The other side of being accepted....shopping and planning the trip! :D

[Ohm]

After being accepted, I'm pretty much sure everyone gets all hyped up about travelling to a new place, especially if it's another country! Planning what to do after getting there, looking up nearby places to holiday and hike are all just the beginning of things! Then there's buying all the stuff - new clothes, getting suites stitched, electronics, etc. So what are you planning, looking forward to, and/or have already done?

[TeaGirl]

I've already scouted laptop, calculator, and, since all of my possible choices for now include cold winters, clothing for cold weather (perfect coat, boots, and gloves)! Although I won't be buying anything until I move.

I'm using this as an opportunity to clean out my closet and minimize my wardrobe a bit.

 

I'm also excited about hiking/outdoor possibilities, and nearby friends to visit!

[msmith1990]

I'm apartment hunting at the moment! My plan is to move right away at the end of May and find a job for the summer -- hopefully something I can keep part time once school starts. I don't want to buy too much since I'll be on a tight budget, but I love thrift shopping for furniture!

[queenleblanc]

I bought a new book sack- a timbuk2 commuter messenger bag! Waited until I got accepted last week to pull the trigger on that purchase. We are also super-psyched about moving, my hubby and cat included!

[pears]

blargh. the only thing i'll be spending money on is rent, plane tickets, and loans! definitely looking forward to decorating a room when i've figured out where i'm living, though!

[queenleblanc]

Start collecting bed bath and beyond coupons-they take them if they are expired, too! Love their stuff for decorating! :-)

[pears]

no way! that's awesome.. and totally explains why my aunt and grandma love BB&B so much! i'm admittedly a collector of posters, books, plants, and trinkets, so i suspect i'll be buying more than a lifetime's supply of wooden crates, funky vases, fairy lights, herbs, and strange lamps soon.

[Tuck]

I've started doing the opposite of shopping - downsizing!!! I figure the more crap we can get rid of, the easier moving will be. I've started donation boxes for the thrift store, the animal shelter, and the women's shelter, and have started going through the closet a little bit. I have a few things I need to sell, too.

[Biostat_Assistant_Prof]

I'm super excited to find a place, move and get settled in, especially the first couple weeks to explore my new city before orientation and classes officially start..... But I still need to figure out how to come up with the first couple months rent because I won't get my first check until mid September, as well as money to buy a new laptop and some furniture.

[Ohm]

I'm moving to the UK from totally different country in Asia, and here's what I'm upto: 1. Finding studio apartments online under my required budget 2. Reading up all about the place and dreaming how uber-cool it's going to be! 3. Planning trips to all surrounding countries, checking the airfare oh, and also planning a trip to Orlando, Florida to visit universal studios and Disneyworld 4. Calculating my expenses and seeing how much I'll be able to save up from my living allowance 5. Looking at AWESOME laptops and other gadgets and planning to buy them

[Andean Pat]

You have read my mind!!!! 

 

As an international student I have to buy most of my things once I get there. I feel a little sad for that because I will have to leave many things behind such as grandmother's furniture or old books. For the time being, I am selling some stuff and the rest goes to my sister. Half my library will go to charity and the other half to two friends. My plants will go to other friends. 

 

I think I might only take some summer clothes and my favourite books, together with a set of towels and my computers. I hate to leave my hockey stick and tennis racket here but my brother, who lives in NY, told me everything is SO cheap in the US. I have many presents from students (I am a teacher), like a mug that reads "Miss Angie".

 

The first thing I am going to buy is some sheets and duvet cover, and a coffee maker. Since I have never lived on dollars, I do not know if my budget is going to be tight or not (here I am VERY used at saving money, spending little money on stupid things and weigh my financial priorities) so I have a good habit. I want to buy a bike some time, probably after the first semester. Besides, I will be finishing paying some stuff from here, like air tickets (they are SO expensive we buy them in instalments). 

 

I have no idea what to expect, and these five months ahead of me are going to be a dead zone: can't get a boyfriend, will be on the moon all the time, can't do the bartender course I wanted. 

[misskira]

You can take your tennis racket as a carry on. . I saw a couple girls do that on my last flight.

[Ohm]

The apartment hunting is on here too Calculating utility costs to see if it fits under my budget

[katieliz456]

I've started doing the opposite of shopping - downsizing!!! I figure the more crap we can get rid of, the easier moving will be. I've started donation boxes for the thrift store, the animal shelter, and the women's shelter, and have started going through the closet a little bit. I have a few things I need to sell, too.

Same here! I just took two huge bags of books to the used book store, and I've told my friends to not let me buy any more clothes, which is harder than it sounds. I think I might be crazy for attempting a cross-country move with a small sedan and my hyperactive Jack Russell  

[Sorawit]

I think I'll probably have to buy most of my clothes in the US since all my clothes now can only be worn in summer in Minnesota (and Bangkok's winter is not really, you know, winter.) So I think I'll have to do some serious shopping one I'm there.  I think it's going to be challenging since I'm quite a small guy (5'7"). I'm looking forward to get a bike there though. Bangkok is not a very bike-friendly kind of place. 

[radiomars]

I'm moving across the country and kind of freaking out about it. I'm not sure whether or not to scout out a roommate online or pay something like $400 more a month to live by myself. How do I even go about finding a roommate? It seems like a big decision to make with someone you've never met.

[katieliz456]

I'm moving across the country and kind of freaking out about it. I'm not sure whether or not to scout out a roommate online or pay something like $400 more a month to live by myself. How do I even go about finding a roommate? It seems like a big decision to make with someone you've never met.

Maybe you could try and find another grad student from your program/school? Or you could always skype the potential roomie to make sure they're not a total creeper

[Ohm]

A question...how do you hunt for apartments when you're in another country? How reliable is the internet? Or is it better to go there, stay temporarily at a hotel or something and then look for apartments?

[kyjin]

Haven't officially accepted yet, but I did scout around LA when I was there last weekend for the recruitment weekend for USC. It was my first time on the West Coast, so the entire experience will be new to me.  Already planning to fly down at the beginning of August with my mom to apartment hunt.  Right now I'm just investigating different neighborhoods online, and deciding what kind of car I want to buy. (And also drooling over potential new Ultrabooks which I'm getting as a graduation present after I finish my MA next month.)

[phku]

Just like everyone else, apartment/duplex hunting.  My wife and I are flying down in June to meet up with a realtor who is going to show us a bunch of potential places in our budget/area that we want to live.  We'll spend the week filling out a bunch of applications to try and get preapproved, and then about a month and a half later one of those places will have an open 2 bedroom apt ready for us.  Also, I think we have a couple that wants to rent out our current house, which will be great because we've known them for a long while.  Once the market picks back up, the house goes up for sale.  Other than that, buying clothes for a warm humid climate, and having a yardsale to unload a bunch of stuff we don't need.

[Ohm]

I seriously want to downsize, but then I have so many things which I don't think I can let go of   I don't want to end up carrying 3 trunks of junk

[Kadisha]

I'm moving across the country and kind of freaking out about it. I'm not sure whether or not to scout out a roommate online or pay something like $400 more a month to live by myself. How do I even go about finding a roommate? It seems like a big decision to make with someone you've never met.

 

Try on here or on the admitted students facebook group that your school will hopefully open up. With Skype these days it doesn't really have to be that way

[Purplescarves]

I've already been scouting out a new MacBook Air, a stylus for my ipad, and getting price quotes for the cross country move. I'm really excited to be moving to CA!! My boyfriend and I will be living with family while we search for an apartment. In the meantime, I have to finish work, say my farewells, and pack up.

[aapril]

I'm staying in my home, but will have about an hour commute to school (unless I get on-campus parking). I'm looking into weatherproof outerwear, shoes, and bag for whatever comes my way in the urban wilderness. Also excited to finally get a new laptop - considering a macbook air. I want to upgrade my home office to be more suitable for my impending study needs (new desk, filing cabinets, shelves, bookcase, printer, comfy chair). Finally, I don't know if it's just me, but I get so excited when I get to buy back to school supplies (pens, pencils, notebooks, highlighters, calculator, binders galore) ...major dork, I know    But I'm going to try to be patient until mid-summer before I start stocking my home full of school stuff.

[Ohm]

I'm going to be living in a place where temperatures go to -15 degree celcius!! And I currently live in a place where it reaches a scorching 50!! It's gonna be one hell of a change!