Anyone left North Carolina to Houston? Do you like it more less or the same?

Hi!

My finance and I have been graduate students in North Carolina for 5 years. I’m leaving academia and have a really good remote job set up that I’m super happy with! My fiance is going the scientist route so he’s doing a postdoc at Rice. He is so thrilled about this job and I want to be the super supportive wifey/fiance for him but internally I am FREAKING out.

Firstly, I’m from Rhode Island. I like the cold. I don’t like extreme humidity and even the summers here in NC (which aren’t as bad as Houston I assume) have been very very rough for me. I’ve slowly adapted and could imagine staying here for a while, but god getting in the car in the summer is just the worst! Since I’ll have a remote job that’s not too much of a concern but I like to go to exercise classes or play recreational sports most day so I don’t go crazy. Is it too hot and miserable to even drive to the gym in the evenings? And what about adult soccer, do people play outdoors in the summer or is it all indoors?

Secondly, bugs! Living in New England I hardly ever saw large bugs. Wasps maybe but no roaches and only tiny spiders. Bugs haven’t been a massive issue here but seeing the big boys on occasion fucks me up like I’ll have nightmares and have trouble sleeping. I know exposure therapy can be a good thing but ahhh idk man I don’t want to live in fear of opening my cabinets. Plus mosquitoes love me…are they much worse than in NC?

The food scene and multiculturalism in Houston does look amazing, and I’ve never really lived in a city with tall buildings before so that seems cool. But gosh having to stay inside all summer sounds so miserable like working from home can be rough with no evening/afternoon activities, I really need them.

Can anyone help me chill out here? Do you like Houston? Can you see yourself staying there a while or are you just trying to get out asap? Helpppp