Why I Moved to Reno, Nevada

Have you heard of The Biggest Little City in the World? Located in the northwest part of Nevada, Reno has had a rough reputation for a long time. As a kid that spent a few years in Tahoe, Reno was never a city I aspired to live in. Everyone had their eyes on San Francisco. Las Vegas might have been on the radar, but Reno? It was small and didn’t appear to have many charms. Its one claim on my time back in high school was a few gyms with competition trampoline programs where I trained. I just couldn’t see past the casinos. Frankly, even I am a bit surprised that nearly nine years after graduating high school, I am a Reno, Nevada, resident.

However, a lot has changed since I spent time in Reno, Nevada, training for trampoline competitions. The city is on the up and up. This year, Reno was ranked as the sixth best small city in the U.S. by a global destination marketing company. It was ranked alongside Honolulu, Charleston, and Asheville. They looked at everything from arts and culture in the area to infrastructure and housing costs. It ranked as one of the best.  

Of course, I didn’t just stumble across that article and say, “Aha! I’m moving to Reno!” Instead, a few factors–both major and minor–played into my move. 

1. I got a job in Reno, Nevada.

I feel very fortunate. Just a couple weeks after leaving Boston, I got an email from Noble Studios about a resume I had submitted in January. Obviously, the interview process went well, and I accepted a new job. The creative content writer position is an incredible opportunity to work with a spectacular creative digital performance agency. For those that don’t speak marketing, I work with brands to tell their story through digital platforms like websites and social media. I’ve been doing it for nearly a month now, and I’m in love. 

2. Reno, Nevada, is an easy drive to Lake Tahoe. 

I can hop on Highway 80 from my apartment downtown and be in Truckee or on Lake Tahoe in under an hour. So, I get the benefits of a big-ish city like a Costco, great bars and restaurants, concerts, and industry while still having access to the things that make Tahoe such a kick ass destination like beach days on the lake. 

3. My parents live in Reno, Nevada. 

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to have regular weekly dinners with my parents. I’ve wanted to move closer to family for a while now, and my parents were the catalyst for my job search in Reno all those months ago. My dad is not a man that it easily swayed, so the fact that he fell in love with Reno convinced me that it was worth considering. I went from living 3,000 miles away to three blocks away from them. It’s certainly a 180, and it feels great. 

4. Sometimes we need to be scared.

New city. New job. New apartment. New friends. It’s been a jolt to my system, and I needed it. I think it’s easy to get comfortable with your situation and sink into the imperfections. It’s easy to settle into a routine. So, here I am in my new single life, enjoying a fancy new apartment on my blue velvet couch from Wayfair and looking at the multi-colored Reno skyline. Most of the major aspects my life are completely different than they were one month ago. I’ve been lucky to have the support of my friends and family through the transition. They have added some stability to this exciting, slightly scary adventure. 

The more I’m here, the more I fall in love its quirky, eclectic vibe and the low cost of living. With this change in lifestyle and job, my blog content may change ever so slightly. I am figuring out how this will fit into my in-office, 9-to-5 life. At the end of the day, it’ll still be about adventures big and small. Together, we’ll get to try new restaurants, adventure through the wilderness, and go on weekend getaways. I can’t wait. 

Until next time, here goes nothing.