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Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

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Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

#1

Post by joshuawilde »

25 yrs old. Been programming since I was ~13. Grew up in a small town. Maybe spent a total of 7 months living in a big city.

Looking to move to SF in a month or two (will try out a STR first, and if I like that then I'll commit).

My main goals are to : 1. Be around more like minded people (especially with tech and business) 2. Increase my business opportunities and expand my mindset. 3. Make lifelong friends 4. Form mutually beneficial relationships (wrt business/tech)

To be clear, I run a mobile game dev studio with my family, so I have plenty busy with my own projects (not looking for work), but I want to get ahead of the curve some more and increase my opportunities.

Don't think anyone wants to read my life story, so I'll leave it at that.

Any advice? General or specific, I'll take anything.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

#4

Post by PaulHoule »

smt88 wrote: post #2

Don't move there. It's a hellhole and the cost of living isn't worth it. Look at Austin, Denver, Atlanta, or Chicago instead. You don't need a 1,000 startups around you when you'll only ever interact with a few dozen.

I like the startup scene in NYC myself. Also, like Randy Newman, I love L.A. I think it is a much more “normal” place that the bay area.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

#5

Post by PaulHoule »

jiveturkey wrote: post #3

Assume you are moving with a job in hand. Find someone, or a group, you click with at work and roommate with them. Don't live solo. Don't work for big tech. Find a startup.

My take on the job market is that the Bay Area could be in recession (FAANG is firing, VC investments seem to be retreating) but normal employers in the rest of the country are struggling to fill positions.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

#7

Post by baremetal »

>Any advice? General or specific, I'll take anything.

Be careful of the homeless and the drug addicts. Spread some cash around the homeless that frequent where you live so that they aren't hostile. Don't step on any poop, and keep an eye out for needles when you walk.

Oh and leave your car unlocked with the windows down. Don't leave any valuables in your car. Don't venture outside at night unless you are streetwise and know how to handle yourself.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

#8

Post by smt88 »

hifromLA wrote: post #6
smt88 wrote: post #2

Don't move there. It's a hellhole and the cost of living isn't worth it. Look at Austin, Denver, Atlanta, or Chicago instead. You don't need a 1,000 startups around you when you'll only ever interact with a few dozen.

[flagged]

It has a level of homelessness and drug use that has shocked every American I've known who has visited in the last 5 years. It is on another level.

Re: Ask HN: Advice for a 25 yr old moving to SF?

#10

Post by hifromLA »

smt88 wrote: post #8
hifromLA wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

It has a level of homelessness and drug use that has shocked every American I've known who has visited in the last 5 years. It is on another level.

You say that as if it’s some big revelation. Everyone knows this by now, but I’m pushing back on the idea that the entire 7x7 is like this. It’s simply not.

Could you tell me with a straight face that the Richmond is a hellhole? The sunset? The marina? Noe? Glen park? pac heights? Bernal?

There’s a degree of nuance that is missing from the conversation. That is my point.

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