Leave Your Hometown: 16 Reasons Why You Should Go For It
I left my hometown to live in a country which is 10,000 miles away.
Moving away from your hometown may seem scary at first. I want to give you a few reasons why you should leave your hometown for travel, work or study.
Leaving my hometown was something I always dreamed about. As soon as I graduated from University, I jumped onto a flight to land 10,000 miles away from my home.
a friend and I had made a last-minute decision to become backpackers for a year in Australia. Looking back, this was one of the best experiences of my life.
Why is it Good To Leave Your Hometown?
Leaving your hometown in your early 20s is a helpful life strategy. Moving away at 21 years old made me stronger, more resilient, and more thankful.
Leaving my comfort zone was not easy, but it was the best decision of my life. Moving to a new place is a roller-coaster of emotions.
Reasons Why You Should Leave Your Hometown
I have listed below the initial reason or feeling I experienced when I first left my hometown.
- Limited opportunities
- Lack of fulfillment
- No social life
- You feel stuck in your current situation
- You need some independence
Fresh Start, Along With Endless Opportunities
A new clean slate, fresh page, new beginnings, or whatever way you want to put it. It is always a good incentive to try and recreate your identity.
If you are sick and unhappy with your current life, then I suggest moving on.
As soon as you have left high school or university people will say over and over again ‘The world is your oyster’. Which is true!
By leaving your hometown and expanding your horizons you will realise how big the world is. Also, there are endless opportunities waiting for you!
Also, some of us need a change. We need a different scenery and different location.
Some of us are born into a situation that is not that favourable for us. Or, the people you are around and not helping to build to you. Some of us need a change of location.
The negative situations we were born into, we do not have to die in. You are not a tree, thus, move! We did not choose where we were born but we can choose we are heading.
Independence And Self-Reliance
Being a solo traveller allows you to grow and will bring so much independence. You will find yourself in situations where you cannot rely on friends and family.
When you live at home with family you will never grow as you will always have a backup plan or people to rely on.
So, you will learn to become resourceful and reliant on yourself. In the process, you will learn swiftly, build resilience and figure out how to do things alone.
Being self-reliant is a great skill to learn in your 20s. As you get older, you experience more hiccups along the way.
You will be able to figure out solutions to your problems by having faith in yourself.
No Commitments
Are you at a time in your life when you have nothing pinning you down in your hometown? So now is the perfect chance for you to uproot your life and do something different.
Meet New People
Yes, it is so important to have lifelong friends that you met on the very first day at school. Sometimes, in life, it gets to a point where you feel stuck in these friendships that you have had for years.
So, moving away from your hometown allows room for more and it is important to meet new people. Meeting new people who are open-minded will spark new friendships.
You will have unique sets of friends from all over the world. Bringing your home friends together with your travel friends is always great fun too.
Immersing yourself in new cultures and local cuisines is the beauty of moving to a new place. Staying open-minded you will have no issues adapting.
Once you start meeting new people, it becomes addictive. Now, I am addicted to meeting new people.
Follow this guide on how to make friends while travelling solo.
Networking Opportunities
Also, get the chance to make professional relationships too. Moving away will allow you to create an expansive network. Essential if you want to do well in a career.
It’s good fun getting to grow your network. I enjoyed meeting new people in your industry, showcasing your talents and gaining the chance to learn one thing or another.
Introducing yourself might seem scary at first. Yet, the more you introduce yourself to people, the less scary it gets.
So, you will build confidence in yourself. Also, you will gain a new group of friends and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
There are so many more jobs when you move to a larger city or to a different country. You will get so many more opportunities to help build your career and resume.
New Skills
I tried many activities like surfing and skydiving. I also gained inspiration to improve my photography and painting skills. I even started this blog.
Different Perspective
At home you have lived with people who all have similar experiences to you. You went to the same school, knew the same people, were a part of the same teams and went to the same places.
Moving away and engaging with new people feels like unlocking a new level.
Weather
When I moved to Australia there were so many opportunities to enjoy the sun! As I am from Scotland, a change to living in a country where you get proper seasons is bliss.
I was able to go outside in shorts and a T-shirt without freezing.
If you live in a hot country originally. you might want to move somewhere where you can experience cold winters and snow!
Different Things To Do
I used to always go to the same bars, pubs and clubs. With the same group of friends, and you will always see the same people wherever you go.
But when you leave you realise there are so much more things to explore, see and do.
When you move to a different town there is a chance that you will get to try something new. Something that you did not know existed, or that you would have never got to try at home.
There are more opportunities when you move to a larger city. So, some people end up following (and being successful) in completely different paths.
Appreciating Family More
Your parents will be so proud of you if you have the mindset and confidence to pack up and leave in your early twenties.
Once you move out from your family home and start meeting new people. You start to realise how much of a good job your parents did raising you. And you realise you have a lot to thank for.
It’s the truth when they say ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’. Whether it takes a few days or a few months, you will begin to miss your loved ones back home. Missing birthdays, holidays and getting together is difficult but everyone is a video call away.
You might get homesick and make a last-minute decision to surprise your parents back home.
All I can say is that homesickness will pass. Just a reminder that moving out in your twenties is a good thing for you and for your parents.
You’ll Never Look At Your Home Town The Same way
I was away from home for a year. As soon as I got home I started to appreciate the little things that were awful and boring there. I am proud to say that I am from Scotland.
Despite the weather, Scotland is an amazing country. From the bustling cities of Glasgow to the quiet scenic beaches on the west coast.
There is so much to offer. It is a shame that it took me a year abroad to realise this.
I have a lot of friends who I met travelling that are desperate to come and visit Scotland.
Greater Trust and More Confidence In Yourself
As well as developing resilience you learn to trust your gut instinct. There are a few situations where your friends and family are not there when you call for help.
You will learn to be more comfortable with doing things by yourself.
There will be so many situations where you feel insecure and at your lowest. But, again you will learn to handle this and motivate yourself over the next hurdle.
Reflect More
When you move away to a different country you will be left with your own thoughts much more. This is an opportunity to reflect in a positive way.
With so many distractions and drama at home, it can be comforting and helpful to move away for a while.
It is vital to learn to look back, to realise how far you have come and how much you have grown. Have a sense of accomplishment when you get a new job, reach a new milestone or achieve small things.
Travelling and the Freedom
You can make life decisions without feeling pressured from others. Apply for a new job in a new industry, take a scuba diving course, or get a horse.
Who cares? Do it all on your own.
With freedom, come mistakes. You might lose a job, lose a friend, or accidentally crash the car.
But, you learn that making mistakes is perfectly normal. How you carry yourself, work it out and it is how it makes you stronger on the other side.
Now, you are less judgemental, and it is easier to be yourself when you are surrounded by strangers. Also, you make changes that people in your hometown will consider to be too drastic.
With the freedom to focus on yourself and uncover who you really are. Your perspectives will change. Evidently, you will become a new person – the person you are supposed to be.
Goodbye Comfort Zone
If you change the limits of your comfort zone now. There will be no need to try and find yourself later on in life because you are already comfortable with yourself.
Other people in your hometown will be reaching their milestones and that will no longer bother you.
You will become detached from familiar influences. A change in scenery will create room for self-discovery. You have the ability to realise that everyone is on their own path in life, and you do not have to stick to societal norms.
Staying inside your comfort zone does not allow you to grow. Once you move towards change, you will become a better person, leading to you finding your true self.
Tips For Moving Away From Home
The list below are some things that I will recommend from my own personal experiences.
- Apply for jobs in a new region or country
- Move away for college or university
- Budget and have a clear plan
- Join new clubs and find people who have the same interests
- Bring some comfort items from home
- Do not listen to those who will hold you back
Is It Bad To Move Back To Your Home Town?
Moving back to your hometown will give you a chance to reconnect with your loved ones. Also, you will realise who cares for you and about the ones who do not care.
As you know, reminiscing about old times will never get old.
Also, coming home for a short time will make you appreciate things that you have not noticed before. You will rediscover what is important.
Final Note
When it comes to big things such as leaving your hometown we put so many negative ‘what ifs’ on it. ‘What ifs’ include things like ‘what if I do not make friends?’ ‘What if I do not have enough money?’. Honestly, there is no reason to overcomplicate it, just go for it.
Everything is possible, you just how to follow the curve. Your life will have its ups and downs.
Everything is possible when the curve dips, and it will come back up again. If you do not like where you are staying just simply move.
If you have ever wondered what it will be like to live in a different place. Move away from your support system and truly find who you are.
I would say just go for it. Stop dreaming and make it happen. Leaving your hometown in your 20s is a life hack.
Don’t spend your life wondering ‘what if’. Worst case scenario, you’ll end up hating it and move back home.
And that is okay too. Hopefully, this post has inspired you to try and live somewhere new.
In a new place, you can pick friends who align with your mindset, you can pick people who elevate you. It is amazing being able to restructure in a new place without having to destroy your old place.
Also, you will grow a sense of gratitude. You will start to appreciate where you come from. When you are away from that, you start to appreciate them a lot more.