ogopo

I definitely think it hinders people when they stick with their own kind and don't try to get to know new people or cultures. And I also understand that when moving to a new place, especially when the culture and language are different, that it helps to have people that understand you and help you to maintain a feeling of comfort.

But I think it is unfair to think that only international students do this. A lot of people live like this, except that it might not be as noticeable because they do not speak a different language or look different. Some people stick with the same friends they've had since highschool. Some people stick to their own social class. Some people stick with only people that share their beliefs. I could go on. My point is that generally people stick to like-minded people.

And then there are people who try to break these barriers, either by leaving their comfort zone to experience new things or by inviting those people who are in groups to try new things. I think that it is easy to look at international students and say that they "stick to people of their own ethnicity" but not really work to include them. It's hard to come to a place with a new culture, and all too often I see that "locals" do not make an effort to include the new people.

Let's build bridges instead of reinforcing walls.

Backpack or messenger bag? For pete's sake, this is grad school, not high school! Who cares what I bring my stuff to school in, as long as it gets there? If all I have on hand is a paper bag, then that's what it'll be. No one will notice or care, and if they do that's they're problem, not mine.

I myself never understand the purse girls. Yes, I get that it's a hassle to switch all the items from backpack to handbag, but I don't get how they carry textbooks plus the fucking huge laptops the school makes us use. I know I look like a very unfashionable moron with my dirty backpack, but at least my shoulder doesn't hurt. I think I will purchase a slightly less stupid looking one for grad school, though. A lot of my profs carry backpacks, so I don't think it's shameful.

I agree entirely. Was alarmed to see last night that people are downvoting Just me for no particular reason, or for reasons having more to do with her history on the board than anything else. That actually does border on picking on her; and bullying is something that a) should be intolerable in the first place, and we ought to have grown out of years ago, particularly as a bunch of (mostly) very intelligent, thoughtful, well-adjusted adults. Just me does have a habit that gets on the nerves of some people here (posting a long thread about her problems, getting lots of good advice, rejecting all of it one post at a time, and then passive-aggressively abandoning the thread because she feels as if she's been totally misunderstood), and it's true that whether we're contending with a target-of-abuse or a case of victim-playing-personality-disorder is decidedly nebulous; but that's not a good excuse to get stand-offish and/or take a few gratuitous, anonymous shots at her. In fact, either way, a few less-than-warranted downvotes are counterproductive; think about it. Whether or not her backstory is true, Just me needs (at the very least) some psychological assistance, and we've done everything we can do about that. In the meantime, I recommend that innocuous posts of hers be treated at face-value, and anything talking about being a victim be given minimal attention since we probably have nothing more to say on that subject, especially if her situation isn't going to change. Can we all agree on that?

(Apologies for talking around you, Just me. Addressing [select] others here.)

(have not read all the previous responses)

Tons of people went to class in sweatpants when I was in undergrad. Many of my classmates looked like they rolled out of bed, threw on shoes and came to class as is. Honestly, if you're paying out the backside to attend college,I think that gives you the right to wear whatever you're comfortable in. Personally I hate sweatpants in general and can't even wear them at home when I'm being a lazy bum, but I know loads of folks find them comfy and will wear them to class or to get groceries and such. That's their call. If a school doesn't want people wearing their jammies to class, they need to implement a dress code...if not, they need to expect to see some folks in sweats and sleep clothes.

Art school definitely brings out some interesting outfits - I've gone to class in furry boots, with my face painted like a mime, dressed as a maid, wearing all kinds of goodies (wrist cuffs, necklaces, chains, chokers, hats, etc.), and wearing a suit, tie and fedora. No reason in particular - just felt like it.

So by all means, if there is no dress code specifically saying you can't wear sweats and such, then wear whatever you're comfortable in. I personally wear a t-shirt, jeans, the blackest black eyeliner I can find, leather choker and combat boots to class every day in grad school. In the colder months, I also wear a hooded sweatshirt with the grim reaper on the front. If the school doesn't like it, they can kiss my ass. I'll be damned if I'm going to give them thousands of dollars and do their ass-busting assignments and NOT be at least semi-comfortable in the process. But art schools might be a little more lax about what you wear. I'm a rebel, so I'd probably wear the same thing on any campus.

Bottom line...IMHO, if a professor has time to care and judge you about your outfit, they're not doing their job. They are there to teach, not be fashion critics (unless maybe if they teach in a fashion-related major).

I don't think there would be a such thing as a universal bullshit class...if you attend a college where there is a large variety of majors, what would be a BS class to one field might be essential for another. For example, if you intend to be a marine biologist, then biology and science classes would be a must for you. But if you're an art student, do you really need science at all? And if English classes were totally about improving one's grammar,learning to write resumes, learning MLA and APA writing styles, then that wouldn't be too bad. But why do culinary students need to read things like One Hundred Years of Solitude? Offer English as an elective to people who don't speak it as a first language, and maybe change what we now call English to "Writing" or something like that.

I cannot paint any one class with the bullshit brush because very very few classes are worthless to all majors. Why does a person need a generally well-rounded college education when they are majoring in a certain area of study? As an art student, I learned a very broad range of art skills in my classes - web design, digital design, illustration, and so on. So while I may have gotten a well-rounded ART education, I fail to see why throwing in a bunch of high school classes like English and math are necessary to become an artist. I understand other fields might need those "typical" classes, but some don't and I think it's a big waste of time, money and effort to have to worry about answering questions on some obscure novel no one's ever heard of when you could be dedicating that time to doing better on a core class that will help you in your field.

But like I said, I know colleges need to get a little more buck for their bang, so they force stupid shit down every student's throat. Some folks are overachievers and might decide to take a few extra BS classes - good for them. That's what bullshit classes should be - optional. And what if a photography student has to keep a certain GPA to, say, maintain a scholarship? And they're very bad at math. That math class could easily drag down their GPA if they do bad - if they fail, they have to take it again and possibly risk getting their GPA dragged down even more and maybe lose their scholarship. If eliminating these unnecessary classes turns a college into a trade school, then why is that a bad thing? That's what you go to college to learn, isn't it? A trade? A skill set? Grooming for a possible career? IMHO, it's all the same thing with different names.

Let students focus on their chosen field without the burden of academic add-ons.

Definitely be excited, not nervous. This is an excellent opportunity!!

I've presented at a few conferences now (one locally and one in France) so let me speak from my experiences. Bear with me if this gets long, I tend to ramble at this hour.

No one will be judging you (unless there is some sort of student competition, but that's another bag of worms). They are there to hear the content of your talk. People will definitely realize that you are young and that this is likely your first conference presentation. You will be surprised at how friendly people will be. I was certainly surprised at how many people who watched my first talk actually wanted to speak to me. Take advantage of those opportunities and meet people If this happens, get people's contact information and follow up with them. If you don't know the answer to something, get their emails and get back to them later.

On that note, if someone asks you a question you cannot answer, or is too complicated to answer, just tell them that you will talk to them after. Then use the same approach as above. There is plenty of time for mingling.

Mingling can be difficult, especially when you see a bunch of senior professor types who seem to be old buddies. If you find yourself alone, just scan the room find other young people who seem as lost and confused as you and chat them up. Ask them what they study. Also, if you go to a talk that is interesting, approach the speaker after the talk and ask them questions. Really, this is what conferences are all about.

I would recommend going to as many talks as possible. You should hopefully be interested in the topic. However, no one will notice if you take a little time off too. Frick, Paris is awesome. Make sure you have a map (the best one I had was a little tourist pamphlet I got for free at a train station) and walk around. Everyone in Paris speaks English. And don't believe everything you hear about Parisians being rude. Just make sure you approach them politely and if you can, try to say a few things in French. They may laugh/roll their eyes at you and then proceed to speak English with you. Make sure you enjoy the cheese, wine and bread. It is all to DIE FOR.

In terms of dress, business casual is the way to go. Maybe dress more nicely the day you are presenting. I actually wore (dark) jeans and a cardigan both times I spoke and that was fine but if my dress pants weren't too tight for me, I would have worn those. Make sure you're comfortable!

If you have any France/Paris specific questions or anything else, lemme know

Yup - I've felt that way ever since I started last year. Don't know about you, but I'm in grad school against my better judgment. It's not as much the work that stresses me out as much as the debt it will put me in. I'll have about $80K from undergrad by the time I'm out of grad school, and then possibly $50K more from grad school. I've considered suicide as a way to kind of escape the forced college, the debt, and everyone who lives my life for me on a regular basis.

But the people who I actually do care about are the ones who keep me going. I have grown resentful of higher education due to it being forced in me for the last six years, and I truly feel the student loan debt I have been forced to take on will make me live in poverty for the rest of my life. Talking can help if you talk to the right person - if you're truly serious about feeling suicidal, many people will just tell you to grow up, get over it, you're being dramatic, etc. That's common when you tell someone you're suicidal because they think you're attention-whoring (and I admit, some people like emo kids ARE doing just that). I suggest confiding in a close friend rather than any strangers because they'll just tell you you're crazy and doing something wrong.

Grad school is a very depressing place, though, so it makes sense. You have to do loads of incredibly difficult work, you hardly have time to even use the bathroom let alone have down time to watch a movie or read a non-academic book, you may often be exhausted and pushing yourself to be awake every single day, you might eat less. It's basically nothing but go go go, now now now with no time to rest. You might not even get a full night's rest for the whole time you're there. So believe me, I can understand how being in grad school can be so depressing - it's because it IS depressing, even if you want to be there. It's not like undergrad where you get a month to do one assignment and can have a little playtime here and there. There's none of that when you go for your master's.

Others may say otherwise, but my own experience has been depressing and has made me suicidal, upset, and turn to alcohol at times to cope. The worst part is if you choose to major in the arts or humanities, you are very unlikely to ever be able to even use your degree anyway, so that may make your studies even more depressing. I am only speaking from what I have personally experienced, though.

being an adult.

I definitely think it hinders people when they stick with their own kind and don't try to get to know new people or cultures. And I also understand that when moving to a new place, especially when the culture and language are different, that it helps to have people that understand you and help you to maintain a feeling of comfort.

But I think it is unfair to think that only international students do this. A lot of people live like this, except that it might not be as noticeable because they do not speak a different language or look different. Some people stick with the same friends they've had since highschool. Some people stick to their own social class. Some people stick with only people that share their beliefs. I could go on. My point is that generally people stick to like-minded people.

And then there are people who try to break these barriers, either by leaving their comfort zone to experience new things or by inviting those people who are in groups to try new things. I think that it is easy to look at international students and say that they "stick to people of their own ethnicity" but not really work to include them. It's hard to come to a place with a new culture, and all too often I see that "locals" do not make an effort to include the new people.

Let's build bridges instead of reinforcing walls.

I definitely think it hinders people when they stick with their own kind and don't try to get to know new people or cultures. And I also understand that when moving to a new place, especially when the culture and language are different, that it helps to have people that understand you and help you to maintain a feeling of comfort.

But I think it is unfair to think that only international students do this. A lot of people live like this, except that it might not be as noticeable because they do not speak a different language or look different. Some people stick with the same friends they've had since highschool. Some people stick to their own social class. Some people stick with only people that share their beliefs. I could go on. My point is that generally people stick to like-minded people.

And then there are people who try to break these barriers, either by leaving their comfort zone to experience new things or by inviting those people who are in groups to try new things. I think that it is easy to look at international students and say that they "stick to people of their own ethnicity" but not really work to include them. It's hard to come to a place with a new culture, and all too often I see that "locals" do not make an effort to include the new people.

Let's build bridges instead of reinforcing walls.

I definitely think it hinders people when they stick with their own kind and don't try to get to know new people or cultures. And I also understand that when moving to a new place, especially when the culture and language are different, that it helps to have people that understand you and help you to maintain a feeling of comfort.

But I think it is unfair to think that only international students do this. A lot of people live like this, except that it might not be as noticeable because they do not speak a different language or look different. Some people stick with the same friends they've had since highschool. Some people stick to their own social class. Some people stick with only people that share their beliefs. I could go on. My point is that generally people stick to like-minded people.

And then there are people who try to break these barriers, either by leaving their comfort zone to experience new things or by inviting those people who are in groups to try new things. I think that it is easy to look at international students and say that they "stick to people of their own ethnicity" but not really work to include them. It's hard to come to a place with a new culture, and all too often I see that "locals" do not make an effort to include the new people.

Let's build bridges instead of reinforcing walls.

I definitely think it hinders people when they stick with their own kind and don't try to get to know new people or cultures. And I also understand that when moving to a new place, especially when the culture and language are different, that it helps to have people that understand you and help you to maintain a feeling of comfort.

But I think it is unfair to think that only international students do this. A lot of people live like this, except that it might not be as noticeable because they do not speak a different language or look different. Some people stick with the same friends they've had since highschool. Some people stick to their own social class. Some people stick with only people that share their beliefs. I could go on. My point is that generally people stick to like-minded people.

And then there are people who try to break these barriers, either by leaving their comfort zone to experience new things or by inviting those people who are in groups to try new things. I think that it is easy to look at international students and say that they "stick to people of their own ethnicity" but not really work to include them. It's hard to come to a place with a new culture, and all too often I see that "locals" do not make an effort to include the new people.

Let's build bridges instead of reinforcing walls.

I definitely think it hinders people when they stick with their own kind and don't try to get to know new people or cultures. And I also understand that when moving to a new place, especially when the culture and language are different, that it helps to have people that understand you and help you to maintain a feeling of comfort.

But I think it is unfair to think that only international students do this. A lot of people live like this, except that it might not be as noticeable because they do not speak a different language or look different. Some people stick with the same friends they've had since highschool. Some people stick to their own social class. Some people stick with only people that share their beliefs. I could go on. My point is that generally people stick to like-minded people.

And then there are people who try to break these barriers, either by leaving their comfort zone to experience new things or by inviting those people who are in groups to try new things. I think that it is easy to look at international students and say that they "stick to people of their own ethnicity" but not really work to include them. It's hard to come to a place with a new culture, and all too often I see that "locals" do not make an effort to include the new people.

Let's build bridges instead of reinforcing walls.

I think you have received a lot of useful advice in this thread. I understand that it helps you to explain your situation but in the end (unless you let us know where you live and someone can physically come to you) we are all powerless to help you with your problem. All anyone here can do is to offer you advice (whether they have been in your situation or not). But you are the one who needs to take that advice. It is not your fault that you are in the situation you are in but you have the power to make a change. That means that you need to pick up the phone and call a shelter. They will not laugh at you. In the worst case scenario, they will refer you to someone else who can help you. But they can't do anything if they don't know you're out there. So please call!! We all want you to be in a better place.

Stop thinking about your barriers (cats, no job, feeling powerless and depressed) and think about the fact that there are people and opportunities that can help you to improve your situation. Just please take that first step. Call someone! You don't need to think about the next step. You don't need to think about getting up and leaving. All you need to focus on is picking up the phone and calling.

Here are some resources I found online:

In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).
This has abused hotline contact information for states: http://womenshealth.gov/violence/state/index.cfm
Here is a forum regarding child abuse. Although you are not a child anymore, this certainly started when you were http://www.psychforums.com/child-abuse/

I think the first number is the best one. Just pick up the phone and call them, they will be able to guide you from there.

I think you have received a lot of useful advice in this thread. I understand that it helps you to explain your situation but in the end (unless you let us know where you live and someone can physically come to you) we are all powerless to help you with your problem. All anyone here can do is to offer you advice (whether they have been in your situation or not). But you are the one who needs to take that advice. It is not your fault that you are in the situation you are in but you have the power to make a change. That means that you need to pick up the phone and call a shelter. They will not laugh at you. In the worst case scenario, they will refer you to someone else who can help you. But they can't do anything if they don't know you're out there. So please call!! We all want you to be in a better place.

Stop thinking about your barriers (cats, no job, feeling powerless and depressed) and think about the fact that there are people and opportunities that can help you to improve your situation. Just please take that first step. Call someone! You don't need to think about the next step. You don't need to think about getting up and leaving. All you need to focus on is picking up the phone and calling.

Here are some resources I found online:

In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).
This has abused hotline contact information for states: http://womenshealth.gov/violence/state/index.cfm
Here is a forum regarding child abuse. Although you are not a child anymore, this certainly started when you were http://www.psychforums.com/child-abuse/

I think the first number is the best one. Just pick up the phone and call them, they will be able to guide you from there.

I have also had the chair ask me about pronouncing my name before. And I agree that if they don't approach you beforehand, it is a good idea to go up to them and let them know. I'm sure they would appreciate it. No one likes to mispronounce names.

If you are not able to warn the chair before you speak and they do butcher your name, just reintroduce yourself (but don't emphasize that you are correcting their pronunciation). Either way, it's a good idea to introduce yourself, say where you're from, who your advisor is, etc. I even once started a talk by explaining the back story of why I got into my field of study and that went over very well. Give the audience a reason to remember you

I, too, have been through roommates from hell/neighbors from hell. Switching off the electricity is good, but in our overly litigious society, I would be hesitant, if for no other reason than how easy it is to be arrested (albeit not convicted). A lot of things that the more rational among us would simply dismiss as nonsense, CANNOT be dismissed by the police. So if Stoner 2 goes to the police the next day and says, "Dude, our neighbor totally shut our power off and then threatened us," you could end up having to go to court. And the court, surprise, will not be sympathetic to you. "You," you will be told, "should have handled it differently."

I say this from the perspective of someone who has had all manner of wonderful, funny, sexy, neurotic, and flat-out stark-raving-crazy roommates. Most of them, I think back on with great fondness and affection.

From all my experience, I've come to the following conclusions (and here I ramble):

Living on-campus is the ultimate crap-shoot. But, for the first semester of grad school, it can be a life saver while you figure out the nuances of the off-campus housing search. The dining commons may feel repulsive, but (just like in the musical Avenue Q) I missed the meal plan my first few years out. If you go back on-campus, try to look at the benefits (someone else will do the cooking, hallelujah).

Living off-campus is also a crap-shoot, but there are a lot of things you can control much more than you'd think. Using the off-campus housing office, find someone who has a house to rent as close as possible to campus. Why a house, and why close to campus? Houses simply are better. Why? A house minimizes certain stresses. I lived in an apartment with only three other neighbors. The front and back door to the building were on spring arms that slammed the doors shut. My downstairs neighbor would be in and out about 15 times each morning, and then 15 times each evening. He also played a lot of bass-heavy music on a speaker. The pulsation was what came through, not the music. Just thump-thump-thump. In a house, as it's your housemate, you can force a resolution.

Close to campus? It doesn't have to be right next door. Even five or six blocks away can put you far enough away to escape most of the down-side of campus hooliganism. But don't be like a friend of mine who found a beautiful place on a lake (a mere 20 miles from campus) at a great price. Sure, it was fantastically serene. But during the winter, that 20 miles took an hour and a half to drive because a good stretch of it was down roads the township didn't plow until three days later. In the good weather, because of all the lights, it still took something like 45 minutes. Do you really want to constantly be panicked because of the thought of what will happen if your car doesn't work for four days?

It sounds high school, but make a list. My list? House must have washer/dryer, dishwasher, a basement or attic for storage. I want at least three roommates, but no more than five. A patio or balcony is not required. Off-street parking? Preferred. If you'll be in a cold climate, what about snow shoveling? Most landlords will stick the tenants with that. You are required to shovel within 24 hours of snowfall's end or some such. Yard work? Check all these things with the landlord. Whatever your preferences are, don't try to settle. Where I live right now, the neighborhood had one coin-op laundromat. It closed six months ago. I have no idea where people are doing their laundry, but wherever it is, it's miles away. You don't want to be one of those people who really wanted a washer/dryer but then "settled" because there was a coin-op two streets over.

When you find the place to move, ask the landlord (if it's a vacant house), if you can be in charge of the tenant search. This means you will be responsible for the entirety of the rent. If it's a good house, in a safe neighborhood, close to supermarkets, campus, and some night life, this will not be a problem. You will find tenants. I did this once. There was a very satisfying realization to choosing who would be moving in. I made good choices. By the time you get to grad school, people are not going to be "offended" by detailed lists of what you're looking for in housemates. (If they are, it's almost universally an indicator that the offended party has some or all of the behaviors you are trying to avoid.) If you're moving in with other people already there, be active each time a new tenant comes along. In theory, the people who've been there the longest will be leaving the soonest. Don't get saddled with "their" choices if you don't like them. Don't be totally unreasonable about it, but stick up for yourself.

And now I'm going to bed, to dream about finally getting my letter of rejection/acceptance. Last night I dreamed I was choking. In the dream, I tried to pull whatever I was choking on out of my mouth. As I pulled, I realized (in the dream) that I was tugging on my own insides. Somehow, I am convinced it's a metaphor for my waiting for the decision from my college.

You're screwed! I have heard that in Grad school, an A- is an F, which is a load of crap if you ask me. When did grade inflation get this stupid!?!?!?

The things that worry me about this post are not the issues with the instrument. The red flags for me are the behavior of the professor. The fact that she would suddenly attack and lie about the student in the committee meeting is not good. And the fact that a coauthor is not wiling to share information with her or her student?? Also not good. Besides, if she is a coauthor, shouldn't she already have the information? Perhaps she didn't even earn that co-authorship.

I don't think it is the supervisor's responsibility to hold the student's hand in trying to sort out issues with the instrument but the student and the supervisor should be on the same team.

This prof sounds a lot like by boyfriend's crazy evil incompetent supervisor. Finally in his sixth year of PhD after obtaining all of his own funding, supervising a masters student in his lab, representing our school at an international meeting and receiving multiple leadership awards, he left her. Now due to politics he will only be able to get a masters out of all of this. Thank goodness he was able to make a name for himself and earn the respect of others in his faculty. If it were up to his crazy supervisor he would have been ruined.

With these red flags that you've presented, I would definitely talk to the administration in your department or the people in grad studies. I would suggest trying to switch to a new lab. You are still early in your studies. Better now than a few years down the line.

Professors get away with way too much. They need to be held accountable for poor advising.

The things that worry me about this post are not the issues with the instrument. The red flags for me are the behavior of the professor. The fact that she would suddenly attack and lie about the student in the committee meeting is not good. And the fact that a coauthor is not wiling to share information with her or her student?? Also not good. Besides, if she is a coauthor, shouldn't she already have the information? Perhaps she didn't even earn that co-authorship.

I don't think it is the supervisor's responsibility to hold the student's hand in trying to sort out issues with the instrument but the student and the supervisor should be on the same team.

This prof sounds a lot like by boyfriend's crazy evil incompetent supervisor. Finally in his sixth year of PhD after obtaining all of his own funding, supervising a masters student in his lab, representing our school at an international meeting and receiving multiple leadership awards, he left her. Now due to politics he will only be able to get a masters out of all of this. Thank goodness he was able to make a name for himself and earn the respect of others in his faculty. If it were up to his crazy supervisor he would have been ruined.

With these red flags that you've presented, I would definitely talk to the administration in your department or the people in grad studies. I would suggest trying to switch to a new lab. You are still early in your studies. Better now than a few years down the line.

Professors get away with way too much. They need to be held accountable for poor advising.

1) Many universities and towns have Toastmasters clubs. These exist for people to practice public speaking and get feedback in a friendly atmosphere. Try to join up!

2) Channel your enthusiasm into the talk. Don't build it up in your mind as an intellectual gauntlet to be run or as something you have to do to prove that you are smart -- just think of it as a way to get others as excited and interested in your topic as you are.

3) Slow down. Breathe. It's okay to pause or for there to be a moment of silence.

4) Do you have a web cam? Practice the talk in front of the web cam, review it, then practice again and again, improving your performance each time.

5) When you see other people speaking in public, take mental notes on their delivery. If they're bad, what is that they're doing which makes their talk all wrong and boring? If they're good, what exactly are they doing to pull you in? Absorb these observations.

5) You're in history. Consider working or volunteering as a tour guide at a historic site or museum this summer. I guarantee you will have improved your public speaking skills and reduced your nervousness by the time the summer is through -- you'll be an old hand! (I was a tour guide last summer -- at first I was just as nervous as you are, but now I feel very calm and confident when speaking in front of large groups.)

From her point of view, you don't sound very mature, hardworking, or helpful. She gave you a couple projects, and you sound like you are intentionally failing because you are very judgmental of your supervisor. Why should she trust you? She told you to contact the customer services guy at the corporation that sold the instrument, and you didn't do that. Why not? It sounds like a no-brainer. Just contact them. They owe you.

So what if she's hiring her boyfriend? Big deal? You're caught in the middle of what? Just get your work done. Get your own girlfriend so you aren't judging people who have social lives.

You sound like you are intentionally failing, being immature and judgmental about things unrelated to the project, and running to save your career at the expense of showing loyalty to someone who gave you a chance. I wouldn't want to work with you.

I just got back from a two-day trip to Madison and it was great. I met my future lab, dealt with administrative issues, saw the city and most importantly of all, I found my home!

The reason I was able to do this so quickly is because I did quite a bit of prep work beforehand. I spent way too much time on craigslist (whatever I could do to avoid this thesis it seems) and found places that seemed good. I only inquired about places that already had roommates as this was my preference. I wrote a pretty detailed description of myself to the potential roommates and I tried to make sure I showed my personality. After all, I want to make sure I get along with people I live with.

The ads I replied to varied in their levels of detail. I made sure to ask questions and to get pictures of the place if they were not already included. I facebooked everyone and even skyped with some roommates. This way I was able to narrow my search down to three places. I already had a good idea of where I wanted to move before I went. If I had not visited I would have felt comfortable signing the lease remotely. The key is to have substantial contact with the people.

While there, I made back-to-back appointments and the potential roommates actually offered to give me rides to the next viewings. It was awesome! People in Madison are sooo nice

So what did I think of the areas of the city? Most of my labmates live in the West, Vilas area. It is quiet and overall void of undergrads. But it also seems far away from the action that you will find in the capitol. The 3 places I ended up looking were all on the Isthmus.

First was a place near Monona Bay. I was concerned about undergrad presence but was assured that it was not a problem. There is even a seniors home across the street so it's nice and quiet but blocks from the capitol.

Second was in the heart of Willy Street. The apartment was awesome and the neighborhood was even better. It's no State Street but it is a lively area.

Finally, I made it to the far east of the Isthmus. The place was great (huge kitchen and a roommate that would bake fore me) but it was just too far from campus. In fact, trying to get back to my hotel I had to switch buses and then I got lost and didn't get back until midnight.

All of the potential roommates were really great. I trusted my instincts when doing my search and communicating with them and I was not disappointed. There are a lot of living options in Madison and different areas that will definitely suit your taste. Just make sure you prioritize what features matter to you and if you're not sure, ask the people who posted the ad! And don't respond to ads posted by undergrads (unless that's your style).

I don't know if this was useful for anyone but I hope it was. Lemme know if you have any questions!

It might be a good idea to check out if you school has resources to help you find housing.

I used Craigslist and found success. I found a great place with roommates that had already been living there. I spoke with them on Skype and also Facebook stalked them. That way I was able to figure out if I would get along with them. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit but if I had not, I think I would have signed the lease anyway.

To send my deposit, I obtained a USD bank draft and mailed it with registered mail. The bank draft cost $7.50 CAD and the registered mail was around $13 CAD, but I think that's the best way to send money internationally. If you can't visit, just try to communicate with the people as much as possible and make sure you ask detailed questions and get detailed pictures. Don't be shy about the types of questions you ask! I made a pretty detailed post about my home search so I will include that link:

Good luck. And let me know if you have any other questions regarding Craigslist!