Moving to a new area is a huge step to take. Some people adore their home state and everything it has to offer, others feel the desire to see what lies beyond their state’s lines. 

Kate Collins is a previous resident of the Rochester area. Four years ago she decided to take a trip to Charleston South Carolina to visit a friend and immediately she fell in love with the area. 

“Within that one week that I had visited in Charleston. I knew I wanted to live here, I think it was probably a combination between the weather and the accessibility to the beach,” Collins said.“And I was just happy to be here. I also enjoyed how friendly people were, everyone was so interested in having a genuine conversation.” 

Moving to a new state brings dozens of new and exciting opportunities. Making the move can lead you to meeting new people, finding a place where up belong, maybe even open up more opportunities for a career.

Although, the road to making the move isn’t alway a smooth one. Sometimes there are a few road bumps that will have you questioning if you’re making the right choice.   

“There were so many concerns. I didn’t have a job lined up, I knew like two people. I thought ‘what if I didn’t like it?” Collins said.

One of the most difficult things Collins had to face was leaving behind her family who still lived in the Rochester area. She was living with her parents before the move and was used to seeing them daily.

“I was scared that I would miss out on bonding with my siblings or spending more time with my parents as they get older. I was thinking if my older brother had kids would they know me?” Collins said.

Even with these concerns in mind Collins still knew she wanted to move to Charleston.“What’s helped me was knowing if I didn’t take this step. I would regret it for the rest of my life. And I would have always asked myself like what if you had done that?” Collins said.

“Having a space that is your own that you have created, where you like you control the feeling of it is a huge piece of that,” said Collins. It also matters who you’re with, obviously having Danny with me makes Charleston feel like home.”

It has been three years for Collins since she moved to Charleston. There are a number of things she loves about the city, all of them helping her feel she made the right choice.

“There’s just so much history in Charleston the homes are stunning, they all tell a story. I love the unique character that Charleston has, unlike any other. I love that flowers bloom in March and the entire city is full of color, even when it rains, it’s impossible to be unhappy.” said Collins

Although there has been a few difficulties along the way, Collins expressed that she couldn’t be happier with the decision she made to move from New York to South Carolina.

“There’s this quote by Hugh Laurie that really helped me through the move,” Collins said. “It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything. There’s almost no such thing as ready. There’s only now, and you may as well do it now. Generally speaking, now is as good as time as any.”