I moved alone from NYC to the suburbs of Pennsylvania. I love it, but it’s been filled with a mixed bag of surprises.

I’ve found so much joy living in the suburbs, but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

I grew up in Staten Island, a borough of New York City, and lived there almost my entire life until last summer.

Though being close to Manhattan was great and Staten Island is a fine place to live, it’s a pretty expensive one. I didn’t want to continue paying $850 for a studio apartment there when I have a remote job that lets me work from anywhere. Plus, most of my friends and family live in other states.

Eventually, after a bit of research and a few weekend trips, I fell in love with the small-town charm and slightly more affordable prices of a town in eastern Pennsylvania.

Though I could’ve gotten a cheap studio, I chose to pay $1,500 a month for a two-bedroom (with plenty of space for my work-from-home setup) in a peaceful neighborhood. In Staten Island, $1,500 a month would get me a dated one-bedroom at best.

Moving to a suburban area 100 miles away from where I grew up has been a huge change, but I’ve mostly enjoyed the differences in life out here.

Here are some of the biggest surprises I’ve experienced so far.

In many ways, driving feels more dangerous out here than it did in the city

Driving in New York City is incredibly stressful with its traffic and the huge number of pedestrians and bike riders.

I experience far less traffic out here, but I actually found driving in the suburbs to be more stressful at first. My neck of the woods has additional hazards that I wasn’t used to dealing with in the city.

The streets out here are not nearly as well-lit, which has made driving at night tough to get used to. I went from almost never using my brights to now relying on them nightly in areas that don’t have streetlights.

I’ve seen more deer when driving at night than ever before.

There’s also far more wildlife to be cautious of here. I frequently see foxes and deer crossing the road and have to be extra careful to avoid them.

I’ve gotten more comfortable driving as I’ve done it more, but I hadn’t expected such a steep learning curve.

It’s easier to make flexible plans when my friends and I aren’t relying on public transit

Living in New York City meant I could check out events and exhibits across the boroughs whenever I wanted, but actually making plans to meet up could get frustrating.

To get from Staten Island to Manhattan to meet up with friends from Jersey City, I needed to make plans with multiple sets of train, ferry, and bus times and transfers in mind.

If anyone in our group missed a transfer or had a train delay, our entire plan could crumble, especially if we had reservations or were in a time crunch.

I no longer have to obsessively check the PATH train schedules or hope my friends catch their train.

Where I live now, public transportation is limited, which means having a car is pretty essential, and we drive to most plans.

I prefer this since it’s easier to anticipate traffic, plan enough time to find parking, and choose when to leave without having to rely on public transit, where delays can be frequent and unexpected.

For me, making plans is less stressful when I don’t need to worry about catching the last bus home or making a transfer.

This has also made me more willing to check out events outside my comfort zone since I know I can just drive back home in the comfort of my own car instead of waiting for a bus.

Moving to the area alone from out of state seems like an uncommon move

In New York City, the majority of people I interacted with had moved to the area from somewhere else. Many of them came to the city for work or school and had no family nearby or very few local connections at first.

Where I live now, I most commonly come across people who have lived in the area for their entire life.

Plenty of my neighbors and new acquaintances have family living nearby and are surprised I moved out here alone. I meet a lot of people who regularly hang out with friends from college and high school because their groups have stayed in the same neighborhoods or didn’t move too far away.

Though I’m comfortable being independent, living alone in the suburbs can make forming new friendships and relationships feel more daunting.

A lot of the friends I’ve made up here are also engaged, married, or in serious relationships. Still, so many people here have been incredibly friendly — and I’ve already made amazing connections through meetups and book clubs.