Liquirizia

Just a word to the wise, no one uses umbrellas and people will immediately know that you aren't from Oregon if you do.

To the two previous posters. Hi! I just finished my undergraduate degree at UO and will be continuing on for my PhD starting next fall here as well. 
The Ister: To be honest; I am not too familiar with the LGBT community in Eugene, however I do know that there are a few LGBT bars downtown, frequent events on campus, and many many resources provided by the University for that group. The general culture in Eugene is extremely accepting and welcoming of all types of people. 
The coast is about a 1 hour drive, maybe 1 hr 15 mins from Eugene. I would recommend looking for housing around Amazon Park. The Whittaker is also a popular district in town but I have heard it is a bit louder and there is more petty theft around there. Campus is roughly 10-12 blocks from the center of downtown, so it is walkable. Eugene is very bike friendly, so commuting by bike is a very popular option. If you have a bike, make sure to equip it with fenders to prepare for the endless rain during the winter. 
Let me know if you have any other questions.

Congrats on the acceptance! That is so exciting, especially for it being a top choice! 
I know it is hard not getting to visit the city. (Currently dealing with the same issue actually.) The experience gives so much precious information that doesn't transmit well over the internet. As you mentioned, the internet can also be quite polarizing. I will do my very best to give a fair answer. While I am a native, I've lived in other places (including abroad), which has informed my opinion of Chicago to be less biased.
As an international student, you should feel at home. Chicago is so diverse! You can find food from anywhere, friends from anywhere, etc. It's truly a treasure.
Transportation - honestly some of the best you will find across the US. It's called the CTA and the trains are specifically called the "L" because it runs in a Loop. The red and blue line runs 24/7 and they cover a lot of the city. The other lines run roughly 4am to 1 or 2am. The blue line takes you to/from to O'Hare airport. They are very reliable and come often. Transferring lines is generally very simple, occasionally you might have to leave a station to cross the street to get to another station, not typical though. The buses are great too. A lot of people are scared of them because they're "more dangerous." But that is just not true. They have lots of different schedules though. You can check it out: https://www.transitchicago.com/
Safety - ugh, this is a tough one. It is a city, and like any city there is crime. There was a brief interlude where we were the murder capital of the US, but honestly, if you avoid certain areas, take precautions/be aware of your surroundings, don't do stupid stuff (like get blackout drunk and wander alone at night), etc. you'll be fine. If U Chicago is the school you're going to, stick to campus. The surrounding areas can be a little dangerous at times. We can get into this more if you like. It's truly no different than living in other major cities though in terms of safety. Owning pepper spray never hurts (you).
Scenery - some of the most beautiful architecture the US has to offer. Lots of gorgeous skyline views. However, there is a serious lack of nature. We have no mountains or even hills. There is Lake Michigan which is a major attraction in the summer (but also beautiful in winter). You can enjoy the beach or kayak on the Chicago River. There is a nice bike/run path along the lake (Lake Front Trail or LFT). There are some nice parks scattered throughout the city. Lincoln Park being the biggest, I think. Not sure what other scenery you are interested in, but let me know.
Weather - it has the lake effect so there will be more snow than other parts of Illinois in winter. It has big temperature swings. It's very cold in the winter (sub 0F a few days, not often) and very hot in the summer (highs in the 90's F a few days, not so often). We joke a lot about how sometimes we skip fall or spring because it goes from freezing to warm in a matter of days without easing into the seasonal change. Overall, the weather is very manageable all year round. Winters aren't that bad unless maybe you've never experienced winter before.
General notes - Chicago is the 3rd biggest city in the US, but one of the more affordable cities. NY and LA are notoriously expensive. You can find some cheap rent in certain neighborhoods. I lived in Rogers Park, and my rent was 750 for a 2 bdr. Groceries aren't absurdly pricey unless you shop at certain places like Whole Foods. You can find good prices at small family-owned grocery stores. It's a bike-able city, some areas less than others, though. There is plenty to do in Chicago in terms of activities/events. Lots of concert venues, museums, theaters, etc. Ice skating in the winter, Lollapalooza and the Taste of Chicago in the summer. Typical city stuff.
It's also a spread out city. It's shape is a big rectangle along the lake with an easy to navigate grid system. 
Please don't hesitate to ask follow up questions. I'm happy to help. ?

Wow, thanks for the lengthy response! I really appreciate it. And thanks for the tip about FLAS, I had no idea about external funding stuff like this.
Unfortunately I don't have my masters yet, which is one reason the stipend at UNC is so low- during my first two years I can only teach 2 courses per year, but after I get my "shadow Masters" finished, I could teach a third course and bump the stipend up to 20k. 
Good to know about cost of living, too. They claim to be really affordable in COL....but Chapel Hill prices have really just been going up and up, it seems anyone who lives in the actual campus area is usually richer undergrads whose parents pay for apartments or wealthier couples who can afford a house there - I already know if I go to UNC I can't live in Chapel Hill and even some of the closer places a current grad recommended are too much for renting on my first-year budget. 
I'll be interested to see what exactly I learn with the professor on Wednesday- he very well could just be wanting to talk to say they have no funding so I'm waitlisted lol. 

Disclaimer: My background is in Italian, not French. I don't know a ton about UNC but I did apply there. I went to UIUC as an undergrad and studied Italian in the FRIT dept. I don't know the French profs, but I know Rushing who is Ital/CL prof who does some work on French. He is amazing, btw.
Anyway, info that could be useful for you:
Funding can be hit or miss. They really don't have money. I applied to a PhD in Italian this year at UIUC and one of my profs emailed me right away to say "Apply to FLAS... there is too much uncertainty with COVID." It's a little late to apply to FLAS for next year, but that might be a source of funding for you in the future. Also, if you're coming in with a MA and starting the PhD, not starting with the master's you should be able to have more funding. It's those master's years that are the least secure. Also, be prepared to teach/TA French language classes. TAing is how you'll be funded. I've heard talk of the language profs wanting to get students in the habit of applying to fellowships externally, but it hasn't been done often historically. That might change.
Also, it seems summers are not funded and there aren't tons of opportunities. You might make a little money for teaching in the 3 week FLIP program. I know many of the Italian native of the program just go back to Italy for the summer. 
The FRIT department is fairly close in terms of grad students - lots of beautiful friendships and support. They certainly have a lot of fun. ?
Outside of the program, UC is a wonderful place. Very cute, extremely diverse for a rural location, and "micro-urban." Cost of living is DIRT cheap. It really is an affordable place to live. There are trains and busses to Chicago so it's easy to get there without a car. Getting around the UC area is easy by bus, walking, or biking. Everything is very close.

Disclaimer: My background is in Italian, not French. I don't know a ton about UNC but I did apply there. I went to UIUC as an undergrad and studied Italian in the FRIT dept. I don't know the French profs, but I know Rushing who is Ital/CL prof who does some work on French. He is amazing, btw.
Anyway, info that could be useful for you:
Funding can be hit or miss. They really don't have money. I applied to a PhD in Italian this year at UIUC and one of my profs emailed me right away to say "Apply to FLAS... there is too much uncertainty with COVID." It's a little late to apply to FLAS for next year, but that might be a source of funding for you in the future. Also, if you're coming in with a MA and starting the PhD, not starting with the master's you should be able to have more funding. It's those master's years that are the least secure. Also, be prepared to teach/TA French language classes. TAing is how you'll be funded. I've heard talk of the language profs wanting to get students in the habit of applying to fellowships externally, but it hasn't been done often historically. That might change.
Also, it seems summers are not funded and there aren't tons of opportunities. You might make a little money for teaching in the 3 week FLIP program. I know many of the Italian native of the program just go back to Italy for the summer. 
The FRIT department is fairly close in terms of grad students - lots of beautiful friendships and support. They certainly have a lot of fun. ?
Outside of the program, UC is a wonderful place. Very cute, extremely diverse for a rural location, and "micro-urban." Cost of living is DIRT cheap. It really is an affordable place to live. There are trains and busses to Chicago so it's easy to get there without a car. Getting around the UC area is easy by bus, walking, or biking. Everything is very close.

Thank you again!! Really this is so reassuring if all works out and I love that saying, makes sense. 
 
Thank you so much for the time you put into helping me and giving advice to the stranger on the internet. Wishing you the best of luck with your move, studies and everything. Hope you hear some good news from these schools. Best of luck, you're a very kind person. ???

Of course! It's my pleasure. Ah, Dubai, that will be a bit of adjustment in terms of winter! I think a lot of winter is actually mental. You can get through it by staying positive and wearing warm clothes. The Scandinavians say, "There's no bad weather, just bad clothes." For me, that's very true. My suggestions would be wearing "long underwear" under your pants and wearing lots of layers - you can always take layers off if you're too warm. Better safe than sorry. Also, it can be windy in Chicago any time of year. So windbreakers make a great layer.
That's good the scenery suits you. Many of my friends come from mountainous places, and they always complain how flat Illinois is! 
Lucky for you, your school is in the heart of downtown. It's very safe there. You'll be very close to Millenium Park and the museums. It's a nice area. It's busy during the day with working people and tourists but gets fairly quiet at night. Perhaps you're biggest danger could be someone trying to pickpocket you. I feel like they usually target teenagers on their phones though.
Thank you! I'm moving for grad school, too. Haven't decided which school yet (still waiting to hear back on a few more). But regardless, I'm getting out of Illinois! Very likely to be the west coast. ? 
Wishing you lots of success in the move and in school!

Thank you so much for the thorough response. It really means a lot that you took the time to write all this. Okay so I am from Dubai so of course 90% of other countries (or at least the ones I've been to) are too cold for me haha, so I think this is something I will have to live with, and I do come from a city, so I guess the scenery is more like a park to walk and spend time rather than a hills and mountains (even though that is also nice). It sounds great from what you've described, let's hope things work out. 
 
As for university campus, its actually School of the Arts Institute of Chicago, is the area around there safer (than U of Chicago)? 
 
Also good luck with your move, are you moving for school or a job or other reasons? Either way hoping all works out, I think it's a little challenging nowadays but hopefully things improve by the end of the year.
 
Thank you ?

Ask and you shall receive. I grew up in Chicago area so I can try to help you.

Congrats on the acceptance! That is so exciting, especially for it being a top choice! 
I know it is hard not getting to visit the city. (Currently dealing with the same issue actually.) The experience gives so much precious information that doesn't transmit well over the internet. As you mentioned, the internet can also be quite polarizing. I will do my very best to give a fair answer. While I am a native, I've lived in other places (including abroad), which has informed my opinion of Chicago to be less biased.
As an international student, you should feel at home. Chicago is so diverse! You can find food from anywhere, friends from anywhere, etc. It's truly a treasure.
Transportation - honestly some of the best you will find across the US. It's called the CTA and the trains are specifically called the "L" because it runs in a Loop. The red and blue line runs 24/7 and they cover a lot of the city. The other lines run roughly 4am to 1 or 2am. The blue line takes you to/from to O'Hare airport. They are very reliable and come often. Transferring lines is generally very simple, occasionally you might have to leave a station to cross the street to get to another station, not typical though. The buses are great too. A lot of people are scared of them because they're "more dangerous." But that is just not true. They have lots of different schedules though. You can check it out: https://www.transitchicago.com/
Safety - ugh, this is a tough one. It is a city, and like any city there is crime. There was a brief interlude where we were the murder capital of the US, but honestly, if you avoid certain areas, take precautions/be aware of your surroundings, don't do stupid stuff (like get blackout drunk and wander alone at night), etc. you'll be fine. If U Chicago is the school you're going to, stick to campus. The surrounding areas can be a little dangerous at times. We can get into this more if you like. It's truly no different than living in other major cities though in terms of safety. Owning pepper spray never hurts (you).
Scenery - some of the most beautiful architecture the US has to offer. Lots of gorgeous skyline views. However, there is a serious lack of nature. We have no mountains or even hills. There is Lake Michigan which is a major attraction in the summer (but also beautiful in winter). You can enjoy the beach or kayak on the Chicago River. There is a nice bike/run path along the lake (Lake Front Trail or LFT). There are some nice parks scattered throughout the city. Lincoln Park being the biggest, I think. Not sure what other scenery you are interested in, but let me know.
Weather - it has the lake effect so there will be more snow than other parts of Illinois in winter. It has big temperature swings. It's very cold in the winter (sub 0F a few days, not often) and very hot in the summer (highs in the 90's F a few days, not so often). We joke a lot about how sometimes we skip fall or spring because it goes from freezing to warm in a matter of days without easing into the seasonal change. Overall, the weather is very manageable all year round. Winters aren't that bad unless maybe you've never experienced winter before.
General notes - Chicago is the 3rd biggest city in the US, but one of the more affordable cities. NY and LA are notoriously expensive. You can find some cheap rent in certain neighborhoods. I lived in Rogers Park, and my rent was 750 for a 2 bdr. Groceries aren't absurdly pricey unless you shop at certain places like Whole Foods. You can find good prices at small family-owned grocery stores. It's a bike-able city, some areas less than others, though. There is plenty to do in Chicago in terms of activities/events. Lots of concert venues, museums, theaters, etc. Ice skating in the winter, Lollapalooza and the Taste of Chicago in the summer. Typical city stuff.
It's also a spread out city. It's shape is a big rectangle along the lake with an easy to navigate grid system. 
Please don't hesitate to ask follow up questions. I'm happy to help. ?

Also thank you for doing this. Very kind of you to take the time

The New York Times had this interesting article about how female economists were found to encounter more hostility and outright sexual violations.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/business/economy/economics-women-gender-bias.html?action=click&module=News&pgtype=Homepage
I wanted to ask the women in the forum in academia about your experiences relative to this subject matter. 

It's totally not fair. I agree. Just take her comments with a grain of salt. Perhaps surround yourself with people who will congratulate you and get excited for you, which will help balance the lack of support from your mom.
I'm in a similar boat -- my parents are not happy about me applying either. But their reasons are less about me moving away and more that I will be forever poor and hungry (perks of being a humanities scholar). Last year was my first time applying - I didn't get in anywhere and her response was, "Well, it wasn't meant to be. It wasn't going to happen. So when are you getting another accounting job?"
I have built a support system in friends (not my family as you can see why), and I think that is so important. I hope you have supportive friends! Mine pushed me to apply again and helped me stay positive. Now, I have actually been accepted to some programs this year. However, my mom still isn't happy and was even surprised I would apply again. I didn't let her get in my head and, I hope you can keep positive too! You definitely have a supportive community here at Grad Cafe!  

I withdrew several applications once I was accepted to my first two choices and it became clear to me that I would not attend the other schools whose applications were still pending, in case I got accepted. I also made sure to decline offers from schools as soon as I wasn't considering them anymore, in case that could be helpful to anyone. I wasn't entirely sure whether these schools had a waitlist, but anyway I thought the decent thing to do was to save others the uncertainty of being on the waitlist or possibly getting rejected. I understand how it would be nice for one's ego to be able to count those applications as acceptances, but to be honest in the long run I've drawn a lot more satisfaction from knowing that I didn't deprive anyone else of the chance to go to grad school than from knowing that I might have been admitted to these schools (and immediately declined). After all, I got into my top choices and had a great grad school career. Once you're in school, no one really cares what other offers you had. I think it might have been discussed in the beginning of our first year, but it's not really been a topic ever since.
 
As for your second choice, I think you need to sit down and be very honest with yourself. Are you considering this option at all? If you might consider it, then you should give yourself a chance to get the offer and evaluate it then. If you do get the offer, you will have earned it fairly. As long as you are still considering it, I think it's fair to wait and see. However, if you are definitely going to attend your first choice school and you don't see any chance you'll change your mind, then I think the mature thing to do is to let go of it, despite the possible "damage" to your pride. 

I'm not a total expert, but I would say:
Keeping your answers as brief as possible always allows more time and is reasonable considering how brief the interview is. Don't ramble the time away. 
In your answers, you can leave things open ended to provoke a question on their end for you to talk about what you left open ended. Lead them into the topics you want to discuss or highlight. 
They have an agenda of questions to get through, which you can't control. They usually leave 5 minutes at the end for questions which isn't much. So when you answer their questions, you might bring up something in your answer that could spark them to think of something to tell you that you would have wanted to ask as a question otherwise. 
Being prepared as much as possible beforehand - polishing answers to prevent yourself from rambling. Also, preparing all the questions you want to know from them so they're clear in your mind and written down for you to reference.
I hope this all makes sense. Again, these are my ideas based on my experiences with these 20 to 30 minute interviews.
*edit - I also, have written down every question asked from all my interviews - which helped me prepare for the subsequent interviews.

I'm not a total expert, but I would say:
Keeping your answers as brief as possible always allows more time and is reasonable considering how brief the interview is. Don't ramble the time away. 
In your answers, you can leave things open ended to provoke a question on their end for you to talk about what you left open ended. Lead them into the topics you want to discuss or highlight. 
They have an agenda of questions to get through, which you can't control. They usually leave 5 minutes at the end for questions which isn't much. So when you answer their questions, you might bring up something in your answer that could spark them to think of something to tell you that you would have wanted to ask as a question otherwise. 
Being prepared as much as possible beforehand - polishing answers to prevent yourself from rambling. Also, preparing all the questions you want to know from them so they're clear in your mind and written down for you to reference.
I hope this all makes sense. Again, these are my ideas based on my experiences with these 20 to 30 minute interviews.
*edit - I also, have written down every question asked from all my interviews - which helped me prepare for the subsequent interviews.

Although I am entering as a new Ph.d candidate this year, I remember very well my MA program, and so I am basically taking some of my own advice, which I will note for you guys here in case you'd like to follow my example.

1. I always contact my profs in advance for any readings or assignments I can start in the summer. I am in English, so this is usually a BIG timesaver. During my MA program, I taught for a program which required us to read and lead discussions on a reading packet (which had over 500 pages!!). I read and took notes on the packet in the summer, so that when the fall semester hit, all i had to do was look over my old notes and I was ready to teach. Right now, I've already begun contacting profs, and they have been giving me suggested readings. I have the summer off, so I am planning to hit the books and get ahead, which has always been the secret to my success (I rarely get too stressed out).

2. TIME MANAGEMENT. Let me say that again: TIME MANAGEMENT!!!!! When I get an assignment (for an essay, say), I don't wait until a week before it's due to get started. I IMMEDIATELY go to the library (sometimes directly after the class) and start compiling the materials I will need. I keep a detailed planner keeping track of what assignments are due when. With good time management, you don't have to do any all-nighters or be miserable because you don't have any free time. Work hard, work efficiently, and you WILL have time for fun in your life, even in your first year. In my first year as an MA student, I taught 9 hours a week for the linguistics department, making all my own lesson plans. I also took 3 full seminars. And yet, I don't remember being particularly stressed out. I set aside my Saturday mornings for lesson planning, and I'd plan my teaching for the entire week, setting aside all the materials I would need and making sure to make any required copies. Then the rest of the weekend would be for homework, research, etc., but I'd often go to a cafe and take time to go to the gym or take a walk. For me, grad school has always been WAY easier than working a 9 to 5 in a cubicle somewhere. In grad school, you make your own hours. If you're nocturnal, you can work all night if you want. If you're a morning person, you can get up at 4am to study. Perhaps the freedom of it all is what gets people into trouble....

3. Do NOT procrastinate. In undergrad, you could get away with cramming the day before the test, or staying up all night the night before an assignment was due, busting out a 5-page essay in 8 hours. In grad school, your profs will KNOW sloppy work for what it is. Get working on stuff early.

4. Communicate. You may not like many of your profs. In fact, a great many of them are arrogant a-holes. They may be condescending, or treat you like dirt. This is irrelevant. You have to put your personal feelings aside and communicate with them in a professional manner. I absolutely loathed several of my profs in grad school, but I smiled and did my best to visit them at office hours and ask them for advice. Trust me. It works.

5. Make sure the people on your committee are people you respect, and who will help you. Don't just get anybody who agrees to be on your committee. Be very, very careful. These are the people who will approve or deny your thesis/dissertation. You want people who will help you revise, or guide you along the way, not a prof who is already mentoring 8 other people, is never around, is 8 months pregnant, is near death or chronically ill, is head of a department and exceedingly busy, etc. etc. etc. You are going to want to show your work in progress and get guidance. Make sure the people you choose are the right people.

And of course, take time to relax and have a little fun. Audit an undergraduate course in something that interests you (sorry, I'm a nerd, that's what I do for "fun"). Go camping for a weekend when you're ahead on your work. Go study in an outdoor cafe--get Out of the house/library, for god's sake! Life is short. If you're not having a good time, you're doing something wrong.

My advice: volunteer for stuff. I forgot to do this my first year and I get the feeling it pissed some students in my program off. There is a sort of unspoken rule that first years volunteer to help out at events (in my dept, anyway), since the other years are the ones who basically plan it all. I didn't know this when I first got there, and sort of naively thought that no year could be busier than my first year (jeez, how wrong I was), and that I'd help out more later when things calmed down (they never did).

Start writing. Immediately. During my PhD, one of the most difficult things was to find a consistent level of writing output on a weekly basis. Some weeks, there was a lot of production and other weeks, not so much. I learned that the way to do it is to set a specific writing goal, and then STICK TO IT, every day. It should be something that is both challenging and achievable. So don't go out and insist that you will write 3 pages per day because in most cases, you might be able to do that for a few days but then you won't be able to keep up. Instead set a goal of something like 300 words to around 500 words (500 words = roughly equivalent of 1 page). If you write 500 words, every day, you will have produced about 15 pages in two weeks time. All those pages won't be perfect of course, but you will at least have a baseline that you can then improve upon.
Do little over a long period of time INSTEAD of doing a lot during a short period time. In my experience, the quality of the text will be better, as well as the quality of your life (in terms of work-life balance). Anyone else who have thought about this?

Impostor syndrome is a real thing for a lot of PhD and graduate students. Don't panic if you do not understand everything at first. It's absolutely normal. A lot of the things we learn at this stage implies years of reflection and understanding. Your understanding of concepts, realities, topics will mature and evolve with you. Don't panic if you do not get it at first, it has nothing to do with you being stupid or not deserving of being a grad student. 

After reading through all 23 pages, I think I've managed to compile the most salient (at least for me) and still relevant pieces of advice as far as grad school supplies 
Laptop - While most people have a laptop, it was recommended by several people that folks in a new laptop (unless yours is less than two years old) and make sure you get an extended warranty (one that will hopefully last the entirety of your program).  Note: look into funding opportunities for laptops within your department. Some will finance a new laptop for incoming grad students!  Desk - L-shaped came highly recommended, given the extra space. While i love my little desk, I may invest in a larger one by year 2.  Chair (Desk) - Investing in a good chair was stressed many times. You will likely be spending many hours hunched over a desk. get one that will be comfortable for your back, but won't put you to sleep.  Chair (Reading) - a separate reading chair was recommended for those hours upon hours where you'll be reading. a comfortable chair or couch was recommended. Printer - there was some debate regarding the pros/cons of a printer. In an increasingly digital age, I don't think a printer is completely necessary. ESPECIALLY because so many universities have printers available and printing costs included within stipends. But this will depend on the person Scanner OR File Cabinet - One person had recommended getting a file cabinet and regularly organizing it so as not to fall behind (if you are someone who likes having physical copies of everything, then go for this option). HOWEVER, someone then chimed in to say screw a file cabinet. just get a scanner. and i thought that was an excellent idea! just scan everything you need and chuck the physical copies (unless its like your birth certificate or something)  Coffee - Coffee maker, coffee carafe (to keep it warm for those days of marathon working), french press. you get the idea. ALTERNATIVE: electric kettle for tea drinkers  Large Water Bottle - lets be sustainable folks!  Snacks - for those long days  Wall Calendar  Dry Erase Board  Noise Cancelling Headphones  External Hard Drive Dongles - actually didn't see folks write about this, so I'm adding it! Dongles/adapters are constantly changing based on your device. Get the one that is specific to your computer to HDMI and VGA, and you should be set for most campus systems!  Paper shredder - unless your campus has a shredding removal service like my current one has. I'd say take advantage of that Travel - Luggage, toiletry bag, international travel adapter/converter, etc. You will presumably be traveling a bunch! Get the right travel accessories if you can Desk accessories - post its, highlighters, pens Notebooks - it seems like everyone has been unanimously pro-moleskine notebooks on here. mmmm I'm not! What *EYE* recommend is going to your local art supply store, and buying sketchbooks from there. They are usually so much cheaper. And most art stores have artist and student memberships available, so you can get major discounts. I just showed a sale and got all my notebooks and pens for less than $30. Just my opinion  Software - Just some of the software that came highly recommended and that I felt like was still relevant today: Evernote. Zotero. Scrivener. CamScanner. Nuance. iStudiez  Most of this is hella obvious. But some of these I hadn't even considered! And its nice to think about these things early so you have enough time to save up or search the internet for deals. I curated an Amazon wishlist based on the information i listed above. Let me know if you'd like me to post it here and make public! 
And remember: 90% (if not all) of this is OPTIONAL. Let's not make academia seem more inaccessible than it already is. You will excel regardless of whether or not you have these things.  There's always borrowing. lending programs through your university. free services through your libraries. There are options! 
Hope this is helpful to those reading this post 8 years later! It was certainly helpful for me. Aside from curating a great list of things i want, it also helped distract me from decisions this week ://////