Hi everyone! I’ve been silently perusing this subreddit for awhile now, but figured I’d make my first post since I will be officially moving to St. Louis for grad school this summer.

This will be a lot of “firsts” for me. My first time moving, first time being on my own, first time attending grad school, first time living somewhere other than the east coast.

I guess I’m looking for any tips for a newb. I’m a bi-racial, 26 year old woman, I’ve looked around the tower grove, dog town, Shaw, Clayton area for rentals, but I think it’s still too early to tell what will be available since I won’t be moving until July. I own a car. And I have a partner, but as of right now I’ll be moving on my own.

What are some red flags I should look for when renting?

Definitely looking for rent under 1k since I’ll be living on a grad student budget, but that doesn’t seem too difficult to find (which is awesome).

Is there any good Japanese food or a market to buy japanese food?

If you’re a transplant to St. Louis how long did it take for you to get your footing?

Any general advice or tips?

Overall, I’m super excited to visit and move to St. Louis. It seems like a fantastic place. I’m just trying to be as prepared as possible to ease any jitters I have.

Thank you in advance!!