What to do with my car: cross-country trip?

[Ella Simmons]

Based on my preferences and results, it's looking increasingly likely that I will be in the Bay Area.  Assuming this happens, I am facing a choice of what to do with my car.  First, I need to decide whether to sell it or to bring it.  If I sell it, I can buy another one in California or I can go without.  If I bring it, I can drive it across the country or I can ship it.  Personally, I am leaning toward bringing it and driving it across the country, as this is something that I have always wanted to do, but is this somehow unwise or unnecessary?  If I did do it, the trip would be much easier and more enjoyable with a traveling companion.  Would it be weird to try to see if any members of my incoming cohort also need to go from East to West and want to go on an amazing road trip?  I am actually from New York, so the trip would start there.

Edited February 18, 2014 by James Alcott

[steedyue]

I do hope that I can take the reverse trip from San Diego to New Haven. But what you said is really amazing.

[TheGnome]

If someone from my prospective cohort offered that to me, I would be game. In fact, I'd say, anyone who thinks this is weird and inappropriate is probably not someone you would like to go through the agony of grad school with. So I would experiment away.

[boazczoine]

If someone from my prospective cohort offered that to me, I would be game. In fact, I'd say, anyone who thinks this is weird and inappropriate is probably not someone you would like to go through the agony of grad school with. So I would experiment away.

 

Huh? I definitely say go for it! Could be a blast if you find the right buddy.

 

But with the caveat that a lot of women (and men) would likely (and perhaps smartly) find it inappropriate to drive cross country with a man (I'm assuming) that they know nothing about--and I wouldn't judge them for that.

[TheGnome]

1) Not doing it != finding it inappropriate and weird. There can be a multitude of reasons why someone might not want to participate in the trip, which may include things like "a dude I don't know" factor. 

 

2) Finding it inappropriate to do it yourself != finding it inappropriate being asked. I think James' question (and my comment) pertains to the latter, not former. 

 

Though I will admit that my comment may have been a tad bit too harsh

[boazczoine]

1) Not doing it != finding it inappropriate and weird. There can be a multitude of reasons why someone might not want to participate in the trip, which may include things like "a dude I don't know" factor. 

 

2) Finding it inappropriate to do it yourself != finding it inappropriate being asked. I think James' question (and my comment) pertains to the latter, not former. 

 

Though I will admit that my comment may have been a tad bit too harsh

 

Ugh. I think I made it pretty clear that I wasn't claiming everyone who would turn down his request would do so because they found it weird, just that some would. Though on two--a lot of individuals may find it an inappropriate request as well. Why? Because many individuals are taught not to do things like get in a car and drive thousands of miles with a stranger--and may feel slightly weirded out that others were not taught that lesson and may wonder at the motivations.

 

I was simply says that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that some people would find it inappropriate to take the trip personally (and may also find it a weird/inappropriate request)--and I think there are some sound reasons for that feeling. I wouldn't have that reaction (I'd just tell the guy good luck and I'd meet him in CA), but I wouldn't really hold it against someone who did. I feel like I may be speaking from a stereotypical female perspective, but there you have it.

 

Of course, many won't find it weird at alllll, though! And regardless, once everyone is in school together, they will all get to know one another and realize the request wasn't meant to be weird at all--just adventurous.

Edited February 19, 2014 by boazczoine

[TheGnome]

I believe none of the points you raised above (apart from "ugh" I think, I don't know, I am a foreigner) are necessarily contradicting my position. So..

 

Road trip for the win! And props to James for the idea!