[Atlanta, GA]

could u also elaborate on the leasing process. Being from a diff part of the world i am a bit confused over this. What all is needed to rent an apartment and how is payment made(monthly or tri-monthly or annually), how long is the leanse. when does it start (from the day of agreement or from start of month always?)

I'm not the leasing expert, so I suggest finding additional advice - my move to Boston in the fall will be my first experience with a leasing office.

The length and dates of the lease can largely be determined by your agreement with your landlord. Payment is normally made monthly.

[Atlanta, GA]

Why has no one mentioned the Cliff bus yet? For Emory students, I think it's vital to know about it.

The Cliff bus is funded by Emory (at least all their money finally went to something useful), and it is free to the public. The people on there are friendly and diverse. It's definitely slower than a car, but it's useful. It connects the Decatur MARTA station and Emory's campus, so it is feasible to live in Decatur/somewhere near a MARTA line. Personally, I adore downtown Decatur and would recommend living there. It's so friendly, tons of restaurants and independent stores, all the basics you need.

I take MARTA to/from working on campus every week, and it's okay, but people hitting you up for change are often not disabled. It is also not rare to see (or be) a young woman feeling uncomfortable who is riding alone. I've listened to men ask young women if they're married, have kids, can have their number, and I've had some unpleasant experiences being followed off the train by men asking for my number. The last one took the cake - as I waited to be picked up, he grabbed my hand, told me I "looked lonely," and would not immediately let go of me when I started tugging on my hand.

[Atlanta, GA]

Thanks a lot Yang.

One more query..should I book an apartment in Homepark right away, or should I do it when I come there in August.(Although I seriously doubt that anything good would be left by that time.)

Further what would be the procedure to do this.

I would recommend waiting until you see the place. There are some seriously sketchy areas in Homepark. When I was considering getting an apartment in Atlanta, I ruled it out because I felt unsafe as a young female who likes to walk to her destination.