boilers23

Have a beer, relax, and watch some basketball

I feel strangely zen about it. Of course, I am eager to know the result, but I know that (at this stage, at least) it is not a make-or-break for me. Naturally, I realize that not all of us are in the same situation. I think part of it comes from being an undergrad applicant. There is always next year and I have already identified some more fellowships to which I will apply next year (assuming that I am not awarded).

NSF:

Procrastinating pretty hard here today, so I've compiled a list of release dates since 2001:
2007: Friday, March 17 2016: Tuesday, March 29 2015: Tuesday, March 31 2014: Tuesday, April 1 2013: Friday, March 29 2012: Friday, March 20 2011: Tuesday, April 5 2010: Tuesday, April 6 2009: Friday, April 10 2008: Tuesday, April 1 2007: Friday, March 23 2006: Thursday, March 30 2005: Saturday, April 9 2004: Thursday, March 18 2003: Friday, April 4 2002: Friday, March 15 2001: Tuesday, March 20 References: GradCafe, CC 2006, CC 2007, CC 2008, CC Past List

This is frustrating and exhausting at this point..

You people are going crazy. 2017 results have been available for at least 2-3 days so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

I was just stating a fact.

On a positive note, can’t be long now ??

hahaha! I get the anxiety (I'm with you), but these conversations are starting to get a bit ridiculous.

This thread makes me feel like we are living in the Parks and Rec Zorp the Surveyor/End of the World episode. 

I want to get off NSF's Wild Ride

Oh my god, I know... I just want to stop living in a constant state of fear and anxiety, but my wants/needs aren't important here. 

These are just my quick thoughts about living in the Chapel Hill region. For any students who do live here, please add to my comments or feel free to disagree so that this becomes a more useful resource for incoming students.
 
APARTMENTS/HOUSES
Grad students live in apartments and rent houses in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham. Rent largely falls between $500-1200. With roughly $1200-$1000 getting you a nice 2-bedroom. A large majority of graduate students share an apartment with a roommate and can pay as low as $500 per person for a nice place. Not very familiar with prices of 1-bedrooms or studios but I’d assume that they are about $900-750.
 
TRANSPORTATION
When looking for an apartment, use Google Maps and locate the closest bus stop. Then look at the bus schedule to see how often it comes and what hours it operates. Some buses run frequently and go through most of town, but because there are so many stops they can be a little slow depending on where you’re trying to get. Other buses run less frequently but get to your bus destination quickly. To get from Durham to Chapel Hill, it’s about a 15-20 minute bus ride and from Carrboro/Chapel Hill it can be less than 10 minutes. There are several bus routes to choose from and are free to students.
Almost all students get to school by bus since parking passes are expensive and through a lottery system. However, it’s ideal to have a car (or roommate with a car) since grocery stores and other outings can be more difficult to get to by bus.
 
LIVING WITHOUT A CAR
It is totally possible to be without a car, but for above reasons might be a pain. That said, I’m sure many buses do go to the grocery store and many students w/o cars end up running errands with roommates and friends. Lastly, there are a number of restaurants and bars off Franklin that are a short walk from campus. There are also pharmacies and a City Target which I know some folks do all their grocery shopping at which you can easily get to by walking.
 
CH VS CARRBORO VS DURHAM
More undergraduate live in Chapel Hill than surrounding areas which means that your apartment complex may be loud during the weekends. Carrboro is a smaller town but has nice features including a farmers’ market and good restaurants. Most graduate students live in Carrboro, but many opt to live in Durham and some live in Chapel Hill. I believe Durham is cheaper and has more shopping/bars/breweries/general night life than Chapel Hill or Carrboro.
Chapel Hill/Carrboro have a number of good bars with different ambiances and independent coffee shops.
 
SAFETY
A few women I’ve talked to have said they avoid walking alone at night. I think this is warranted in the sense that all college campuses pose some risks, and this is how they base their decisions. I have a feeling that this is more a general rule they’d follow regardless of which graduate school they selected. That said, I’ve never felt unsafe on campus or in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, or Durham and have not heard of any incidents where my friends have felt unsafe either. I feel comfortable walking alone at night on campus and surrounding areas.
 
BEING A POC
I think moving to the South as a POC may be intimating for some people who have lived in other locations in the U.S. or abroad. I can’t speak for everybody’s experiences, but it seems that most graduate students feel that Chapel Hill and the surrounding Triangle Area is a bubble of safety. I have not had any negative experiences in the area as a POC.
 
DUKE & NC State
Chapel Hill has a program with Duke and NC State so that graduate students can enroll in free classes there. Many Duke students attend UNC classes and vice versa. This is ideal since you have more access to take courses and meet professors in your area of specialty.