Rachel craft and her friend
Rachel Craft, left, worried about losing work friends when she quit, but they became closer instead.
  • I was reluctant to leave the job I was unhappy in because all my friends were at work.
  • To my surprise, our friendships have only improved since I left.
  • Now that I work alone, I have more energy for social activities and am more outgoing.

In 2013, when I moved across the country to start my first engineering job out of college, I envisioned myself building space shuttles and climbing 14,000-foot peaks. I never imagined my biggest challenge would be making friends in my new home.