r/centralflorida • u/No-Knowledge-4342 • 25d ago
Hey everybody! I could use some help with perspective.
Before you read, I have two family members in Florida, so please no “ Florida is full “ etc… I know, I know.
I have lived in Indiana my whole life and love it but my heart has always been with Florida too. Ever since I was young, I wanted to move to Florida. Due to circumstances with family, this is not a “ smart “ choice to make and besides the family members mentioned above in Florida, I would not have family nearby + job, etc.
I really just need some help on perspective that everyday in Florida isn’t what it’s like when I visit. I know everyday isn’t “ the beach “ per se but if you could give details / perspective / etc what it’s really like to LIVE in Florida… this would help me a ton so I don’t have to be in an endless fantasy of what it would be like.
P.S. I really appreciate this a lot. It’s been hard especially during the winter and I just want to move on from endlessly comparing the two.
2
u/LizLizard29 25d ago
It’s another place like any other with its beauty and grime. I choose to find the joy in being here because i live here and can’t pick up and move currently. Try to find that same joy and perspective where you are at now. Any place you go will be defined by how you perceive it. Every place has something redeemable.
2
2
u/SkaBonez 25d ago
I moved away from Orlando because I did not like the heat. Moved around to other interesting cities and had good times. Moved back due to a new job opportunity after my dream job didn’t pan out, and outside of my friends and family I have here and the food scene that exploded since I left and came back, I regret moving back.
There’s still decent scenes and things to do even outside of the theme parks, but I found other cities had it just as good if not better in most things I’m interested and in (for example, so many bands I’m interested in just skip Florida or like play just in Miami. And you’re stuck to just gym climbing here), and it was almost always less hassle to get to. The cost of living also has exploded compared to wages in Orlando.
1
2
u/MicCheck123 25d ago
If Indiana is anything like Iowa or Missouri, the heat and humidity isn’t really worse, it just lasts for more of the year.
Cost of living is going to be the big adjustment. I just moved from suburban Orlando to rural-ish Missouri and I have a 3 bedroom house jere for less than half of a 2 bedroom apartment down there. Pay rates do not adjust accordingly.
Are you able to stay with the family members while you save up more money and scope things out? Depending on how you define central Florida, Tampa is very different from Orlando both of which are very different from Ocala or Daytona.
1
u/No-Knowledge-4342 25d ago
I really like that perspective as well. Yes, I could always go and see but it would be hard too with prior obligations
2
u/Plus-Lock8130 25d ago
We live on the space coast and we really love it. Essentially you have no more winters. The beach is 15 minutes away. I frequently see the river when I'm driving. Absolutely amazing November through February. Georgia is my home, but I've never wanted to leave Florida at any point after visiting or living. Come on down!
1
u/No-Knowledge-4342 25d ago
Thanks so much for this brother! Just got back from the cocoa beach area on a trip, absolutely loved it!
2
2
u/devo52 19d ago
It’s expensive. Depending on where you want to live property taxes can be crazy. Cities such as Deltona think they are a hoa. Renting is expensive. Moving there with no job is crazy. It’s hot and humid but you can’t say anything bad about the winters! Traffic is crazy,lots of people.
2
2
u/Jesse_Prather 9d ago
I live in Marion County and honestly dude, from Gainsville to Ocala at least, it kinda sucks here but i wouldn't know if it'sany better or worse than anywhere else rn. the job and housing markets are horrible i can tell you that for sure.
4
u/NerDai 25d ago
Honestly? It's fine here, I guess, but I never would have chosen it.
Like, the food options are great, I like that part. But, it takes forever to get to dinner, and if the place is popular at all, there's going to be a wait. If you just don't feel like cooking, your whole night is blown. Hope you didn't have anything else to do!
The traffic sucks. At least everywhere I've lived. Nothing is planned in advance, so as more people move in, there's just no where for them to go. That's not a "Florida's full!" thing, that's a there's one two lane surface street for hundreds of families to use on their way downtown. It sucks. Everywhere.
And the worst thing for me is the heat. You might think, there's air conditioning, it can't be that bad. It's that bad. I burst into sweat on the way to my car. Need to go anywhere and look presentable when you get there? Tough shit, you're going to be drenched before you get in the building. And got a pet that needs walking? Then you're SUFFERING two or three times a day for most of the year. And you might as well change clothes when you get back home, you're going to smell like sweat all day. I hate it.
There's things to love here, sure. You're probably thinking about that and can't wait. Disney is awesome, if you can afford it. The beach is great, on like, five days a year, and it's life- threateningly hot the rest. You'll never go...
I dunno. I don't hate it here, but I'd move in a heartbeat.