AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts Amherst Alumni Association hosted a panel Thursday to give students tips for moving to metropolitan areas like Boston and New York City.

The panel, titled “Moving to Boston 101,” was held in Memorial Hall as part of Career Month.

“Moving to metropolitan areas from Amherst is a very rocky transition,” said Nicole Young, the assistant director for Young Alumni and Constituent Programs.

Young coordinated “Moving to Boston 101” as well as another event called “Moving to NYC 101,” which was held the day before.

The panelists included Joe Piedrafite, a 2006 UMass alumnus who studied communications and English, and Diana Sanchez, a 2008 UMass alumna who studied communications and theater with a certificate in film. Piedrafite is the regional alumni officer of the Greater Boston area and Sanchez works as an actress and model between Boston and New York City.

The panel covered topics ranging from budgeting, to apartment hunting, to creating a social scene in a new city. Senior Danielle Fahey moderated the panel.

“It was good to just get knowledge from someone who’s had the experience,” said Nya Gavin, a UMass senior.

After a brief question-and-answer session, Sarah Hill, another UMass alumna, spoke about expanding her company, Perfect Strangers, to the Boston area. She graduated in 2010 with a BDIC degree in entrepreneurship and real estate.

After experiencing difficulty relocating to New York City, Hill created Perfect Strangers to help college graduates find apartments and roommates in the city.

“It was good learning about the best places to live based on accessibility,” said senior Greta Wilt. Wilt cited transportation as one of her concerns about living in a new area.

Some 25 students attended the event. The Alumni Association hopes to host events like “Moving to NYC 101” and “Moving to Boston 101” annually.

Visit the UMass Amherst Alumni Association website for more information on Career Month. 

Email Faith at [email protected] or follow them on Twitter @FVGrego.