melly_mel

get a season pass and hit the slopes! or try snowshoeing or cross country skiing. i lived in washington state for years and developed a love for snowshoeing. it can be a great workout, though not entirely a cardio routine. i also ran in really cold weather -- the key is just the right gear.

Anybody going to Tulane? I'm starting the Social Work program in the fall, and hopefully soon enough the MPH program too...

great, thanks. i figured it would all be through my financial aid office, but i've still yet to hear from them. i know that financial aid information lags behind admittance letters, i just wasn't sure how long it would be or if there's anything i should do in the interim. i believe the amount they offer for stafford loans is based on your EFC. i need to submit paperwork to adjust my EFC, given that i'm leaving my job soon and it changes the estimation.

Hi all, This may be a silly question, but...when do you apply for Stafford and PLUS loans? I haven't heard from my financial aid office yet, and I'm assuming I wait until I'm officially enrolled but I'm not sure. I'll be taking off to travel soon, so I want to make sure that I have things in order and know when to expect to need to fill out paperwork. I'm making my mom my power of attorney while I'm gone, just in case anything needs to get done on paper rather than taken care of online. More than the move, or even school itself, the financial piece of the whole thing is what freaks me out/worries me the most. Thanks!

I'm flying out and letting my belongings catch up with me a few days later. While Amtrak can be fun to ride, I really don't feel like a 40 hour trip. Much more economical in time and money to fly and have a few days to breathe before dealing with all my stuff.

@DeeLovely79 I am definitely shipping my spices! I have quite a collection that are essential to everyday cooking. The key is that they stay dry and not exposed to the air, so as long as you have them sealed properly they'll be alright. I'm not taking any furniture or appliances with, mostly clothes and small items, so Amtrak makes the most sense personally speaking. Trying to figure out what to do about artwork and large frames - will probably send via UPS.

don't be too hard on yourself. it's an incredibly huge life shift you're making, so it's not altogether unexpected to find yourself in a strange place mentally and emotionally. i went through a few weeks of not sleeping, overeating, and being a hermit. after awhile i recognized that it was really important to take care of myself, and that while all this was normal, i had the choice to make of how i wanted to tackle it all. granted, it's still incredibly overwhelming and emotional to be leaving, but it's all a big adventure in the end and all you can do is roll with it. you'll turn that corner soon

thanks, mirandaw, i'll definitely look into that. as for amtrak, i called and got an updated quote. i believe the quote varies based on origination and destination cities. for moving from the SF bay area to new orleans, the rate is $49 for the first 100 pounds, and 0.46 for every pound thereafter. once your things arrive, and in this case they estimate 3-4 days, you have 48 hours to pick up. after that, storage is $3/box/day for up to 60 days. if you're looking at this as a potential option, here's the website and phone number to call for a quote: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241267371736 hope this helps!

my secret to moving: AMTRAK, AMTRAK, AMTRAK! it has proven to be the absolute cheapest option by far to ship things long distances in the US. they do it based on weight. i moved from seattle to san francisco two years ago and had clothes, books, kitchen supplies, photos/keepsakes, the like. i had 8-10 boxes total, or something like that, and paid around $150 for station to station delivery. this was in early 2009, and if i remember correctly, it was $67 for the first 100 pounds and .57 for every pound thereafter. with a one-way ticket, i spent less than $250 total to make my move. they shrink/plastic wrapped my boxes together and made it safely to its destination just fine in record time (a few days) of course, if you're taking large/heavy furniture items that aren't easy to disassemble (read: not cheap ikea crap), this may be a bit more cumbersome of an option. i plan on doing it again this time around, but still need to call for the most updated prices. i've heard that if your stuff gets there before you do, they charge some really low fee to keep it for a few days (as in, $4 or some crazy thing). my tricky question isn't so much the method of delivery as it is the logistics of finding a place to live before i actually make the move. i'll be coming fresh off a trip abroad and back in my current city. do i just hop on a plane and show up? i only know one person in this new city who i could stay with for a bit, and even then it's more of an acquaintance. the timing of my stuff arriving comes into question if i don't have a place secured. do i fly there beforehand for a few days, apartment hunt like crazy, fly back and then ship? not ideal to be wasting two plane tickets, and in the middle of summer. do i try my best to find something decent looking online and sign a lease and take a chance? (i'm not at all crazy about this last option, and don't think i will...but still). what to do!

I'm leaving my job May 31st, and trust me I know the feeling. I've been really open with my boss about applying to graduate school, so they've known it would be coming for quite a long time. I gave them six weeks notice in hopes that it would be enough time to find a replacement that I could train. No go, but they appreciated the lead time anyway. I've been there for three and a half years, and really like my colleagues, so it was important to me to leave on good terms. Call me crazy, but I'm planning on taking off the second week of June to take a two month vacation abroad before moving to my new city about three weeks before school starts. The way I figure, if the next two and a half to three years of my life are going to be spent stressed out and buried in books, I should really take the time off now to bum around and see the world. I did plan on this early on and made sure I had the finances to do it,though. The downside I see to this is going to be a matter of how to find a place to live while I'm away, as well as the transition from vacation mode into school mode. Ah well, we'll see. I trust it'll work out in the end

2 for 3. And funny enough, I currently work for the school I was rejected from!

I guess misery loves company, because I feel a bit better having read this thread. Some folks think I'm stressing out way more than I need to be, and maybe that's true...but it's hard to be waiting, waiting, waiting, not knowing what's going to happen with what you anticipate to be a huge new chapter in your life. It's a big step. It's complicated. There are so many things to consider. Just knowing one way or another would be helpful. I've heard from two, am waiting on my top choice. My fault for putting it in so late, but what can you do. I agree, vacations all around!

Hello all! First time poster, here. I'm curious to know if anyone applied to Tulane for the Fall 2012 MSW, and if so, how long it took to hear back. I was a late applicant and am anxious to know how long it will take to hear from them. Any feedback is appreciated!