need advice on moving out to a new state

well, living alone means a lot of extra work because nobody else is around to do it for you.

just go for it. it can only get better, right?
even if it fails you can still go back home...at least for the time being.

look up the things you need to do legally within the month that you arrive. if you are in the US, look into when you need to get new license plate(s), drivers license, pet license if you have a pet. its 100% going to be stressful, i wont lie, but you can get through it. you can make some new friends after corona is vaxxed away hopefully by oct 2021.

Financial discipline. Pay off Credit Card bills each month. Keep 3+ months rent buffer for emergency. That will keep your stress low.
Does that state include snow? Does that state need Air conditioning several months? That will effect your vehicle choice and utilities.
How is the internet access?

What does the new state require to get a new drivers license and car plates? Penalties can be stiff.
What does your current state require of being notified of you leaving? (drivers license, car plates, annual registration). Some states keep charging you every year like a subscription and they can grab your bank accounts in other states after 5 years of penalties.
Same with pets and firearm/weapons (check local city, county, parish also as they may restrict even more).
And if you are crossing statelines with food, pets, firearms, recreational vice, know ahead of time what they require in each state. Last thing you want is an extended vacation in another state.

If you have hobbies (Biking, D&D, etc), reach out to any groups that meet in the new location now. You'll make new friends and they will know alot of quirks about the area before you move.

USPS Mail forwarding. Think its good for 1 year. Re-up it again when you dont see anymore forwarded mail.
https://moversguide.usps.com/mgo/disclaimer

• Buy a plunger for your toilet before you need it.
• If possible, get a job offer before moving. A lot of companies are doing online interviews now.
• Check where the closest branch for your bank is going to be and notify them before the trip if you have cards. You don't want to be a few states away with an unusable card due to "suspicious activity".
• One tip that I haven't used personally is to call pizza places and ask if they deliver to a certain neighborhood. If they don't or only deliver during daylight hours then it's probably not a nice one.

Doing something like this can be hard on it's own but deciding to do such a big thing in the middle of a huge pandemic might not be the wisest decision. Saving more money and giving more thought and time to prepare while the pandemic is going on might be a better course of action. Whatever you decide I do wish you the best.

BTW I love your avatar :)

right now, I'm applying for jobs there, while I'm living in my current state.

Good, do this. Don't move until you've secured employment. Try to set up multiple interviews in the same time frame, so you can just get an Air BnB each time you visit the city. This will also help you get to know the area and scope out multiple neighborhoods, as you can get a different Air BnB whenever you visit.

I've done it a few times, and my best advice would be to save as much as you can, use craigslist to try to find a roommate or room to rent, and try to have a job lined up before you go.
I now have a degree in nursing, so I could pretty much pack up at anytime and go anywhere.

You now have a bit of time to learn how to cook simple meals, clean up efficiently and properly, take care of the mutitude of little chores that you never knew exist because other people (parents mostly) did it automatically without you noticing, Get your parents to teach you everything while you're still there or you will never do it properly or take years to learn on your own.
Don't get a pet just so you're not alone. Do it once you are absolutely sure you have everything covered and are able to take care of your apartment well. And who will look after it when you're away at work or whatever?

Supplies, supplies, supplies! There's a lot of stuff you forget you need until you step into an empty place and have absolutely nothing. Keep that in mind when you budget your move.

When you move, take a trip to the local discount/dollar store and grab a bit of anything you think you might need in the near to near-distant future. Don't need to worry about having high quality stuff to start, just having things.

Anti-diarrhea medicine, gas medicine, cold/fever relievers, Tylenol/ibuprofen. Bandages, neosporin, hydrogen peroxide. If you're feeling off you can't just raid your parent's medicine cabinet anymore. Pens, paper, tape, scissors, nail clippers, super glue. Cleaning stuff. Sponges, spray cleaners, terry cloths, dusters, dish soap, nylon scrubbers and brushes, gloves. Wood floors? Wood floor cleaner/polish and maybe a Swiffer. Better pick up a vacuum cleaner soon too. Spare LED lightbulbs. If you need basic tools then see if you have a local Harbor Freight.

I moved out of my mom's home when I was 22, which is considered late where I live. Just effin' move and start your life. Don't think about moving back in with your mom. Just move and deal with it. Get a grip on your life (and live it while you're there).

Before you move: Make a list of everything you'll need to supply a new place: toilet paper, paper towels, salt, pepper, a bed, light bulbs, silverware, cleaning supplies etc etc. Get a club card like Sam's or Costco so you can buy this stuff in bulk as the upfront expense typically is cheaper in the long run and you're gonna use it anyway (I'm looking at you, TP and paper towels). Get a second source of income to put away money for all this stuff, as well as help cover a first month/last month/security deposit. Start doing this all now, because every day less you have to do it makes it harder.

Start clearing out the shit in your life you don't use and don't need, like old clothing and such. Everything you move will have a cost in the amount of space it takes up and the amount of additional weight in your car. Minimize this. Why move a whole computer when you can just take the HDDs, etc. An e-reader is lighter than a box of books. Selling things you don't need will also generate moving funds. Have a Craig's List yard sale. Start reading up on ways to minimize costs and expenses without sacrificing your quality of life - coupons, coupon apps, etc. That extra dollar you save might be that last drop of gas you need to get there. Start making a budget and adhere to it - this will literally change the way you think about money and will significantly improve the quality of your life, and if you start making it a habit now, it'll be second nature by the time you move.

EMERGENCY FUND. If your car breaks down on the trip out there, you're fucked.

Once you've moved: Get a crockpot and plan on eating a lot of leftovers and take your lunch to work. Even buying the expensive lunch meat like Boar's Head, my average lunch cost is ~$2/day, which is a lot cheaper than eating fast food every lunch. Make a shopping list and stick to it, and never go shopping on an empty stomach.

Abandon your pride: shop secondhand for furniture and clothing until you're financially comfortable. Explore your new area when you need something to do, instead of going out and spending money. Start an exercise routine if you don't have one as it will help keep the negative thoughts away, especially as homesickness and depression set in.

You notice I keep bringing up money. Why? You are leaving your safety net in another state. Careful planning and budgeting will keep you from needing to crawl back to your parents and admitting they were right. When I left home, I made myself a promise I'd never move back in with my parents. When I moved out of sate, I made myself a promise I'd never move back there. So far, I've kept both promises and it's rarely been easy, it's often been difficult, but a large amount of determination and a small amount of wanting the doubters to go get fucked has seen my through the tough times. You can do this and, best of all, if you fuck it up, you can always try again.

I'd say good luck, my dude, but if you make a solid plan and prepare accordingly, luck ceases to be a factor in all of this.

Well, seems they have you covered on the moving side.
As for the driving...uhm...
Check oil, water, fluids, tire tread.
Check your spare!
If your car hasn't had a service in a while consider one, check belt age.
First aid kit.
Sunglasses.
Sunscreen.
Paper money and coins.
Refillable drink bottle.
An easily accessible change of clothes.
An extra pair of comfy shoes in case your driving shoes end up not being that great.

Take breaks! I can sleep anywhere, including behind the wheel of a moving car, so be careful!
I usually plan my trips, check for sights, good food places. (geocaches are a great way to take breaks, if that's your thing.)

edit: On a recent trip I had 2 issues at the same time. In the dark my windscreen kept fogging up and was too wet for my AC to clear it. I did not have a good cloth to dry it so I could barely see when oncoming traffic (with high beams, bastards) came towards me. Later on that day it started raining and my wiper blades were crap, streaks all over, again causing terrible visibility. :/

A lot of great advise in here, not much I can add really other than to wish you the best of luck. For a good list of items that you will need take a few tours of your home now and make a list. Definitely check the medicine cabinet. Are you any good with tools? Maybe check out some basic self repair videos now, rather than later.

If you can, try to secure a job in the state before you move. It's definitely harder, and may not be possible, but if you can it will make your move so much easier as you'll have a job and income all lined up.

The pandemic will continue for another 10-16 months, are you sure you can wait for such a long period of time?

Some advice on furniture, from someone who relocated to a different country.

• if you are moving in alone, just get a bed, chair and table at first.
• look for state sales. Solid wood used furniture can go really cheap there and something that belonged to a grandmother and still stands will last forever. Some of my best furniture comes from those and it was cheaper than anywhere else, including the u-haul rental cost.

Other advice:

• find out where the water and gas shut off valves are. If you notice a leak, closing them fast is usually the best you can do.
• same thing goes for electric breakers, find where they are during the day. This way it will be easier to restore power after a blackout at night.
• get a sense of the parking situation. I know someone that normally parks 2 to 4 blocks away from his apartment. Grocery shopping is a hassle for him.

Been there; done that. You will miss your family, and you may do some things you wouldn't normally do in your home town. Are you sure you wouldn't rather get your own place in the same town?

have more money in reserve than you think you need. I've moved several times, and you'd be surprised at how quickly money evaporates the first two to three months. After your life becomes stable, make sure you spend less than you make, no matter how little.

Ideally, couch-surf or short-term rent for a few months, and spend as much time as possible learning the different areas. Regardless of where you move to, there's a big difference between different towns or neighborhoods, and you want to end up in one that matches your lifestyle the most.

• a blow-up bed is fine until you get your bearings.

I strongly recommend not getting a TV in the beginning, and, to the extent possible, don't use your computer - spend your free time exploring and getting to know people.

Making friends in a new town is not easy, but the more you force yourself to do it, the better you get. Before you go, you can practice. Start talking to random people at the library, at a shopping center, anywhere. Once you get comfortable starting to talk to strangers, the next step is to ask everyone you meet for their phone number, even if you have no intention to call them. In the beginning you'll be nervous and scared, but after a while, it becomes second nature.
When it comes to friends, my sister's dating advice is equally valid: you need to kiss a lot of frogs to meet a prince. Likewise, meet people, hang out. If it clicks, great. If it doesn't move on. Eventually you'll build a nice stable of friends.