Dear Luli,
I recently moved from the city to Norfolk. In the city, I was surrounded by people. I could walk out my door and choose from twenty restaurants, coffee shops, and hot spots within a few blocks. Here, it feels quiet. I keep asking myself: where is everyone? How do I find my place in a smaller town?
Looking For My People
Dear Looking,
You’re right. Norfolk doesn’t vibrate the way the city does. There aren’t twenty restaurants in sight, and you won’t stumble into a packed patio just by stepping outside. But that doesn’t mean life here is empty. It just flows differently.
Community in a small town gathers in pockets. You’ll find it at a campfire, on a bike trail, at a winery, or even at that great taco place one town over. It takes a little more intention, but the reward is depth. Conversations stretch longer, and connections grow through shared hobbies, not just shared space.
Give yourself permission to wander. Daydream on the beach, try a new hobby, join a local club or event. You may not see people on every corner, but you’ll start to notice how they appear in circles, steady, welcoming, and often eager to invite someone new in.
Norfolk is an invitation, not to chase the crowd but to create your own. In that slower, quieter rhythm, you’ll discover not just where everyone is but where you belong.
Even in the mess, there’s meaning, and sometimes it’s found when life finally gives you the space to notice it.
Luli
Juliana Vasiljevic is the voice behind Dear Luli: Honest Advice for Life’s Messy Moments. She’s currently working toward her BA in Psychology and coaches clients in health and wellness through the YMCA and her practice, LuliLovesLife. Juliana loves helping people find motivation, movement, and mindset that fit real life.
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About Dear Luli
Dear Luli is a monthly advice column where Juliana Vasiljevic answers real-life questions with honesty, compassion, and a reminder that even in the mess, there’s meaning.
