Dos, don’ts, and seriously don’ts.
When moving to a new city, you should do your due diligence researching the area, either when planning your housing, work commute, or location around the best city taco trucks. While Googling and other web research will get you far, there are some insights, warnings, and need-to-knows that you can only pick up when living in that city. We recently prompted our Secret Houston followers on Facebook and Instagram with the question: What advice would you give anyone moving to Houston? So straight from the horse’s mouth, here are the best pieces of advice Houstonians had to offer new Houstonians. [Featured image: @shonuff1983]
1. “Always carry an umbrella, a pillow, a sweater, and swimwear in your car. Oh, and water in your vehicle. You’ll get thirsty 😄”
2. “Left lane on any freeway is 80mph no discussion.”
3. “No need for fall and winter clothes.”
4. “Live as close to work as possible. And plan on spending a fortune on AC!”
5. “Adjust your body to live in heat by getting out of the shower, NOT drying off, then putting on hot damp clothes from the dryer. Make sure your heat is set to a minimum of 80⁰F then just sit there.”
6. “If your apartment won’t let you have a pet bird, try the giant roaches here. They are quiet ad they fly just like a bird!”
7. “Live inside the loop. Twice a week drive until you’re lost and then try to find you’re way home. You’ll be surprised what you’ll discover.”
8. “Make sure the house you plan to buy has never flooded, but buy flood insurance anyway.”
9. “Must have a separate account to fund for a foodie lifestyle. So many satisfying restaurants and food trucks and coffee shops!!”
10. “Get mosquito repellent – whatever you think may be an acceptable quantity, quadruple it.”
11. “Embrace the humidity. It’s a social construct that we all know and accept that everyone is a sweaty mess during the summer. No judgement. Dress accordingly.”
12. “It’s pronounced KIRK-en-dall, never mind that it’s spelled Kuykendahl.”
13. “While driving on the highway, a signal light encourages drivers to speed up not to let you over.”
14. “Don’t walk your dogs after 12 pm – 7 pm during July and August.”
15. “Choose remote work to save yourself years of your life and money.”
16. “Invest in a bottle of Goldbond’s Medicated Body Powder and powder up in summer.”
17. “Don’t road rage.”
18. “Be prepared for the unexpected allergy yellow pollen week. Red dust week, hurricane season, flash floods, and lots of rain!”
19. “Texans will rally together faster and more generously for any cause than anywhere I have ever been. Whether it’s a flood, fire, or personal tragedy, Texans step up and they (usually) don’t ask who you voted for first.”
20. “Be prepared to wear shorts on Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.”
21. “If you’re a Cowboys fan you may leave.”
22. “Don’t drive through large puddles/running water on roads.”
23. “Air conditioned seats in your car, a pool if you want to spend anytime outside from June through September, and start honing your defensive driving skills.”
24. “If you ever need help, want to adopt some family or be adopted, miss home cooked meals, and want to learn more about different cultures, you’re in the right place.”
25. “Prepare to gain 10lbs trying ALL the wonderful restaurants we have.”