What should I know before moving out of state?

What do I need to know for certain before moving to Washington State?

• I have been living in Florida for about ten years now and I have become overwhelmingly miserable. I am turning 18 this august and I want a one way flight out of here. Maybe its foolish, but why stay where I am not happy? I have always been one to follow the uncertainty. So please, I would like to know all of your personal opinions. It will be greatly appreciated=)

• Answer:

  A change from Florida to Seattle isn’t for the faint of heart. The biggest shock to your system will be the lack of sun. If you’re accustomed to 70 degree averages year round, you’re going to find Seattle very cold. If you’re accustomed to seeing the sun year round, you’ll find Seattle very depressing. Not to say this isn’t a beautiful area – I’ve happily lived here over 20 years. But I can’t think of a more drastic change than Florida to Seattle. My advice: visit the Seattle area between December and February to see if you really think you'll like it here. If you come in the summer, you'll be deceived into thinking the climate warmer and sunnier than it truly is. Edit to add: ‘Dreary’ is a common misconception. If you’re expecting torrential down-pours, you’re out of luck. It isn’t that it rains a lot (volume) in Seattle, it’s that it rains a little bit all the time. Whether it’s in the form of morning fog and mist or afternoon showers with sun-breaks. There is a cute old joke about the Seattle area that sums it up nicely: “A business man traveled into Seattle in June. It’s raining. He grabs his umbrella and goes out for a walk. As a lady passes the man calls out to her, “Excuse me Miss. Is the weather always like this? When do you get to enjoy summer?” The lady smiles and says, “Last year it was on a Wednesday”