biochick

I'm a US native starting grad school in the fall, I wanted to see if anyone on here had questions. The problem is we don't have many hostels in the US. There are some in big cities (Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, etc) but other than that we don't have youth hostels.

EEOB actually! Although I'll be working in the Genome Sciences Building.

Tote bags: Longchamp, Vineyard Vines, and LL Bean. I have all 3 - they're all amazing bags and very durable. Vineyard Vines has the most structure, LL Bean is a better price and lifetime warranty. Longchamp is trendy right now.

Anyone else just not really that excited about starting in the fall? Or feeling scared about what a big change it will be? Just having a little bit of an existential crisis.

I am! Starting a PhD in Biology.

Say that you haven't been admitted yet, but it is your top choice and you are hoping to find a PI whose lab you can join.

Many graduate students are actually part of a union - although you might not even know it. I would try investigating and as others have mentioned, finding the office/ person who is there to advocate on your behalf. I've been a part of 3 different research institutions and all have had some type of office like this. I don't think you should worry about pissing anyone off by leaving, as long as you are careful to leave very politely and calmly. Even though this person did wrong, you will get nowhere by throwing a public fit. When someone asks why you're leaving say "personal reasons," don't complain about your PI except officially. Generally I would strongly recommend you take the "no comment" frame of mind when getting through all the questions and that way you'll keep from looking petty.

I think North Campus (officially called Old North Columbus) is a great area. There seem to be many more grad students on this side of campus. East campus is very frat-heavy, south campus is kind of mixed but also probably undergrad-heavy. Old North is also really making a comeback as the nice neighborhood, because South campus is getting very shady very quickly. So there's lots of cafes and bars and a cupcake shop along high street north of Lane and south of Hudson-ish. Also a great up-and-coming neighborhood is Clintonville, which is just a bit north of Old North. The other good area for grad students is Grandview, although it's not walking distance (and not near your lab). It's the area directly northwest of OSU campus (across the river) and there are LOTS of fun things to do in Grandview (bars, cafes, there's a candle-making shop where you can make candles). Victorian Village is gorgeous but very expensive. Also, the periphery of VV is not very nice, and getting less-nice by the week. Same for Short North, and I wouldn't live south of King until approx 2nd-ish. That area in between has been really falling apart (boarded up houses, lots of creeps at night).

Does anyone have any idea how to find an apartment in Carrboro? I'm starting at UNC in the fall and I just have no clue where to even start my search. I visited for the interview weekend so I know that I really liked the Carrboro area, but I don't have a clue about finding housing.

Hey! I am trying to find an apartment in Carrboro for next year - but I'm moving from across the country so I can't really visit. Do you know any names of landlords or companies or anything like that? It's so hard to find things online, they're all those huge apartment communities.

Hey! I actually go to OSU currently and am starting at UNC in the fall. I don't know anything about these programs, but just Columbus vs Chapel Hill: go to Chapel Hill. Columbus is not a great place to live, I live there now and I do not like the area at all.

Hey! I'm starting at UNC in the fall for EEOB