Today is the start of a new adventure for me. A new chapter in my life. A fresh start.

Last night I settled into my new home in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I’ll be working as a communications coordinator at the Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau. My family and I traveled roughly 13 hours in the car, endured horribly hot and humid weather as we packed and unpacked my things, and finally collapsed in a box-filled apartment.

But today is the first day on my own, in the silence of my new home. I’m sitting outside on my deck as write this. My neighborhood is clean and quiet, and despite all the cars, I’ve only seen a few people walking around the apartment complex. The neighbors to my right have outdoor lounge chairs and a satellite dish on their deck, while the neighbors to my left have a snare drum and an Igloo cooler. I have yet to meet anyone, but it’s only been a couple days.

There’s still so much to discover, and I’m excited to get started. It’s definitely nerve-racking to move to a new place where I haven’t been before (other than for my interview) and where I hardly know anyone. But it’s also thrilling. No one knows me here. I can be whoever I want to be. I can try and experience things I never have. I can make new friends, find new hobbies, learn and grow.

Most of all, I can grow up.

Although I worked full-time over the last two years in the athletics department at Southern Illinois University, it was really a means of paying for my education to earn my master’s degree. My official title in the athletics department was Graduate Assistant in the media services office, which meant I was paid a small stipend, but the athletics department would cover my tuition. I couldn’t have asked for a better two years in terms of relationships, work experience and having a segue from being in college to being in the workforce. Now, though, I’m officially done with school, I’ll earn a legitimate salary and I’ll have more responsibilities. I have to say, I’m pretty excited.

I really think this will be a great experience for me. It’s almost like my first true steps into the real world. It’s scary and exhilarating, and I’m excited to see what even tomorrow brings.

Another aspect of this adventure I’m looking forward to is to live in a city and to work in the office that is the understood authority on all things Cincinnati. There’s so much to discover – unique neighborhoods, restaurants, shops, shows, museums, bars, and festivals. The list goes on and on. My job at the CVB will give me access to everything Cincinnati has to offer. I’ll have the insider scoop, know all the best places to go and things to do, and know the right people to make some quality connections. During the interview process I was told that when working at the visitors bureau, you can’t do your job well if you’re not taking the time to go and experience the city that you’re promoting. What better way to get to know a new place than by learning about it for my job?

In an effort to get to know the area, break outside of my comfort zone, and ultimately do better at my job, my goal is to discover something new in the Cincinnati area at least once a week and then blog about it. Ideally it’ll be more frequent, but I’m pacing myself. Considering my job will be to write and promote the area, I think this will be a good use of my time. I love any excuse to write, and this seems like the perfect prompt.

What Cincinnati has in store for me is totally unknown, but I can’t wait to find out.

Quotes for Inspiration

“The world is too big to stay in one place, and life is too short to do just one thing.”

“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventure.”

“A mind stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions. Travel. Learn. Grow.”

“Cincinnati is a beautiful city; cheerful, thriving, and animated. I have not often seen a place that commends itself so favourably and pleasantly to a stranger at the first glance as this does.”

– Charles Dickens

* Note: Major thanks to my parents and sister for helping with the move and getting me settled. I am so lucky to have such a fun, loving, supportive family.