Cat_Robutt

@gingin6789 congrats! I love reading all the posts here and seeing so much support....it's like there's this kinship, and it's really neat. For the ongoing conversation on introversion, I think it would be fun for those of us attending the same school to have potluck dinners and/or book exchanges. Cooking also helps me extend out of my little shy self, and I can imagine all of us love to read. After all.....we're pursuing advanced degrees....that probably means we're nerdy/geeky.

@Need Coffee in an IV thanks! What system are you using to register? For your and @hippyscientist, does your program have a clear program guide as to what courses you must take/when you must take them? Each program varies on this. PSU's system has an enrollment shopping cart where one chooses classes they are interested in and they can check to see if there are any weird time overlaps. Emailing your POI is a good idea! They are experts on this kinda thing!

Thanks for all the shoe recs! @MarineBluePsy I also have "problem feet" with supination, so parts of the treads get worn very quickly! I will check out Clarks and Corsocomo. @Neist I love Danskos....but that's what my mom wears for her job and so I have always associated them with moms haha

For those of you moving to Pasadena, if you'd like any recommendations for things to see/places to go/things to eat, I would be happy to help out! @radredhead had great suggestions for nearby places; Altadena, Alhambra, Glendale, and even Rosemead are relatively close and have some inexpensive pockets. The weird thing about L.A. is that even in cool or not cool areas, there can still be a wide range in apartment prices! As a general note, the Gold Line has a stop about 2 miles from CalTech. There are busses, but be aware it may take a bit longer as the stop is not within immediate walking distance. If you are a student with a disability, distance becomes even more important as some sidewalks in Pasadena are not ADA compliant and it can make taking public transit more difficult as well.

@herstory Wegmans is like a grocery store, right? @hippyscientist PSU has free yoga at the student wellness center, and there are several inexpensive gyms nearby also! In addition, there is the State College Farmers Market, the Winter Market, and some Amish markets. Among those, you will most likely be able to get fresh foods! I'm excited about the theatres and museum on campus as well as the really neat library...it will be so nice to be in a more walkable neighborhood!

@hippyscientist I'm sure many people on this thread would have much to say about the varied traditions of tailgating! My M.A. is from a HUGE football school, Florida State, and there would always be rowdy folks essentially cosplaying, wearing paint, glitter, wigs, even banana costumes. Lots of drinking, sunburn, and stumbling undergrads.

@hippyscientist bonus--I can explain any facets of Amish and Mennonite culture to you if you get confused as those are my people! Tailgating....ah.....yes....

@Danger_Zone I also have communication apprehension, and...I have taught Public Speaking for a year and a half! In my classes, when I lecture I have prepared notes, discussion questions, etc. and do many activities where the class is split up into small groups in order to get them talking. I've found fostering an encouraging classroom environment where I know my students, they know I know them, and they know each other makes both my anxiety lessen, and their anxiety lessen. This has worked for me personally, and your mileage may vary, but my students know that I am both shy/have anxiety and that I'm dyslexic. This makes me more of a person like them--especially my shy students--and when I inevitably misspell something on the board, they point it out instead of snickering. It's a small detail that has radically changed my classrooms. I would also encourage you to check out "flipped classrooms" where students are more verbally engaged with material, and to perhaps check out Dan O'Hair's A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking as it contains some tips on managing anxiety.

Thanks for all the mattress suggestions! I have a bit of a different question: sturdy, reliable, yet fashionable shoes for ladyperson feet....perhaps something like oxfords. I will be walking around 3-4 miles per day with my new program, rain, snow, or shine, and my shoes tend to get worn quickly! I ask because I tend to dress formally, not wearing sneakers to class.

Congrats @porcorosso and great name, btw! The Crimson Pig is truly elegant. For me, since my program is across the country, I will be doing a massive road trip and spending a few weeks with in-laws, a few weeks with my family members, and arriving a few weeks early to settle in to my new program. I'm a bit OCD, so I like to have things organized before starting a new job, living in a new place, etc.; and I know I will be quite busy for the next four years, so spending time with friends and family matters a great deal to me. What are some things you would like to do/learn/see/eat, but haven't had the time?

Thanks @hippyscientist for creating this thread! I will also be at Penn State, albeit in Mass Comm––perhaps I can get you a thank-you coffee from all of us! It has been incredibly encouraging to know these past few months that, across the world, these strangers were supportive and welcoming no matter what we all had thrown at us. @marycaryne I'm from the Tallahassee area and would be happy to give you details on some fun things to do around the city if you'd like to PM me. If any of y'all are headed to Tallahassee or Los Angeles, I've lived in both those places and would love to share the positives (and/or possibly negatives); if any of you have lived in State College or really anywhere up north, I would very much love your advice. I've never lived somewhere cold, unless you count London, so this will be a new experience for me! I'm excited for this, and have told family and some friends, but am also nervous. I keep thinking things have messed up somehow and it's this big joke because this wasn't the first round of PhD applications for me. Does anyone feel similarly?

Thanks @Oishii! I actually received an offer from another program so won't be going to Oregon after all. Congrats on all your offers––how nifty!

@hellatrangsty Congrats! I'm moving away from Los Angeles, and @kyjin's advice is solid––there is an IKEA in Burbank, many smaller furniture shops, and people are always coming and going so Craigslist can be a very useful resource. Are there any of your books that have digital editions, or books you would be willing to give away or sell? If you can't ship them all via media mail, sometimes paring down the collection can help if you can bear to part with them ( know, I'm a book person, it's difficult!). If you have friends/family in the area, perhaps you could ask one of them to mail the pre-paid boxes to you once you've found an apartment? Will you be driving? Having a car in Los Angeles is almost a must, so I'd recommend using your car or getting a car for life here. Moving can be expensive; selling current items can help with that, moving as few items as possible, getting financial help if possible....all of those are possibilities even if they are not your favorite option. Hopefully you won't have to make any uncomfortable financial choices! I know you've received several things to do/areas of the city, but if you'd like any additional recommendations on places to see, food to eat, museums to visit, etc. feel free to PM me! L.A. is huge and one could spend a lifetime discovering things here.

@SMB123 Tallahassee is a fairly spread out city, and sometimes bus transit can be untimely––However, Tally is increasing their bus fleet, adding several electric busses as well to service the city, so that is a positive. Several of my classmates didn't have vehicles and also preferred to bike. In the summer, it can get quite hot and humid, but as long as you are prepared for that, it is doable. Slowly, the city is becoming more bike-friendly especially around downtown. The walkscore is not super, but again, that's changing near FSU/FAMU campuses: https://www.walkscore.com/FL/Tallahassee One of the reasons it is recommended to have a vehicle is for going to the far-reaching places in town, such as Killearn in the north, the airport/Tallahassee Museum, or away from campus for places like the beach, St. Augustine, etc. Not having a car can be unhandy, but it is definitely a possibility. You may have to live closer to campus, but there are plenty of housing options.

@Lencias You are absolutely right––I'm not an alum of the program, and don't have the right to speak about certain specifics. My apologies if I offended you, @Duna, and/or anyone else on this thread regarding USC. I know it is a fantastic program as I am in the field of communications also; it has many fantastic programs in many fields.

Hey fellow new Nittany Lions (mebbe?)! I'm not looking for a roommate, because I'm super introverted, but would like to make friends, also because I'm super introverted. What all are you interested in studying within your program? I'm in Mass Communications, which means I've got much to learn about things like criminology, entomology, and education...

@EdNeuroGrl How has your week been so far? I hope our financial advice worked some for you; did you set up a gofundme page?

@HopefulPHD14 oh my goodness....this website is amazing!!!! Thank you so much for the link!

@kingslayer I know....and the class is required for transfer, so yep lots of unhappy faces! I do mark and ding for attendance, but no dice for some of them! Also, today I had to give my first verbal warning for a student who was taking a selfie....and I was sitting a few rows behind said student. Because there was a presentation going on. WHAT.

@hippyscientist There's no *blushes* emoji, but that's how I feel! And @Euler that is a positive spin to it, definitely! Perhaps we could create a new thread post-decision? Where we can occasionally check in and write about how we are doing, what we're up to, etc.?

@MangoSmoothie ARGH THAT'S THE WORST. Especially as you're in a communication-based field! So sorry that brobaby is being such a brobaby, and I hope you're able to get out of that situation. I also would like to vent a bit.... one of my classes (out of 5) is just so.....apathetic. They don't engage with course material, or each other, and it's super annoying! My other class with the same content is super into it; they talk to each other, ask questions, show up on time. It's interpersonal comm, so we do things like play card games to figure out who is lying, go outside and see who can tell the worst jokes, watch clips from SNL, John Oliver, the Oscars, and sit around and talk about our friends/families/jobs...the class is supposed to be enjoyable and fun. It's super frustrating, then, to see the apathy, and I can tell some of my students are blowing my class off to sleep in because it starts at 7:00am. It's like they don't even care if they pass or fail, or learn. I'm thinking I know this is community college, but damn it isn't high school, y'all! Get your act together and act professionally! *sigh* Any advice?

Vita cost can work––it honestly depends on the type of food you are getting. I don't really order food online, but do much of my shopping at bulk warehouses like Costco. Kirkland is on your list, so clearly you are doing well on that front. I really like amazon, especially if you have prime. You could technically get Soylent if you weren't worried about additional actual food intake...

@The Interdisciplinarian Congrats Congrats Congrats!!!!! Whoop Whoop! @BooksCoffeeBeards I mean, it is a future that is not too distant, so.....ya know? I'm sorry you haven't heard back from everyone yet (shame on them), and you're in my thoughts! Sending good vibes your way (imagine Servo doing the wave with his lil arms)! Also, I am no longer waiting, but really really like this thread. It's the most supportive thread anywhere on the internet. Is it all right if I continue to hang out here?

@shadowclaw hopefully! The U.S. gets really weird with minor criminal offenses. Best of luck in securing a summer position as well.

Selling large furniture through Craigslist or to local friends, as mentioned, is good––having a yard sale can also be a great way to get some quick cash for smaller goods such as movies, books, knickknacks you don't use. I've also collaborated with a few friends, pooled some of our money together, and helped out another friend in need; if you have a few people you know you can ask for help, even if it is for a little bit, that adds up quickly. If you are currently in an apartment, do you think you will get your deposit back?