You’ve pulled the trigger and now you are living in your new Little Rock apartment! Maybe that means you moved from hundreds or maybe even thousands of miles away to be here. We know how nerve wracking that can be. It is never fun to feel like an outsider in the place that you are living, that is why Apartment Hunters is here to give you all of the secrets on how to feel like you were born and raised in our (not so) little home town.

Get Familiar With Your Surroundings

In your old town, you probably had your favorite grocery store, favorite coffee shop, you knew which movie theatre had the best popcorn, and what pharmacy was open 24 hours for any emergencies that may come up. Spend a day exploring Little Rock. Find the quickest route to The Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Stop in Mugs or Nexus for a cup of coffee brewed right there in the shop. Checkout when The Rave offers matinee pricing and decide if you want to use a big name pharmacy that will be open at all hours or a family owned and operated one where they know you by name. We want Little Rock to feel like home to you, and the best way to feel like home, is to make it your home.

Do Touristy Things Without Acting Like a Tourist

We know what you’re thinking,  “you just said I would look like I’m from Little Rock and now you are telling me to visit all of the tourist attractions.” The thing is, in Little Rock, the “tourist attractions” are also where the locals like to spend their time. For example, if you haven’t seen the leaves changing in the fall at Pinnacle Mountain, then you have not fully experienced Arkansas for all of it’s natural beauty. If you are a fan of the arts, stop in for a play at The Rep or a concert down at The River Market. There is so much that Little Rock offers and you wont want to miss out.

Make New Friends

This probably sounds a lot easier said than done, but if you put yourself out there, it is typically reciprocated. Take a (store bought – we are in a Global Pandemic) batch of cookies over to your next door neighbor and introduce yourself. It will make you feel better knowing someone that lives close to you in case of an emergency. They will also be able to tell you where all of their favorite local hangouts are. There is no better way to live like a local than to have a local show you the ropes.

Know The Language

It’s easy to feel like a fish out of water whenever you don’t speak the language of the country you are living in.  If you did move over from another country, we highly suggest signing up for language training as soon as you possibly can. A lot of times, your employer will pay for your language lessons. Be sure to discuss this with Human Resources at your new job.

Join a Group

Creating connections is a great way to feel like you are at home in your new city. If you love to workout, check out all of the gym and fitness class options that Little Rock has to offer. If working out isn’t your cup of tea, you can always join a book club. If you have school aged children, you can get involved with the Parent Teacher Association. All of these are a great way to meet other people and get involved in your community. Submerging yourself in the environment around you makes it easier to begin to feel like a local in your new city.

Your New Normal

We’ve heard this saying a lot this year but we are not referring to Covid19 this time. Moving can be overwhelming. Even when things are unboxed, put away, and the dust settles, it can be hard getting back into a routine. It is important to try and stick with some sort of structured schedule to keep your brain from going into overdrive on all of the changes it is adjusting to. Get into a routine and try and stick to it as best you can.

Relax 

It is normal to feel like an outsider whenever you first move to a new city. The encouraging part of it all though is that feeling that does not last forever. Give yourself a little grace and know that eventually, over time, you will begin to feel at home in Little Rock.