Pretty Austin. Picture courtesy: www.terrysaytherauto.com

I Moved From Illinois to Texas Alone. Here is What I Learnt

Tips on how to move your apartment in a 16 hour solo drive.

Akash Jain
Aug 8, 2017 · 6 min read

A few weeks ago, I moved to Austin, Texas to begin working for a tech company. From the cold, flat streets of a university town, to a warm, vibrant, and hip city, it truly was an enriching experience.

With all of my friends moving out to the cool and artsy SanFran, I was left to move all by myself. Owning two dear-to-heart guitars and an amplifier, I didn’t want to become the second person to make a ‘United Breaks Guitar’ song. Nor was I in any mood to fight the FedEx guys over my damaged amplifier. And so I was left with the option of renting a car and driving south for 16 hours.

And oh boy, wasn’t it fun.

From renting a car to settling in a less-known city all by myself, here’s what I learnt.

1. Book your rental car in advance

If you own a car, you’re lucky. If not, it is in your interest to make your reservation early. I found that Alamo and Budget can have really good rates for one-way rentals (yes, no drop-off fee) IF you’re willing to plan early. I learnt this the hard way; I kept delaying my reservation until the day before the move, only to find out all Alamo and Budget cars had been moved to a different city and weren’t available until a week after. Short on time, I ended up paying an extra $200 with Hertz. Book early, save dearly.

2. A good car is worth the money

Saving $30 by choosing a lower category of vehicle might seem like a good idea at the time of booking. But if you’re gonna do long distances, it just isn’t worth it. A good car can truly elevate the quality of your road trip. Look for a car that has AT LEAST a good mileage, comfortable seats, USB-ports, cup-holders, and Bluetooth connectivity. Investing in a good USB-cable and smartphone holder is also a good idea. Oh, and get insurance if you do not have one.

3. Plan your road trip ahead, at least in your head

Taking a good look at the route before heading out is an excellent decision. Prior to hitting the road, I had made mental notes of the cities I would be hitting on the way. It gave me an idea of what to expect, and eliminated the fear of unknown. I divided the trip into short legs of 3–4 hours. At each stop, I refueled the car and took a short break or a meal, before heading to the next destination. It helped me stay focused and gave me a point to look forward to!

4. TALK, TALK, TALK!

I drove almost 10 hours the first day. Want to know how? By talking. If you’ve never driven such a long distance before, you’d be surprised how boring it gets staring at a straight road for hours. Sure, radio helps, some say even audiobooks help. But what really kept me going was conversations. I spent a total of 4 hours talking to friends and never realized how time flew by. Early in the drive, I realized it is easy to lose track of surroundings when you’re thinking too deeply (a.k.a zoning out). Talking kept me concentrated enough to not fall asleep, without forcing deep thoughts. So the next time you drive for this long, find those old buddies you haven’t caught up with and surprise them!

5. Keep the basic stuff in your car

This is beginner road trip tip. Always keep necessities such as a pack of water bottles, granola bars (for those quick munchies), and Starbucks Frappuccino's (or whatever gives you pleasure) in your car! This will avoid you unnecessary stops and shorten your trip. Oh, don’t forget a first-aid kit too, just in case.

6. Keep people in the loop

It is always a good idea to let your loved ones know exactly where you are, especially when driving alone. To my advantage, Google Maps had just released a feature allowing users to share their current location with multiple people, for as long as they like! Useful, right?

7. Use Waze, but keep Google Maps handy

Waze does an excellent job with navigating to a specific destination, and alerting of cops, construction, and traffic jams. But what it doesn’t do well is help find reliable gas stations nearby. I remember driving through Oklahoma and using Waze to search for a gas station along my route. After taking an exit, and wandering in the middle of nowhere for a good 10 minutes, I passed an empty piece of land that was SUPPOSED to be the gas station! Result? I had to end up switching to Google Maps every time I needed gas! Lesson: Keep Google Maps handy.

8. STOP!

In order to cover as much distance possible, it is likely for you to ignore the stress of driving and keep going. It could, however, be fatal if you’re not aware of yourself and your body. Take stops, drink plenty of water, keep yourself occupied and call it a day when your body tells you to. It isn’t a race.

9. Keep accommodation ready at your destination

It might seem convenient to think about your accommodation only after you’ve arrived, but if you trust me, you’d want that figured out beforehand. Driving is surprisingly exhausting, and you might feel the need to crash as soon as you arrive. Book a hotel before you hit the road, or an Airbnb, or if you’re daring enough, sign a lease online with an apartment complex and move in immediately (what I did)! Subleasing an apartment (on a short lease) is also a good option if you want to figure out the city neighborhoods before deciding your to-be home.

10. Order the essentials in advance, if possible

If you’re like me, and will have an apartment ready as soon as you arrive, it might be in your favor to order the essential furniture — mattress and a bed frame, a week or two before you move in. When I moved in, all I had to do was assemble the bed frame and put the mattress on top to have a guaranteed good night’s sleep. It lowered the pressure of rushing to a furniture store right away!

11. Technology to furnish your apartment

Living without a car is difficult, especially when you’re trying to furnish an apartment. What came to my rescue were websites like Wayfair, where I could find almost everything I needed to furnish my apartment (including the mattress and bedframe). Due to the wide consumer base, I was able to find products with enough ratings and reviews to help make my decision. Wayfair also has great discounts all the time, and they ship free for anything above $49! You could also look at Ikea and get stuff delivered, but beware — their delivery charges are tiered, so you would need to be smart about it. As for the basic home necessities, Amazon Prime helps :)

12. Being alone isn’t bad, it’s just different

In the entire process of moving out and in, I learnt the importance of being alone. Honestly, it is NOT boring; it makes situations much more exciting. It teaches you to prepare, to face challenges, and to appreciate the presence of humans. Moreover, getting some me-time isn’t bad once a while.

Moving out is an experience in itself. It isn’t easy; it is stressful. But it can also be fun if you want it to! Live it, for it won’t come often.

As for me, Austin has become my new home. Let’s keep this city weird.

The Ascent

Akash Jain

Written by

UIUC ‘17. Computer Science. Psychology.

The Ascent

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