The Next Step: Fall 2013ers

[Two Espressos]

I've officially moved into my new apartment!  I've only been here for a few days, but I can already tell that I'm going to love it here: lots of great restaurants and bars, a plethora of both chain and local stores, awesome locally sourced food, tons of opportunities for intellectual collaboration both at UNC and at peer institutions like Duke-- not to mention the gorgeous NC weather.

 

I don't know about you guys, but with classes starting in less than two weeks, I can barely contain my excitement.  We're really going to be Ph.D. students!  Just think about how stressed/nervous/self-conscious we were about our abilities and grad applications a year ago... and here we are.  

 

Best of luck to those who are in the process of moving or are yet to move!

Edited August 5, 2013 by Two Espressos

[jazzyd]

Less than two weeks... ha, I wish. Classes don't start at Chicago until September 30th!

 

So more thumb twiddling to do, it seems like. But at least I'll have more than enough to time to home-ify my apartment and explore the neighborhood beforehand.

[egwynn]

I've now progressed from making curtains to making full-fledged pieces of furniture to fill my time until coursework starts. 

[Datatape]

And to add into Datatape's advice: don't drive more than eight hours a day if you don't have to. It's not worth it!

 

For sure.  My cousin sent me a joking message on Facebook asking me to go on a road trip to Seattle with her this weekend.  I sent her this in response:

 

[Swagato]

Less than two weeks... ha, I wish. Classes don't start at Chicago until September 30th!

 

So more thumb twiddling to do, it seems like. But at least I'll have more than enough to time to home-ify my apartment and explore the neighborhood beforehand.

 

Enjoy it now. When quarter begins, we semester-ians will be the ones smirking at you. 

[dazedandbemused]

I can't believe I'm finally headed to Austin in 7 days. It's now a mad dash to get all of my belongings shipped! I've been agonizing over which books to bring with me and I'm waaay behind the packing curve as a result. I just got an email about the current weather situation down there and I'm beginning to realize that my supposed love of summer weather is totally amateur. I don't think I'm built for 100-plus degree days!

[jazzyd]

Enjoy it now. When quarter begins, we semester-ians will be the ones smirking at you. 

 

Yes... I do not think I am quite prepared for the rigor of a quarter system. But people do survive the transition, right? So I've got that going for me

[Swagato]

It's less the rigour and more the sheer speed of it that took me by surprise. A 3 week shopping period in an 11 week term can be very tricky. 

[guinevere29]

Less than one week until move-in day for me! I am actually on this forum avoiding packing right now. Classes start August 26th...can it really be that soon?

 

Is anyone else really excited about staring their graduate courses? No longer do I have to take some general education requirement in a 200-person lecture with disinterested TAs and rowdy freshmen. I'm looking forward to being able to concentrate on my literature seminars without annoying assignments and group projects for Bio 101 croping up all the time.  

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

I'm not a Fall 2013er but I have to admit that, checking in this thread is a real encouragement for me. Reading about how you guys are so excited and see you planning for the new life awaiting you, makes me jealous (in a good way), and it makes me work harder so that I can hopefully be a Fall 2014er. Best of luck y'all

[dazedandbemused]

I'm practically giddy about classes starting. I've been rushing about buying things/unpacking but I finally got my TA assignment today, and I can't wait. Austin is, of course, super hot, but I can totally work with it. It still feels like school is too long away, but orientation starts Monday!

[jazzyd]

I finally have an apartment yay! It's a little studio about a block from the lake and within sight of the Museum of Science and Industry. So now I'm using my spare time (aka all of my time) picking out paint swatches and looking at other decor options.

 

I'm still about 6 weeks away from even picking out classes let alone starting them, ugh

[Swagato]

Paint swatches? They'll let you repaint your walls?

 

Things are gearing up for me here in New Haven; orientation begins next Monday, I have a slew of GSAS and departmental events/sessions lined up, meetings with both DGSs, and what not...

 

And I recently got a proposal accepted to the Society of Cinema and Media Studies conference in Seattle next year, so that was a nice start to life in New Haven.

[ComeBackZinc]

When it's time to try New Haven pizza, I think you'll find that Sally's is superior to Pepe's, despite the latter having a bigger reputation. Call ahead and make a reservation, as the wait can be quite long.

 

And as someone who's eaten a great deal of pizza in New Haven, New York, Providence, and Chicago, I will join with those who proclaim New Haven pizza the best in the country.

Edited August 14, 2013 by ComeBackZinc

[jazzyd]

^ Blasphemy! (Die hard Chicago pizza lover over here. )

 

Paint swatches? They'll let you repaint your walls?

 

Things are gearing up for me here in New Haven; orientation begins next Monday, I have a slew of GSAS and departmental events/sessions lined up, meetings with both DGSs, and what not...

 

And I recently got a proposal accepted to the Society of Cinema and Media Studies conference in Seattle next year, so that was a nice start to life in New Haven.

 

Yup! And to my knowledge I won't be responsible for repainting before I move out (the company repaints no matter what), so that's an extra bonus.

 

Next weeks sounds so exciting for you! And that's awesome that you already have a conference to look forward to. 

[KeelyMK]

Hey! I thought I'd catch up.

 

it's so awesome to hear/read what everyone has been up to , and SUPER congrats again and again for how crazy far we've all come this year - in most cases literally school for me doesnt start until the last week of Sept, so I've just been hanging out by the pool, going to comedy shows and FINALLY watching Battlestar Galactica (in the "just one more" mode obvs). 

 

soon i'll be moving into a 3bd on Irvine campus with, uh, 2 other girls. and i'm incredibly nervous because i've only ever lived with guys before and have only had like maybe 2 female friends, ever. 

 

OH and i finally finished my undergrad thesis and turned it in like 2 weeks ago! - yay i can actually earn my BA 4 weeks before starting PhD :/ Oh well, a month of vaca is enough. 

 

basically, just like everyone else, i'm very, very anxious in a positive way  about starting classes, moving in, and meeting my cohort. AND it seems as though out of 9 people in my class, i am the oldest one. i'm pretty ramped up about taking on the crazy older sister role

 

oh, and in a couple weeks hopefully i get a new tattoo of a passage from Gatsby. 

 

Anyhoo, i love creeping on threads to see how everyone's doin. Good luck to all in your moves, orientations, and Fall sessions!!

[practical cat]

I'm now <6 hours away from being able to register and that's making me kind of nervous, even though I've had my classes picked out since before I was accepted. Still about 1.5 weeks out from orientation and >2 weeks out from classes starting but I have Big Plans (making jam and canning tomatoes, mostly) as well as reveling in my remaining 15 days of allowable lethargy. That and reading my first Dickens (for class). Theoretically.

[Swagato]

^ Blasphemy! (Die hard Chicago pizza lover over here. )

 

 

Yup! And to my knowledge I won't be responsible for repainting before I move out (the company repaints no matter what), so that's an extra bonus.

 

Next weeks sounds so exciting for you! And that's awesome that you already have a conference to look forward to. 

 

Well, damn. It's unusual to be able to repaint as a renter (at least in my experience). You're not renting with MAC, though, right? 

 

And I can't claim to love Chicago pizza that much, unfortunately...it's just too bloody stuffed (which, I know, is sort of the point)...

[Two Espressos]

My orientation starts on Monday too!  I'm ridiculously excited.  Here's to hoping at least some of us cross paths--anonymously or not-- at a conference or something in the future!  

[Datatape]

I'm two days into orientation and pretty well enjoying both the faculty and my cohort members.  That, plus the facts that I am living in a much nicer apartment than in Orlando for which I'm paying less and that I'm rather unexpectedly dating an extremely cute social psych grad student at my uni have me feeling a little bit classy and bubbly.

 

[jazzyd]

Well, damn. It's unusual to be able to repaint as a renter (at least in my experience). You're not renting with MAC, though, right? 

 

And I can't claim to love Chicago pizza that much, unfortunately...it's just too bloody stuffed (which, I know, is sort of the point)...

 

Nope. I had an appointment with MAC later in the day, but ended up liking this one so much I applied on the spot. I'm kind of glad as I've heard mixed things about MAC, which is concerning. Granted, after dealing with some of the realty companies in Champaign, I feel like I can take on just about anything. You'd never think it, but there are some real deal slumlords down there...

[asleepawake]

Bah! I'm so excited that we are all starting soon. My orientation is next week.

Good luck to Fall '14ers - seriously, you will survive.

[Blarghgarg]

Nope. I had an appointment with MAC later in the day, but ended up liking this one so much I applied on the spot. I'm kind of glad as I've heard mixed things about MAC, which is concerning. Granted, after dealing with some of the realty companies in Champaign, I feel like I can take on just about anything. You'd never think it, but there are some real deal slumlords down there...

 

Orchard Downs was a borderline slum

[egwynn]

This is going to be me on Amazon in two weeks.  I am stoked to start class.

 

Edited August 18, 2013 by Lons

[Swagato]

Amazon? Abebooks is almost guaranteed to undercut Amazon.