Pink Fuzzy Bunny

That way, we're much happier to get that little piece of paper at the end...

Hahahaha! Okay I laughed out loud at this. 
And thanks for the encouragement @janetjanejune. I removed the post that I made (mom was diagnosed with cancer) since posting that stuf fon an anonymous Internet forum is a bit weird. 
 
Also, @Effloresce try using Mint! It's an app that I use that tracks your expenses and also is used to make budgets. That's about the extent of my budgeting skills though  Sjoh posted some great tips a few pages back though. 

I was in the same predicament as you, and I chose to live alone. Your first year you will be very stressed, you need to consider that a roommate may add to that. 

@knp Where did you buy those?? I need them

I was in the same predicament as you, and I chose to live alone. Your first year you will be very stressed, you need to consider that a roommate may add to that. 

You are much calmer than I would be! Go to the department chair. If they don't help, go to the graduate school. If they don't help, the dean of students. If they don't help, call Obama himself, damnit.

I got my last paycheck from my old university and my first paycheck from Cornell on the same day... *throws money everywhere*
 

I got my last paycheck from my old university and my first paycheck from Cornell on the same day... *throws money everywhere*
 

On the bright side... abs.

@Neist I do wish that I could have your, as Cat said, poise and purpose. Had I gotten an e-mail saying that it was a mistake, I would've been incredibly passive aggressive about it and complained to anyone who would listen. You are the person that I strive to be.
Also, this is a weird question... but has anyone considered joining the Peace Corps after getting their PhD?

@Neist I do wish that I could have your, as Cat said, poise and purpose. Had I gotten an e-mail saying that it was a mistake, I would've been incredibly passive aggressive about it and complained to anyone who would listen. You are the person that I strive to be.
Also, this is a weird question... but has anyone considered joining the Peace Corps after getting their PhD?

Wow congrats!! It's great that you'll be able to focus on research instead of TAing. And they must think you're something pretty special
 

@Cat_Robutt Everyday just think of the privacy and awesomeness that you'll have once the move is over! And in a few years, it'll be a hilarious story that you'll be telling to your kids/family.

@Cat_Robutt congrats on the 5k! I've given taht program several tries but never made it to the end, so you should be hella proud! 

You are much calmer than I would be! Go to the department chair. If they don't help, go to the graduate school. If they don't help, the dean of students. If they don't help, call Obama himself, damnit.

Are you me? You sound like me. Also was published many times as an undergrad, went to school an hour away from home, got the NSF, blah blah blah but never went far away from home. I cried every time I thought about moving because I was so close to my friends/family and especially professors. Even the thought of never seeing some of them again would sometimes send me into a panic attack. As an undergrad I kept to myself because I didn't make friends easily, and really didn't have friends until senior year. It took me 4 damn years to meet people, and the thought of losing it just wasn't bearable.
But alas, 15 days ago the day came when I hopped in my car and drove 14 hours away with all of my stuff. I thought the trip was going to miserable - that I'd cry so hard I wouldn't be able to see the road through my tears, and that I'd spend the first few days in my new apartment just wishing desperately to go home. After all, that's how it was when I went from high school to undergrad. 
And you know what? I'm still waiting for the homesickness to set in. I haven't really made any great friends but I really love the grad students I work with. 
TLDR - I hyped myself up preparing to move to the point where I was considerably depressed beforehand. But it will not be nearly as bad as you think.

Today I learned that craisins are cranberries... I thought they were some sort of hybrid  Thanks @MarineBluePsy
 
As a side note, I went to the Ithaca farmers' market today and got maple candy and maple cream... I'm already addicted

Are you me? You sound like me. Also was published many times as an undergrad, went to school an hour away from home, got the NSF, blah blah blah but never went far away from home. I cried every time I thought about moving because I was so close to my friends/family and especially professors. Even the thought of never seeing some of them again would sometimes send me into a panic attack. As an undergrad I kept to myself because I didn't make friends easily, and really didn't have friends until senior year. It took me 4 damn years to meet people, and the thought of losing it just wasn't bearable.
But alas, 15 days ago the day came when I hopped in my car and drove 14 hours away with all of my stuff. I thought the trip was going to miserable - that I'd cry so hard I wouldn't be able to see the road through my tears, and that I'd spend the first few days in my new apartment just wishing desperately to go home. After all, that's how it was when I went from high school to undergrad. 
And you know what? I'm still waiting for the homesickness to set in. I haven't really made any great friends but I really love the grad students I work with. 
TLDR - I hyped myself up preparing to move to the point where I was considerably depressed beforehand. But it will not be nearly as bad as you think.

Are you me? You sound like me. Also was published many times as an undergrad, went to school an hour away from home, got the NSF, blah blah blah but never went far away from home. I cried every time I thought about moving because I was so close to my friends/family and especially professors. Even the thought of never seeing some of them again would sometimes send me into a panic attack. As an undergrad I kept to myself because I didn't make friends easily, and really didn't have friends until senior year. It took me 4 damn years to meet people, and the thought of losing it just wasn't bearable.
But alas, 15 days ago the day came when I hopped in my car and drove 14 hours away with all of my stuff. I thought the trip was going to miserable - that I'd cry so hard I wouldn't be able to see the road through my tears, and that I'd spend the first few days in my new apartment just wishing desperately to go home. After all, that's how it was when I went from high school to undergrad. 
And you know what? I'm still waiting for the homesickness to set in. I haven't really made any great friends but I really love the grad students I work with. 
TLDR - I hyped myself up preparing to move to the point where I was considerably depressed beforehand. But it will not be nearly as bad as you think.

Are you me? You sound like me. Also was published many times as an undergrad, went to school an hour away from home, got the NSF, blah blah blah but never went far away from home. I cried every time I thought about moving because I was so close to my friends/family and especially professors. Even the thought of never seeing some of them again would sometimes send me into a panic attack. As an undergrad I kept to myself because I didn't make friends easily, and really didn't have friends until senior year. It took me 4 damn years to meet people, and the thought of losing it just wasn't bearable.
But alas, 15 days ago the day came when I hopped in my car and drove 14 hours away with all of my stuff. I thought the trip was going to miserable - that I'd cry so hard I wouldn't be able to see the road through my tears, and that I'd spend the first few days in my new apartment just wishing desperately to go home. After all, that's how it was when I went from high school to undergrad. 
And you know what? I'm still waiting for the homesickness to set in. I haven't really made any great friends but I really love the grad students I work with. 
TLDR - I hyped myself up preparing to move to the point where I was considerably depressed beforehand. But it will not be nearly as bad as you think.

Are you me? You sound like me. Also was published many times as an undergrad, went to school an hour away from home, got the NSF, blah blah blah but never went far away from home. I cried every time I thought about moving because I was so close to my friends/family and especially professors. Even the thought of never seeing some of them again would sometimes send me into a panic attack. As an undergrad I kept to myself because I didn't make friends easily, and really didn't have friends until senior year. It took me 4 damn years to meet people, and the thought of losing it just wasn't bearable.
But alas, 15 days ago the day came when I hopped in my car and drove 14 hours away with all of my stuff. I thought the trip was going to miserable - that I'd cry so hard I wouldn't be able to see the road through my tears, and that I'd spend the first few days in my new apartment just wishing desperately to go home. After all, that's how it was when I went from high school to undergrad. 
And you know what? I'm still waiting for the homesickness to set in. I haven't really made any great friends but I really love the grad students I work with. 
TLDR - I hyped myself up preparing to move to the point where I was considerably depressed beforehand. But it will not be nearly as bad as you think.

@hippyscientist If you get a chance, I highly recommend "Genius" by James Gleick - it's a biography of Feynman himself and probably darn near my favorite book of all time. And in regards to physics-y books, Gleick's other books are simply phenomenal, especially "Chaos". Gleick is one of my all-time favorite writers and the fact that he writes about physics is definitely a plus!

Isn't that your job though  If there's one person to be addicted to books, I'm glad it's you!
 
Also, I just ate an egg sandwich that had been left out for 8+ hours, and the inside was green which I realized after chowing down on about 80% of it... it's been nice knowing you all.

Isn't that your job though  If there's one person to be addicted to books, I'm glad it's you!
 
Also, I just ate an egg sandwich that had been left out for 8+ hours, and the inside was green which I realized after chowing down on about 80% of it... it's been nice knowing you all.

Ooh, what are you using MATLAB for? But seriously, take that month and rest.... don't even think about work-related things!
I really love my research group and find the work they do fascinating, which is surprising since I wasn't really excited for it until very recently - this week-ish in fact. The other graduate students are great, but I feel bad for following them around like a lost puppy since I'm not skilled on anything enough to, you know, accomplish anything. I have only ever done theoretical physics, so until this week I had never used any sort of microscope, spectrometer, chemicals, or anything. Thank goodness for Google so I don't have to bother them with questions like "what is a microscope slide cover?"
 
Also, @Cat_Robutt, isn't Gilmore Girls the BEST THING EVER?!?!?!?!