THE SIGNIFICANT PERSONAL
DECISION OF MOVING FROM
CLEVELAND TO SAN DIEGO
Prepared for
Professor Sara Cutting
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44240
Prepared by
Kaitlin Kelly
1167 Fireside Trail
Broadview Heights, OH 44147
November 26, 2013
1167 Fireside Trail
Broadview Heights, OH 44147
November 26, 2013
Professor Sara Cutting
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44240
Dear Sara:
This report is the result of my research this past semester about my personal decision to move
from Cleveland, Ohio to San Diego, California. After reviewing my proposal, you authorized me
to conduct a research about the move.
Data were gathered through research online to back up all of my findings of each aspect
analyzed. I have made decisions to all the aspects analyzed and I am prepared to move to
California. After reading this report, I hope you agree.
I have enjoyed working with you on this project. Thank you for guiding me and teaching me how
to properly write professionally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you
Kate Kelly
Public Relations student at Kent State University
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations………………………………………………………………………………. iii
The Process of Moving to San Diego, California………………………………………………....1
Scope of Analysis………………………………………………………………………....1
Purpose of Study…………………………………………………………………………..1
Data Collected……………………………………………………………………………. 1
Data Analysis……………………………………………………………………………...2
Cost and Process of the Move from Cleveland to San Diego……………………………………..2
Airplane…………………………………………………………………………………... 2
Car Only………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Renting a Truck……………………………………………………………………………2
U-Haul Extension………………………………………………………………………… 3
Apartments in Downtown San Diego……………………………………………………………..3
900 F. Street Apartments………………………………………………………………….3
Golden Pacific……………………………………………………………………………. 5
Public Relations Job Opportunities in Downtown San Diego…………………………………….6
Bay Bird Inc……………………………………………………………………………….6
J Public Relations………………………………………………………………………… 6
Be Social Public Relations……………………………………………………………….. 7
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………..7
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………...8
Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………….9
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Pictures
Picture 1. Floor plan of 900 F. Street Apartments……………………………………….4
Picture 2. Floor plan of Golden Pacific…………………………………………………. 6
iii
THE SIGNIFICANT PERSONAL DECISION
OF MOVING FROM CLEVELAND TO SAN DIEGO
Immediately following graduation from Kent State University in May of 2014, I plan to make
one of the biggest steps of my life thus far. I am beginning the next chapter of my life in sunny
San Diego, California.
Moving over 2,000 miles away won’t be very easy and will require a very necessary breakdown
of where to move, the costs of the move and available public relations jobs in the area. I must
have everything set up in advance to make this move proceed as smooth as possible.
The Process of Moving to San Diego, California
The research problem was to determine the process of the move from Cleveland to San Diego
and to identify the best ways to survive comfortably in an entirely new state.
Scope of the Analysis
These factors were analyzed:
1. What is the cost and process of the move from Cleveland, Ohio to San Diego, California?
2. Which apartment complex located in downtown San Diego, close to potential job offers, will
be acceptable to live with my fresh-out-of-college budget?
3. What public relations related jobs are in downtown San Diego that I can apply to?
Purpose of the Study
The objective of this study is to analyze all aspects I will be faced with during the move so it
goes as planned. I also would like to use this research report to set myself up for success.
Data Collected
Secondary Data. Secondary data includes online websites that provides information on
apartments, jobs in the area, and moving costs. I have also received advice on blogs found online
from people who have moved across country that include cheap recommendations and ratings on
apartments.
Primary Data. Primary data comes from my close relatives that live in California and can give
me first-hand information.
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Data Analysis
Quantitative data. Quantitative data is collected and used through scholarly journals of
approximate cost of living in California.
Qualitative data. Qualitative data is collected and used entirely through the report. Through the
use of logical thought processes and data compilation were used to put together the report. I
have interpreted information and gathered statistics to compile the research. I expect some
aspects of my move are subject to change throughout the process.
Cost and Process of the Move from Cleveland to San Diego
There are a few options of how I should handle moving my things from Cleveland to San Diego.
Airplane
First option is to take a one-way flight out to California on July 1, 2014. Expedia.com’s
estimates for a one-way ticket on that day will cost me $305 (“ExpediaTravel.”). This is the
cheapest and quickest way out to the west coast, but there are obviously some setbacks. Since I
would be traveling by airplane, my Jeep Liberty would have to stay at home. I could sell my Jeep
for money, but would have to buy a new car when I land. I just purchased my car last summer
and it is in superior condition to travel across state. Another setback includes not being able to
take all of my things. Airplanes allow one bag and one carry on. This would limit bringing all of
my possessions.
Cost: $305 (air cost) + $50 (oversized bag) = approximately $355
Car Only
As stated, my Jeep can make it across country and has a large backseat to fit all of my personal
belongings. The downside to driving is the cost of gas prices, and hotel for overnight stays. The
drive to California is approximately 37 hours without stopping. An online source calculated the
estimated fuel cost from Cleveland to California for my 2011 Jeep Liberty is $440.82 (“Find and
Compare Cars.”). To break up the long hours of driving, I plan to stop one night after 20 hours of
driving in Denver. Mapquest, an online source for traveling and directions, recommends I stay at
the Affordable Inn Denver West for $65 a night (“Deals on Hotels, Flights, Cars.”). This also
doesn’t include the food expense during the two days of traveling.
Cost: $440.82 (estimated gas prices) + $65 (hotel) = approximately $505.82
Renting a Truck
If I was to rent a truck to take across the country with me, I could not only bring all of my
personal belongings, I can bring furniture, too. Furniture that I have in my parent’s basement
includes a full-sized bedroom set with a mattress, two decent-sized flat screen televisions, all
mirrored vanity for a bathroom, a couch and entertainment center. I could also call around to
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family and friends to ask if they have anything else to offer me. Penske, a truck rental website,
will allow me to pick up a truck in Broadview Heights, and give me nine days to move and get
the car back to their San Diego location for $1,262.79 (“Penske Personal Truck Rental.”). The
12-foot truck would fit everything I need for a one or two-bedroom apartment. Downside to this
option is I would drive the truck and that means I couldn’t take my Jeep. Gas for an economy
van would be far more expensive than me Jeep as well, which is added into the high price. This
also doesn’t include the food expense during the two-day travel.
Cost: $1,262.79 + higher than $440. 82 (Jeep gas price) = approximately $1,703.61
U-Haul Extension
A U-Haul extension allows me to connect a cargo trailer to my Jeep for around $799 (“Rate
Quote.”). I would pick the cargo trailer up in Cleveland and drop it off in San Diego. This is
probably the best choice because I can take my car, personal belongings and furniture. Only
downfall is it is a little smaller than the truck rental and it may slow my car down while
traveling, causing the drive to take longer. This also doesn’t include the food expense during the
two-day travel.
Cost: $799 (cargo trailer) + $440.82 (gas) + $65 (hotel) = approximately $1,304.82
Apartments in Downtown San Diego
There are a ton of apartment options in San Diego, but choosing the appropriate and most
affordable one from thousands of miles away is crucial. After looking for months, I have
narrowed down my options to two apartments. I am looking to sign a six month lease, so after
those months have come to an end I can make the decision whether or not the move was a good
fit for me. I will also be comparing the price of two-bedroom apartments. A friend of mine is
looking to join me in the move. I will not look outside of San Diego, although those options
seem to be cheaper, because traffic in California is absolutely horrific and I do not want my
commute to work to take longer than 30 minutes.
900 F. Street Apartments
These are amazing apartments, located in “the historic gas lamp district of gorgeous San Diego,
California (“Live the Downtown Lifestyle!”).” The apartment ratings website claims most of the
reviewers recommend the apartment to people looking. The overall rating including parking,
maintenance, construction, noise, grounds, safety and office staff received a 50 percent (“900 F
Street Apartments.”).
Upsides.

Location of the apartment is close to gas lamp district which provides night time
bartending options.

The apartment is close to all major highways making it easy to commute and get places
outside of the city.
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
Gated access to the apartments making it restricted to anyone who does not live there.

The apartment is around a lively and great nightlife for singles.

Rent can be paid when you prefer, weekly and monthly.

Cable and internet is included in the rent.

This apartment is cheaper than the other option.
Downsides.

Garage parking costs close to $100 a month.

The apartment does not allow pets.

Streets and the apartment complex are loud during the night.

There is no air conditioning unit included in the apartment.

Electricity and water is split equally between everyone in the building.
Figure 1. 900 F. Street’s Two Bedroom and One Bathroom: $1,575 a month ($787.50 each)
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Golden Pacific
These gorgeous apartments are located in the historic neighborhood of Golden Hill. The website
states that the apartment is “full of history and charm with its mission architecture and sweepings
views and close to everything you want to experience (“Golden Pacific.”).” Apartment ratings
website gives an overall rating of 80 percent and recommended by 93 percent of customers
(“Golden Pacific Apartment Homes.”).
Upsides.

Each master bedroom gets its own bathroom and large wardrobe closet.

The apartment is pet friendly.

The apartment includes a private balcony or patio.

All windows and balconies include amazing views of downtown San Diego.

Each unit includes a full-sized washer and dryer.

Central air and heat included in the apartment and in the rent.

Pools, spas, cardio rooms are included for all residents to use.

There are immediate accesses to main highways made for an easy commute.

Grounds around the apartment are clean and well-maintained.
Downsides.

This apartment complex is more expensive than 900 F. Street Apartments by over $100 a
month.

One side of the apartment is right by the highway, causing a lot of noise.

Parking in the parking is limited and tight.

No elevators are available making for a journey up to the apartment if you live on one of
the higher floors.
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Figure 2. Golden Pacific’s Two Bedroom and Two Bathroom: $1,720 a month ($860 each)
Public Relations Job Opportunities in Downtown San Diego
I have a bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in marketing from Kent State
University. With this degree and my experience, my dream is to work in a boutique public
relations firm in downtown San Diego that focuses on smaller businesses and non-profit
organizations.
Bay Bird Inc.
This public relations firm has the intent to keep their company small and select, and strive
everyday to be the best. The firm’s mantra is to, “live and breathe our clients’ products and
projects and to become an integral part of their team ("Lifestyle Public Relations | Bay Bird Inc
PR.”).” They are located in downtown San Diego, very close to both of my apartment options.
They have clients in every aspect such as health and wellness, spirits and mixology, media and
talent, non-profit organizations, businesses, hotels and travel, restaurant and nightlife, art and
design, and fashion. Some of their biggest clients include Westfield North County, American
VooDoo, Johnny Rockets, Alchemy and Van Thomas Concepts.
Their website states there is an opening for “Senior Publicist.” The job entails four to six years
experience with hospitality, culinary, beauty, health, restaurants or consumer lifestyles. I have
worked in the restaurants business for over six years which qualifies me for the job. People
interested in the job must demonstrate tremendous writing and communication skills and have a
creative outlook on new business ideas.
J Public Relations
This bi-coastal public relations firm has offices in downtown San Diego and New York City.
Primarily an all-women public relations firm, they show expertise in hotels, resorts, spas,
7
destinations and luxury lifestyle brands (“Savvy, Smart, Connected.”). The firm was also
recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the “Best Places to Work (“Best Places
to Work in San Diego).” Some of their big clients include Side Bar, Holsteins, Royal Palms and
Grand Hyatt.
Although this is a bigger public relations firm, this is a great option for a public relations job. A
bigger firm means more money and more job security. Since they have more than one office, this
job will entail traveling back and forth from New York. After reading the article about the best
places to work, reviews said that J Public Relations is a lot of fun. Working from home and
traveling is a lot of the job.
Be Social Public Relations
This San Diego public relations firm is involved in more than just public relations. They also
focus on social media, event marketing and digital publicity. The full service agency partners up
with brands “that inspire them to be social ("San Diego Public Relations Agency | Be Social
Public Relations.").” Some major clients include Skinsational, Queenstown and Bon Affair.
This job catches my eye because they are involved in so much more than public relations.
Everyday there will be something new because they concentrate on other aspects of relations
such as social media ad campaigns, event planning and execution, grassroots marketing, blogger
outreach campaigns and so much more. A small downfall about the job is the location. It is
located in Solana Beach which is a little far from downtown. The commute will be frustrating.
Summary
Making the choice to move over 2,000 miles away is a significant personal decision. Cleveland
and San Diego are two entirely different places and research is necessary before such a big
relocation. Many aspects of the move have to be inspected to ensure a smooth transition.
Different options were depicted to determine the cheapest and most logical way to move to the
west coast. The options included taking an airplane, driving my car, renting a truck and
connecting a cargo trailer to my car. Moving by plane was the cheapest option, but had the most
setbacks.
Apartments in downtown San Diego that are affordable and close to the excitement of downtown
are hard to come by. I narrowed down my search to two of my favorite apartments I have
researched and listed the pros and cons of each. I included the detailed floor plans to give the
visual of the exciting options. I also included the prices of each model.
There are hundreds of public relations jobs in San Diego, but the jobs that are perfect for me are
limited. I narrowed down the list to three desirable job positions. J Public Relations is a big firm
but was voted one of the best places to work in San Diego. Be Social Public Relations offers
many options for their clients and their website gave me the impression that I wouldn’t be doing
the same thing every day. Bay Bird Inc. has a position opened today for an incredible position.
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Conclusion
Now that I have described all the options as well as the benefits and drawbacks to each factor
analyzed, I have made my decisions.
When July comes around, I will rent a U-Haul extension to connect to my Jeep and drive across
country. Although it wasn’t the cheapest option, it makes the most sense. I can take my Jeep,
personal belongings and furniture with me to San Diego. If I were to move out there without my
personal belongings and zero furniture, I would be spending more than the price of the cargo
trailer-$799.
Golden Pacific will be the place I will live for my first six months in California. Although it was
a little more expensive than 900 F. Street Apartments, Golden Pacific doesn’t charge for a
monthly parking fee. Golden Pacific has way more features that cater to my needs. These include
large bedrooms, walk-in closets, bathrooms, a gym, pools and spas. The apartment is close to all
major highways and walking distance to the better parts of downtown San Diego.
When it comes to the job market, I will apply to as many jobs as possible. If I am lucky and all
three of the public relations firms offer me a job, I would choose J Public Relations. Although
the firm is larger than I hoped, it was voted one of the best places to work in San Diego. It is also
a large firm which leads me to believe my job would have a steady income to meet the expenses
of the California lifestyle.
I am confident in all of my decisions of each analyzed factors. After studying my options for
quite some time, I am prepared to make my transition to the west coast.
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Works Cited
"900 F Street Apartments." Apartment Ratings. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.
"Best Places to Work in San Diego." Blog - Best Places to Work in San Diego. N.p., n.d. Web.
29 Oct. 2013.
"Deals on Hotels, Flights, Cars." MapQuest.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
"ExpediaTravel." Expedia Travel: Vacations, Cheap Flights, Airline Tickets & Airfares. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.
"Find and Compare Cars." Find and Compare Cars. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
"Golden Pacific Apartment Homes." Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and Other San Diego
Apartments for Rent from ApartmentRatings.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.
"Golden Pacific." Downtown San Diego Urban Apartment Homes for Rent. N.p., n.d. Web. 1
Oct. 2013.
"Lifestyle Public Relations | Bay Bird Inc PR." San Diego Public Relations PR Firm Bay Bird
Inc PR 8583824922. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
"Live the Downtown Lifestyle!" San Diego California Apartments. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov.
2013.
"Penske Personal Truck Rental." Penske Truck Rental. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
"Rate Quote." U-Haul. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
"San Diego Public Relations Agency | Be Social Public Relations." San Diego Public Relations
Agency Be Social Public Relations. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
"Savvy, Smart, Connected." J Public Relations. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.