10 Tips for Living in Colorado Springs

Okay, so I've only lived here for, like, two weeks. (Oh god, is that really it? It feels like it's been two months.) But nonetheless, here's what I've learned during my brief time here so far!

1. Water. Carry it with you pretty much everywhere.

2. Chapstick. Carry it with you pretty much everywhere.

3. What other hydrating things am I missing? Eye drops, lotion, a humidifier... Basically, your skin will flake and your nose may bleed and your throat will get scratchy and your contacts might stick and your lips will crack and you will dehydrate. IT'S REALLY DRY HERE.

4. You need a car. But drivers are actually courteous here, so there's that! And parking is ridiculously cheap!

5. ...But you might also have to try really, really hard not to crash said car while looking at the mountains while you're driving. (SO PRETTY!)

6. 40 degrees in the morning at 80 degrees in the afternoon is not only not unheard of, but totally normal. So good luck figuring out what to wear every day.

7. One word: sunscreen.

8. I don't care what anyone says. This is not a city. This is a town.

9. Everyone is friendly. Everyone. It's a little weird at first, but don't be alarmed. Go ahead, be chatty. But staying away from the homeless people is still a smart move.

10. The Incline and/or Pike's Peak might kill you. But you're going to climb at least one of them anyway and be glad you did. (At least, that's the hope...)

I'm actually thinking about making training for the Incline my summer fitness goal to give myself motivation to work out. It's a mile of stairs straight up the mountain. I'm a little bit terrified.

I hope you've all been at least mildly entertained and informed about the places I've lived. :) It's been a fun retrospective for me, but I'll be back to my regularly scheduled posts (lol, do I have such a thing?) this week!