Moving into a new neighborhood can be challenging in a lot of ways, especially when you feel lonely and different from most of your neighbors! You might think that your neighbors won't want to talk to you because you are new to the neighborhood, you look different than they do, or because you come from a different walk of life than they do.

But don't make these judgments too quickly! Many city dwellers love getting to know the people in their neighborhood and really love getting to know people whose life experiences are different than their own. However, there are times when creating these connections can be difficult and when neighbors see things from different perspectives.

Car sharing is a type of business that allows members to borrow cars for personal use for an hourly fee. Members use car sharing as an alternative to owning a car or using public transportation. It can be most useful for grocery shopping, dropping off recycling, or driving to a place that isn't easily accessible by public transportation.

Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Put simply, it involves looking at, listening to, and asking questions of the people who live, work and play in a particular space, to discover needs and aspirations. This information is then used to create a common vision for that place. The vision can evolve quickly into an implementation strategy, beginning with small-scale, do-able improvements that can immediately bring benefits to public spaces and the people who use them.

After you move, it is important to remember to update your voter registration. And if you've never registered to vote and are eligible, then moving is a great time to register to vote for the first time.

To download a voter registration form, find out where you'll go to vote, and find out if you're eligible visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

This guide republished with permission from Walk Score.

Walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to our health, the environment, and our communities.