Moving to a new city can be overwhelming. On top of trying to figure out your way around town without the trusty assistance of your phone's GPS, you're also trying to find friends, explore the music scene and fill your weekend with interesting activities. And you're still not quite sure where to find the best burger in town.
So, where do you turn? Do you peruse Yelp or brave the terrifying throes of Reddit? Or do you turn to a trusted local arts, music and food newspaper for recommendations? I may be a little biased, but I'd say the latter is your best bet.
Each year at Free Times, we put together a (nearly) complete catalog that's an overview of the Midlands' activities, neighborhoods, arts and music offerings and more. If you're looking for a guide to food and drink around the area, we've got those available for you in our Bites and Sights section. It's a guide for those new to the area, or those simply looking for a refresher course.
It's easy to forget about all the great stuff Columbia and the surrounding areas have to offer — from local arts organizations that offer up impressive resumes to theatre programs that'll keep you busy year-round. Every time we print an updated version of our Annual Manual, we hope it encourages you to get out more, explore the city you live in and, heck, maybe even find something you didn't know about. HANNAH WADE
