Archaeodan

Coming from the perspective of someone who spent their life moving to far-flung parts of three different countries (US, Italy, UK), moving always sucks. The month leading up is stressful, the first day there is exhausting, the first week lonely. However, people get how you feel and want to help you love their home. Because of the wonderful people I've met, I have NEVER lived somewhere I didn't hate leaving at the end. Culture shock exists, but as long as you approach every new situation as a chance to learn and experience another group's perfectly valid different way of doing things, you're going to have a really good time. Just take every day as it comes, say yes to as many events/hang-outs as you possibly can, and jump straight in as fast as you can. Actually move into your new place as close to the start of the first scheduled thing for school as possible. I've found it's better to have less time at the beginning to mope and be alone.
Also, pro-tip. People will know you're not local. Don't try to hide your accent or change the way you speak to sound local. You will probably end up confusing or offending people. I've found people really get a kick out of my obvious "not from here" accent/word choice. Don't over-exaggerate your accent, but embrace it, roll with the lighthearted teasing, and enjoy.
Seriously, moving somewhere new is hard, but it's rarely ever a bad thing.
PS: Skype/Facetime is your friend. Actually seeing your people from home will make you feel way less homesick than just calling or texting.
PPS: Keep the things that are part of your routine. For example, I have always spent a lot of time in coffee shops. They feel like home to me. So, every time I move somewhere new, I make sure to case out the coffee shops within the first week. Really can help you settle into a place if you keep your routine things. Bringing your dog should super help with this. 
PPPS: Unpack and go grocery shopping as soon as possible. You'll be tired and just want to crash, but trust me, the sooner you do the little things to feel more in place, the less you'll feel like your world's been turned upside down. 
PPPPS: Enjoy. This will be really good. Just go for it. 

I got my official university email address!!! It's getting real!

I got my official university email address!!! It's getting real!

I accepted an amazing offer and now I'm going on fieldwork this summer and grad school in the fall so I get to leave my crappy job and OMG EVERYTHING IS AMAZING (i'm sick rn so i'm trying to remember the positives which ain't easy when your body's trying to murder itself from the inside out)

I got my official university email address!!! It's getting real!

After a long season of applications, I’m so grateful and happy to have two funded offers from LSU and Kent State! Anyone want to weigh in on the programs? I know LSU is fairly new! 

Coming from the perspective of someone who spent their life moving to far-flung parts of three different countries (US, Italy, UK), moving always sucks. The month leading up is stressful, the first day there is exhausting, the first week lonely. However, people get how you feel and want to help you love their home. Because of the wonderful people I've met, I have NEVER lived somewhere I didn't hate leaving at the end. Culture shock exists, but as long as you approach every new situation as a chance to learn and experience another group's perfectly valid different way of doing things, you're going to have a really good time. Just take every day as it comes, say yes to as many events/hang-outs as you possibly can, and jump straight in as fast as you can. Actually move into your new place as close to the start of the first scheduled thing for school as possible. I've found it's better to have less time at the beginning to mope and be alone.
Also, pro-tip. People will know you're not local. Don't try to hide your accent or change the way you speak to sound local. You will probably end up confusing or offending people. I've found people really get a kick out of my obvious "not from here" accent/word choice. Don't over-exaggerate your accent, but embrace it, roll with the lighthearted teasing, and enjoy.
Seriously, moving somewhere new is hard, but it's rarely ever a bad thing.
PS: Skype/Facetime is your friend. Actually seeing your people from home will make you feel way less homesick than just calling or texting.
PPS: Keep the things that are part of your routine. For example, I have always spent a lot of time in coffee shops. They feel like home to me. So, every time I move somewhere new, I make sure to case out the coffee shops within the first week. Really can help you settle into a place if you keep your routine things. Bringing your dog should super help with this. 
PPPS: Unpack and go grocery shopping as soon as possible. You'll be tired and just want to crash, but trust me, the sooner you do the little things to feel more in place, the less you'll feel like your world's been turned upside down. 
PPPPS: Enjoy. This will be really good. Just go for it. 

just got my Boston rejection! I've now officially heard back from all my schools. This was my 3rd attempt at applying to PhD programs and looks like 3rd time IS a charm - I was accepted to both of my top choice programs and will be attending University of Notre Dame in the Fall! Don't give up!!!
 

@suavesana I got my official notice from Boston today. Shouldn't take too long for you to get yours. 

Has anyone got any of their travel reimbursements yet? My bank statement is scaring me and I'm an archaeologist AKA way too poor to pay all this out. 

I accepted an amazing offer and now I'm going on fieldwork this summer and grad school in the fall so I get to leave my crappy job and OMG EVERYTHING IS AMAZING (i'm sick rn so i'm trying to remember the positives which ain't easy when your body's trying to murder itself from the inside out)

Got a research gate account and found out I'm coauthor on a conference paper I never got told about. It was from an REU five years ago and they never let me know. It's not in my current field at all but I'm not complaining!! 

Omg...after getting nothing last year, the fact that I get to post in this thread is EVERYTHING.
I was  going into my POI's office for the second time that day at the end of 8hrs of interviewing with a different prof every half-hour, so I was beat and just thinking that this was the culmination big interview/maybe decompression debrief? Nope. I come in and the grad adviser is sitting there with my POI with a manila folder on the table between them. I sit down, we do debrief a bit, and then grad adviser opens the manila folder saying, "We were really impressed by you and we'd be really happy to have you here. You're the first person we've accepted this year, and we're doing so ahead of hearing back from the grad office, so we apologize for the low funding offer. It will go up. Do you have any questions?". 
Yeah, no, I had no questions. I had tears. And a voice squeaking up 18 octaves while I tried to thank them. They laughed, so that's good. They know I'm a hot mess right out the gate. Good they know before they get false expectations. 
 
(NB: that first funding offer was NOT low, still way more than I'm making now, and it has since gone up 1.5x thanks to a merit fellowship so that's...something...omg) (found out about that today while at work and cried in my office right before a meeting with my boss...good times)

Omg...after getting nothing last year, the fact that I get to post in this thread is EVERYTHING.
I was  going into my POI's office for the second time that day at the end of 8hrs of interviewing with a different prof every half-hour, so I was beat and just thinking that this was the culmination big interview/maybe decompression debrief? Nope. I come in and the grad adviser is sitting there with my POI with a manila folder on the table between them. I sit down, we do debrief a bit, and then grad adviser opens the manila folder saying, "We were really impressed by you and we'd be really happy to have you here. You're the first person we've accepted this year, and we're doing so ahead of hearing back from the grad office, so we apologize for the low funding offer. It will go up. Do you have any questions?". 
Yeah, no, I had no questions. I had tears. And a voice squeaking up 18 octaves while I tried to thank them. They laughed, so that's good. They know I'm a hot mess right out the gate. Good they know before they get false expectations. 
 
(NB: that first funding offer was NOT low, still way more than I'm making now, and it has since gone up 1.5x thanks to a merit fellowship so that's...something...omg) (found out about that today while at work and cried in my office right before a meeting with my boss...good times)

Omg...after getting nothing last year, the fact that I get to post in this thread is EVERYTHING.
I was  going into my POI's office for the second time that day at the end of 8hrs of interviewing with a different prof every half-hour, so I was beat and just thinking that this was the culmination big interview/maybe decompression debrief? Nope. I come in and the grad adviser is sitting there with my POI with a manila folder on the table between them. I sit down, we do debrief a bit, and then grad adviser opens the manila folder saying, "We were really impressed by you and we'd be really happy to have you here. You're the first person we've accepted this year, and we're doing so ahead of hearing back from the grad office, so we apologize for the low funding offer. It will go up. Do you have any questions?". 
Yeah, no, I had no questions. I had tears. And a voice squeaking up 18 octaves while I tried to thank them. They laughed, so that's good. They know I'm a hot mess right out the gate. Good they know before they get false expectations. 
 
(NB: that first funding offer was NOT low, still way more than I'm making now, and it has since gone up 1.5x thanks to a merit fellowship so that's...something...omg) (found out about that today while at work and cried in my office right before a meeting with my boss...good times)

I got accepted to University of Illinois at Chicago! 

Guys! I have been accepted into Washington State! My top school, so I am very happy!
 
I got the news yesterday when I woke up...I was feeling super down lately because I had only received rejections, so I was planning to spend the weekend working on a proposal for a school in Europe. But then I saw THE e-mail....freaked out, called my mom, my friends, etc..

Omg.....I got the Enhanced Graduate Scholar Award for Penn State...my funding offer just jumped...a lot...holy shit  (Follow your dreams, kids, and you too may someday be crying in your office unable to believe that people think you're smart and capable)   

I GOT ACCEPTED AT PENN STATE!!! I LOVE THEM AND IT WAS GREAT AND I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO GRAD SCHOOL THIS FALL 

Omg...after getting nothing last year, the fact that I get to post in this thread is EVERYTHING.
I was  going into my POI's office for the second time that day at the end of 8hrs of interviewing with a different prof every half-hour, so I was beat and just thinking that this was the culmination big interview/maybe decompression debrief? Nope. I come in and the grad adviser is sitting there with my POI with a manila folder on the table between them. I sit down, we do debrief a bit, and then grad adviser opens the manila folder saying, "We were really impressed by you and we'd be really happy to have you here. You're the first person we've accepted this year, and we're doing so ahead of hearing back from the grad office, so we apologize for the low funding offer. It will go up. Do you have any questions?". 
Yeah, no, I had no questions. I had tears. And a voice squeaking up 18 octaves while I tried to thank them. They laughed, so that's good. They know I'm a hot mess right out the gate. Good they know before they get false expectations. 
 
(NB: that first funding offer was NOT low, still way more than I'm making now, and it has since gone up 1.5x thanks to a merit fellowship so that's...something...omg) (found out about that today while at work and cried in my office right before a meeting with my boss...good times)

I GOT ACCEPTED AT PENN STATE!!! I LOVE THEM AND IT WAS GREAT AND I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO GRAD SCHOOL THIS FALL 

Omg.....I got the Enhanced Graduate Scholar Award for Penn State...my funding offer just jumped...a lot...holy shit  (Follow your dreams, kids, and you too may someday be crying in your office unable to believe that people think you're smart and capable)   

Omg...after getting nothing last year, the fact that I get to post in this thread is EVERYTHING.
I was  going into my POI's office for the second time that day at the end of 8hrs of interviewing with a different prof every half-hour, so I was beat and just thinking that this was the culmination big interview/maybe decompression debrief? Nope. I come in and the grad adviser is sitting there with my POI with a manila folder on the table between them. I sit down, we do debrief a bit, and then grad adviser opens the manila folder saying, "We were really impressed by you and we'd be really happy to have you here. You're the first person we've accepted this year, and we're doing so ahead of hearing back from the grad office, so we apologize for the low funding offer. It will go up. Do you have any questions?". 
Yeah, no, I had no questions. I had tears. And a voice squeaking up 18 octaves while I tried to thank them. They laughed, so that's good. They know I'm a hot mess right out the gate. Good they know before they get false expectations. 
 
(NB: that first funding offer was NOT low, still way more than I'm making now, and it has since gone up 1.5x thanks to a merit fellowship so that's...something...omg) (found out about that today while at work and cried in my office right before a meeting with my boss...good times)

Omg.....I got the Enhanced Graduate Scholar Award for Penn State...my funding offer just jumped...a lot...holy shit  (Follow your dreams, kids, and you too may someday be crying in your office unable to believe that people think you're smart and capable)   

Omg.....I got the Enhanced Graduate Scholar Award for Penn State...my funding offer just jumped...a lot...holy shit  (Follow your dreams, kids, and you too may someday be crying in your office unable to believe that people think you're smart and capable)