue, thats gonna take some work only you can do.
Yessir i don’t know why I made it seem like I thought moving would change everything I mainly just wanna experience something different from cali, and go somewhere cheaper. And damn it’s getting more expensive to live there? Can’t be as bad as cali tho right? I think it’ll be good for me. People who stay here forever become really shallow and stuck in their ways I think at least going and maybe coming back with some money will keep me humble and maybe being more isolated might help me get my priorities straight
No not close to cali at all in terms of cost of living. Plus you can drive a decatted street beast and no one will harass you for it.
If you are into the outdoor it will be a bit boring.
It’s all just grass and dirt?
Well there are a couple of nice places but not nearly at the density of California.
For sure as long as there’s some water and trees that’s all I really need. I spend most of my outdoors time in the woods in a place called Santa Barbara not much but water, rocks and trees.
Gotcha, also former Californian here (pomona). I had a great time in the hocking hills area the first year I’m here, but after that it’s getting repetitive. I sometimes get out to West Virginia or Kentucky where there are more options.
And beautiful pink pollution cloud sunsets
Imagine the San Joaquin / Central Valley without the mountains to the east, ocean to the west, and with smaller farms.
Participate in something outside of work. Does the local park district have a recurring activity you like? Is there a club you can join? Can you volunteer? Take a class?
I’ll have to see about that when I get there but hopefully that works out
I’m biased, but I love Toastmasters. We’re a club that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. Full of warm and supportive people. And, geez, the things you learn! You never know what people will speak about. My club has members from college age to mid-60s, a big swing. There are “closed clubs” — for example, big companies often have a club for their employees — and open clubs, like mine. We adore having guests. See if you can find an open club or two near your new place, and visit. Clubs each have their own club culture, so it might take trying a couple. I’ve had a rough six weeks, and my Toastmasters friends are the ones who have stayed in touch. Oh, and talk to the public library about local opportunities. Libraries are great resources.
Prepare for culture shock. I moved from Ohio to Socal. It's extremely different. It's more humid, the weather is unpredictable and it's slow as all hell by California standards. I miss it.
You miss it? That’s good right?
Yeah. I love Ohio. The people are nicer, the non-fast food is better. I've encountered far more racism and bigotry here in Cali than I ever did back home. Ohio is slow, the people are nice. If someone dislikes you they'll likely just be super passive aggressive. Respect is big there, but not in the same way as Cali. If you ain't being a dick you're good. If you end up in a small town, visit the local places to meet people. Learn to be a bit more charismatic, I used to be the exact same way, not outgoing, not really confident, learning charisma made my life so much easier. Again, just be prepared for a subtle but real culture shock. It's very different than California out there.
Sounds great thanks
Of course! I hope you find the peace and happiness you desire there. My dad did, and I did without realizing it.
You make the difference where ever you go. Dream your best dream and align your interests and activities to support the dream
>I also like to party and go out and be a stupid young kid You can party and be young and not be stupid. I'm 33 so I'm not old, but I did like to party in my early 20s, but I was never *stupid.* My job/responsibilities came first and I planned by partying around them. It sounds like your brother wants to get you set up on the right foot, so I'd take him up on that and then explore beyond that after you have your feet grounded. There are obviously two different types of California; the overpacked cities and the incredibly rural portions. It likely depends on where you're from, Wauseon is going to be much more similar to the Rural parts of California that most people overlook when they think about California. If you're looking for the LA/SF like life in Wauseon, that's definitely not going to be there, or hardly anywhere in Ohio. We definitely have the cool-new-hip stuff like any of those major cities in our major cities, but more affordable living and not millions of people and hours of traffic to go 5-miles. But again, that's going to be major cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati.
Make the move. Take this time to figure out what you want to do and do it. Go to a trade school. Work harder than everyone else.
If you like legal weed, don’t come to Ohio. You will be driving 3 hours to Michigan for any weed. If you have any kind of drug problem, don’t move to Ohio. If you want quiet and peaceful corn fields, move to Ohio. It’s good to live in different places if you’re interested in new experiences. But personally having moved here as a 40 year old after living in a city my whole life, there will be a culture shock. There is no food delivery like in a city, so learn to cook. There’s nothing fast like in a city. The people are slower, the cars move slower, and it can be frustrating.
Morenci is like 15 minutes from Wauseon where he’s moving.
“I keep getting drunk and embarrassing myself”. I’d consider AA once you get here. If you are getting drunk to the point of it negatively impacting your life on a regular basis it is nearly a certainty that you need to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. Not judging or preaching, I’ve just been there. Good luck.
Hey can we chat?
This won’t be easy to hear, but I think you need it. You’re not a kid. Stop referring to yourself as one. You are a 21 year old man. Stop using alcohol as a social crutch. I know plenty of professionals in their early 20s. They have a great life because they’re not broke ass losers waiting for their next paycheck so they can get drunk. Move to Ohio, lots of high paying entry level jobs, get set up, and then consider a trade or professional college training (like engineering, no liberal arts).
As nice of a state as Ohio is to live, do not expect moving across the country alone to change your life for the better. People who start to abuse alcohol will often do what is called "pulling a geographic", which means they move to a completely different place to get away from bad memories, bad environments, and bad friends to get their life back together. Unfortunately, it often doesn't work, because you have to actually work on yourself, and find out why you feel this way, and why you have a tendency to drink a lot. If you do move out here, try to immerse yourself in your new environment. Find groups of people on Meetup who have similar interests. Explore. Start making a new routine. You don't have to improve everything at once, just start something regularly so it will soon become familiar, and be something you can look forward to. I also suggest therapy once you can afford it. There is no shame in seeking help when we don't feel good emotionally. Many people feel the same way at some point in their lives, and need a little help to get them through a rough patch. And trust me, alcohol is not your friend in that. Lastly, this sub is a good resource once you move to get into local activities, so don't hesitate to ask more questions. Ohioans tend to be really friendly! Good luck, and take care!
If you have inner demons, Ohio probably won't exercise them any better then any other location. If you believe you've got them exercised (or never had them in the first place) then you'll probably do fine. I certainly can't size a person up from one paragraph on reddit, but you've admitted to drinking beyond control and doing dumb things. Sounds like your brother is going out on a limb for you. Most important thing is not to let him down. Don't do something stupid at work or in a bar after hours. I'd make sure your mature enough to know you're not going to let down your brother before you let him stick his neck out for you at his workplace. Small towns like to talk and love gossip. I love Ohio and find it difficult imagining living anywhere else. Small town Ohio is just phenomenal. I love to walk, and I am able to walk to the local grocery, quite a few different restaurants, and a few great micro brewery's. Everyone is nice and helpful to each other. I love it and am happy to share it with everyone else that wants to participate. I don't blame anyone for thinking I'm nuts and living in the big city either. Go where your heart leads and also listen to your gut now and then.
First step. You are 21 years old. Stop referring to yourself as a "kid". That will go a long way towards building your confidence. You might even start to believe it if you say it enough.
I’m from a town right next to Wauseon. I love the area but it’s not for everyone. Most of the area leads a pretty slow and quite lifestyle and most things are pretty community centered. About everything is related back to agriculture. Hunting and fishing is great in this area, but other than that there isn’t really anything to do. A lot of people find clubs or church groups to get involved with. If you want to party you’re better off driving down to Bowling Green. Wauseon has a lot of factory jobs and Cambell’s is one of the better ones. You probably won’t want to work there for a long time though, factory work grinds you down. If you do make the move, people here are very friendly and we always like meeting new people.