From the South I to the North...

Hey all

I am wondering if anyone here has moved from the South of England to the North?

I am originally in London but I am currently studying at Leeds. I will graduate in 18 months and then I would go into work. For personal reasons I will not be able to move back, but I'd love to move back to London or stay in Leeds.

The cost of living in Leeds is cheaper than London. London is fantastic but too expensive to live in.

It might seem weird for a Londoner to consider staying in Leeds, but I don't mind it so much. However I would move back to London in the future. Lots of people want to move down to London, so it might seem strange that I am not taking that opportunity after graduation.

I am trying to figure out what to do...

So has anyone here has moved from the South of England to the North?

I'm originally from the South East but go to uni in Sheffield. I've always hated London so moving there's never been an option. I absolutely love it up here in Sheffield, so I'd like to find a permanent job up here.

Oh wow that is very interesting!

I love London but I understand how you feel. I am used to London but I get very frustrated at the hustle and bustle! It can get very exhausting after a while!

I have lived outside London before and I would like to move back to the South East but on the outskirts of London, and after a few years of living in Leeds.

Which profession would you like to go into? I'd like to work in media/PR/journalism. I could work in any media company in any part of the country but there are more jobs (and more competition) in London. Ideally I'd like to work for the university, in the marketing/communications department.

Leeds is nice but I don't think I would live there for the rest of my life.

I really want to go into teaching-I'm planning on staying in Sheffield to do my PGCE.

Yeah, there are more jobs in London, but it's just hideously expensive and I find people in the south east quite stuck up generally. I really wouldn't be happy down there.

Yeah, it's too expensive. Plus there are loads of media companies/magazines I could work for anywhere in the country. I'd earn more being in London, but my money would not go as far unfortunately because the cost of living is so expensive.

A least with teaching and doing a PGCE, you could do that anywhere. After you do your PGCE will you stay in Sheffield?

I've noticed that as well. In the North people seem nicer and seem to make more time for each other, but people in London are always in a rush and unwilling to be friendly and make conversation.

I'd like to stay in Sheffield after my PGCE, but anywhere in the north would be good-Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool! Just have to see where I get a job!

People definitely are friendlier up here-I love it!

Yeah I have been thinking: I could move to another one of the biggest cities instead of staying in Leeds, but chances are, I will stay in Leeds.

Just to add: I come from a 'not-so-great' borough in London (but the area within the borough where I come from is alright) and I have always wanted to leave the borough and have a fresh start. I never want to move back to that borough. Moving away to Leeds for university has given me the opportunity to get away.

Yeah, uni's the perfect opportunity to get away. I was always counting down the days until I could leave my hometown and now I have I couldn't be happier

I moved from London to Manchester and haven't ever really wanted to go back, apart from perhaps the first few months of my first year. Rent is less than half as much, my house is gorgeous and I prefer the public transport. I like being able to get out into the hills or to other cities close by easily and the city centre provides me with everything I'd want from London. I don't think this is an uncommon move at all - when I moved into my house most of the people I lived with were southerners who were sticking around. Quite a lot of them have moved out now but they've all stayed up north. It's just a lot nicer up here.

I moved from London to Manchester and haven't ever really wanted to go back, apart from perhaps the first few months of my first year. Rent is less than half as much, my house is gorgeous and I prefer the public transport. I like being able to get out into the hills or to other cities close by easily and the city centre provides me with everything I'd want from London. I don't think this is an uncommon move at all - when I moved into my house most of the people I lived with were southerners who were sticking around. Quite a lot of them have moved out now but they've all stayed up north. It's just a lot nicer up here.

I'd try to get a job, and property, down in London if I were you, before giving living elsewhere a go. At least then you're invested where everyone wants to be, can gain professional experience where most of the jobs you spake of are, then have options/opportunities going forward, and won't get frozen out (priced out) of the market. Alternatively you could of course consider living/working abroad, seems a lot of indigenous people are leaving these days..

I'm from Brighton and go to university in Manchester. I'm in my final year and am hoping to stay in Manchester after I graduate, although I do want to move out of the student ghetto that is Fallowfield. Manchester is pretty cheap and has all the facilities I need so I see no reason to leave. I'd like to move back to down South one day, preferably to Brighton but I think Manchester is a good place 'to start out.' Most of my friends graduated last year stayed, so I'm hoping it'll work out similar, however I'm not limiting myself to location when applying for jobs so who knows!