In my last blog post, I visited Nevada for the first time to explore the area and find an apartment. Not only was the experience eye-opening, but it helped me overcome my fear of relocating to a new city alone. Suddenly, starting a new life didn't seem as intimidating as it once did.

Okay, I won't lie...it also didn't hurt that we had just come out of the Polar Vortex back home. After dealing with what seemed like an endless winter spent trapped indoors, I was more than happy to go somewhere warm. After all, Reno boasts 300 days of sunshine a year--sold!

                        One of my favorite weekend spots: Zephyr Cove Beach, Lake Tahoe

After my trip, I returned home for 10 days before the official move. In-between packing and saying goodbye to family and friends, I did a few speaking engagements at SVC regarding the interviewing process and career development. It was fun presenting to the students and helping them learn through my experiences (and struggles) job-searching. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on my public speaking ventures in Nevada. Stay tuned for my upcoming career series on the blog as well!

 Speaking to Women in Business (WIB) and the Career and Lifestyle Planning Graduate Course

After all my plans were set in place, the big day finally arrived. That morning at 4:00am, I woke up; groggy, but excited to make this cross-country trip a reality. So what went through my head that morning? As my alarm went off I thought to myself, "This is it, I'm moving across the country today...and I really need a nap." Exciting, right? After all the planning and anticipation leading up to the move, I was more than ready to get on the plane.

The plan was to depart from Pittsburgh Airport at 5:00am, have a short layover at Chicago Midway, and land in Reno around noon. However, my simple cross-country flight somehow turned into an all-day travel fiasco! The story is actually quite funny...

It all started when a hold-up in security at Pittsburgh caused several of us to miss our flight to Chicago. The next flight to Reno wasn't departing until 5pm, so Southwest promptly put me on a flight to Nashville where they said to expect an 8 hour layover to the west-coast. Yikes! This was going to turn into a long day.

After landing in Nashville, I exchanged a quick hello with fellow Bearcat Chad Meholic who works for CMT (major foreshadow for an upcoming blog post!) Chad asked if I was in Nashville public speaking. No, I was just lost.

Once in Nashville, I needed to figure out where I was headed next. The service agent at the ticket counter made a few phone calls and told me a flight departing for Phoenix in 10 minutes had an extra seat. The gate was at the complete other end of the airport. Perfect.

After a quick sprint to the terminal, I got on my second flight of the day. By this time I was dizzy, hungry, and surviving on peanuts. At least I was laughing the whole time!

In Phoenix, I finally had time to grab lunch. As I was eating at the terminal, they announced over the loud-speaker that the plane to Reno was broken. At this point I really wasn't surprised.

While waiting I made a few friends who kindly saved me a seat since I was boarding without a ticket. Eventually they secured a working plane and I was off to Reno.

Three flights later I finally landed, picked up my rental car, and headed to my hotel where I practically collapsed into the lobby. The hotel staff from my apartment hunting trip a few weeks prior greeted me with excitement, "Allyson, you're back!"

Yes, I was back and here to stay for good this time! We all shared some laughs about my travel story before I fell asleep in my room. The rest of the day was spent filling out paperwork and working with my Insurance Counselor to finalize everything about the move.

With the travel fiasco finally behind me, I woke up Friday morning excited to pick up the keys to my apartment. The next day, the moving crew arrived with my household goods and delivered the boxes into my apartment.

Next, they unloaded my car. For those wondering how they got my car to Nevada, they shipped it in a trailer. Luckily, I did not have to drive that far!

The moving crew was great! They made the logistics of the move super simple and painless. After the movers left, I spent the rest of the weekend running around buying necessities and unpacking to prepare for my first day of work on Monday.

 So, where do I work?

In Pittsburgh! This just happens to be a very different kind of Pittsburgh.

For my first business assignment in the FLD Program, PPG sent me to work in an Architectural Coatings Plant that manufactures latex paint. It's located about 15 miles outside of Sparks, NV in a region that's considered "high desert" due to its high elevation.  

Yes, you saw that correctly. There are also wild horses that roam freely amongst the desert scenery and sagebrush. They often wander right up to the office windows. Expect to see lots of horse pictures here in the future!

In three days, the move was officially over and it was officially time to start my new life.

For some, entering the real-world means mundane routines and repetitive tasks to simply get by each day. However, SVC graduates have something special to offer the world. We're equipped with much more than degrees and job-titles; our education instills us with a sense of purpose and provides the foundation needed to lead a meaningful life.

With this in mind, I was ready think beyond the ordinary confinements of adult-hood and make an impact on my new community as a young professional. After all, with 300 days of sunshine to work with, my future was looking pretty bright!