Apartments and moving to Oklahoma

[columbia09]

Hey all, So I'm pretty convinced that I'll be heading to Oklahoma State University (Stillwater) for my masters in geology but I'm concerned about how moving down there is going to go. First off, I live in NYC which is obviously far away and I never made a move this big before. I don't know what to bring, how to bring everything down there, or if I should bring my car down there. Another concern is the apartments. I spoke to one of my advisers grad students about this but he really wasn't helpful, he's married and lives with his wife so he didn't offer the best insight. Plus he didn't live exclusively off his stipend which for me will be about 822 dollars a month. Plus I think I'll get a little bit more from my fellowship if there is anything left over. I looked up apartments but I don't know which one's would be good for a grad student. I would like one that's furnished so I wouldn't have to buy furniture but if anyone has any advice on any of this please post   

[Eigen]

In my experience, a furnished apartment is usually a *lot* more expensive, relative to buying cheap furniture off craigslist. 

Depending on how much stuff you'd have, I'd say load it all into your car and drive down. 

For finding an apartment, I'd check with the university/department. There might be current grad students that are looking for a room-mate, or there might be graduate student housing options at the school itself. Many universities also have links/suggestions to finding an apartment in the city for new grad students. 

I've found my last 3 places via Craigslist, so it's my go-to when I'm looking.

[TakeruK]

I agree with Eigen---also, why not talk to a few other grad students that are more similar to you in terms of living arrangements and total household income?

[Levon3]

2 hours ago, columbia09 said:

Hey all, So I'm pretty convinced that I'll be heading to Oklahoma State University (Stillwater) for my masters in geology but I'm concerned about how moving down there is going to go. First off, I live in NYC which is obviously far away and I never made a move this big before. I don't know what to bring, how to bring everything down there, or if I should bring my car down there. Another concern is the apartments. I spoke to one of my advisers grad students about this but he really wasn't helpful, he's married and lives with his wife so he didn't offer the best insight. Plus he didn't live exclusively off his stipend which for me will be about 822 dollars a month. Plus I think I'll get a little bit more from my fellowship if there is anything left over. I looked up apartments but I don't know which one's would be good for a grad student. I would like one that's furnished so I wouldn't have to buy furniture but if anyone has any advice on any of this please post   

You'll want a car in Stillwater. I took my car full of whatever I could fit in it when I made a similar move, and sold everything else in NYC. However, if you have nice things and don't want to purchase new ones, you could consider renting a uhaul. 

[rising_star]

I wouldn't go with a furnished place. I'd bring everything possible down in the car, maybe mail a few boxes to myself if need be, and the purchase furniture once arriving. I'm really particular about having a good mattress so that's the first big purchase I'd make. The rest you can find on Craig's List, at garage sales, or via various furniture store sales (there are big sales around Labor Day, for example). As far as housing, have you checked the "City Guide" here? See also:

 

[Neist]

Wow, this is quite a change of scenery! I've lived in Oklahoma my entire life. A few thoughts:

1. I'd definitely bring a car. There's very few places I'd live in Oklahoma without car, unless of course one wants to lead an ascetic lifestyle.
2. If you can swing it, I'd consider bring a uHaul of stuff. It's more expensive, but Stillwater is bit away from everything. When you look at a map, the only real larger, urban areas are Tulsa and Oklahoma City and each's surrounding suburbs. Stillwater is a moderate drive from each, so purchasing furniture might be a little bit difficult. There is a Big Lots in Stillwater. That might be a good option for functional, cheap furniture if you don't want to bring anything. 
3. Apartments aren't necessarily significantly more expensive in Oklahoma if their furnished. The apartments I live in Norman are less than $100 furnished (I think it's closer to $50). The cost of living in Oklahoma is so low that most places can't get away with much of an up charge, even in college towns.
4. I imagine any apartment in Stillwater would be acceptable for a college student, assuming you're comfortable with its distance from campus. Stillwater is little more than OSU, so the town is pretty much entirely OSU. However, I haven't been to Stillwater in several years. It's possible that it's developed more than when I last visited.

Do you have any specific questions about Oklahoma? I mean, I don't even go to OSU, so it's not as if I'll sugar coat anything.  

Edited March 27, 2016 by Neist

[marycaryne]

I know OSU offers grad student housing, with options in both furnished and unfurnished if I remember correctly. However I don't remember the cost. I just remember seeing it was an option when looking into OSU as a grad school option. It's something you might want to look into. I definitely recommend a car. Oklahoma in general is not very walker-friendly unless you just plan on staying in your immediate area. And being how VERY college town Stillwater is, you're going to want the car to be able to get over to Tulsa and OKC...which trust me, you'll want to go to. Not that either city is this amazing place to be, but there is a lot more to do than you will ever find in Stillwater.

Also, I HIGHLY recommend the sweet peppered bacon cheese fries at Eskimo Joe's. The rest of the place is mostly just overly hyped, but those fries are one of my biggest vices.

[columbia09]

12 hours ago, Neist said:

Wow, this is quite a change of scenery! I've lived in Oklahoma my entire life. A few thoughts:

1. I'd definitely bring a car. There's very few places I'd live in Oklahoma without car, unless of course one wants to lead an ascetic lifestyle.
2. If you can swing it, I'd consider bring a uHaul of stuff. It's more expensive, but Stillwater is bit away from everything. When you look at a map, the only real larger, urban areas are Tulsa and Oklahoma City and each's surrounding suburbs. Stillwater is a moderate drive from each, so purchasing furniture might be a little bit difficult. There is a Big Lots in Stillwater. That might be a good option for functional, cheap furniture if you don't want to bring anything. 
3. Apartments aren't necessarily significantly more expensive in Oklahoma if their furnished. The apartments I live in Norman are less than $100 furnished (I think it's closer to $50). The cost of living in Oklahoma is so low that most places can't get away with much of an up charge, even in college towns.
4. I imagine any apartment in Stillwater would be acceptable for a college student, assuming you're comfortable with its distance from campus. Stillwater is little more than OSU, so the town is pretty much entirely OSU. However, I haven't been to Stillwater in several years. It's possible that it's developed more than when I last visited.

Do you have any specific questions about Oklahoma? I mean, I don't even go to OSU, so it's not as if I'll sugar coat anything.  

Yes I do actually I know you haven't been to Stillwater in a while but what do you think is a good price for an apartment down there ? I've seen some that are furnished with 4 br for 559 a month. I don't know how I'll handle the furniture situation yet and unsure where and what to buy haha also Dallas is 4 hours away right ? I actually wanted to go to Texas but OK was the best thing I got. I'm also going to mention that I'm gay and I'm guessing OK for the most part will not approve of that ? Plus it looks like Stillwater is 20 hrs from where I live so that's going to be a drive lol 

Edited March 27, 2016 by columbia09

[columbia09]

15 hours ago, TakeruK said:

I agree with Eigen---also, why not talk to a few other grad students that are more similar to you in terms of living arrangements and total household income?

I asked my advisor for some contact info from his grad students but he only gave me one. Should I just go ahead and contact the other ones myself ? 

[Neist]

40 minutes ago, columbia09 said:

Yes I do actually I know you haven't been to Stillwater in a while but what do you think is a good price for an apartment down there ? I've seen some that are furnished with 4 br for 559 a month. I don't know how I'll handle the furniture situation yet and unsure where and what to buy haha also Dallas is 4 hours away right ? I actually wanted to go to Texas but OK was the best thing I got. I'm also going to mention that I'm gay and I'm guessing OK for the most part will not approve of that ? Plus it looks like Stillwater is 20 hrs from where I live so that's going to be a drive lol 

I did a quick online search, and it seems to be inline somewhat with Norman, OK (the city OU is in). Depending on whether you wanted roommates or not, I'd say $450-700 for non-university housing, depending on size, roommates, and included utilities. I'm not sure how OSU is, but when you consider the cost of basic cable, utilities, and internet, university housing can be quite cheap. I found this info sheet.

http://www.reslife.okstate.edu/Housing/files/rate-sheet_2015-2016.pdf

Also, a few things.

1. I mentioned Big Lots. Do you have those in NYC? Think of them as a sort of closeout furniture store with prices similar to Ikea. I just bought a couch from them at around $400, and I think they have options in the $250-350 range. Pretty decent furniture as long as you're not too picky about the selection. They more or less have what they have at that moment.
2. Dallas is probably about 4 hours away. It might be more like 4.5, depending how fast you drive, but it's an easy drive. You start heading south on I-35 and you eventually hit Dallas. I-35 runs nearly directly to Stillwater.
3. If it were 10 years ago, Oklahoma might have been more unfriendly to you, as a gay person. However, it's liberalizing slowly. I'm not sure how welcoming Stillwater will be, but it is a college town, and that means almost by definition that it'll be more liberal than the vast majority of Oklahoma. You might check out this website and see if there's any good info. Also, there's definitely more active communities in Tulsa and OKC (e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NW_39th_Street_Enclave). If you like, I can see if one of my gay acquaintances can give you some more concrete info. I'm sure they'd know better than I. 

Edit: I should also add that the 4 bedroom rate is probably one those shared living space college apartments, if you know the type. So it'd be at that rate for every individual, making the actual rent quadruple that rate. I find that those apartments tend to be expensive and badly managed for what they are, but if you enjoy the environment (e.g., a quasi-dorm environment), it's probably a good option.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Neist
Clarification.

[columbia09]

29 minutes ago, Neist said:

I did a quick online search, and it seems to be inline somewhat with Norman, OK (the city OU is in). Depending on whether you wanted roommates or not, I'd say $450-700 for non-university housing, depending on size, roommates, and included utilities. I'm not sure how OSU is, but when you consider the cost of basic cable, utilities, and internet, university housing can be quite cheap. I found this info sheet.

http://www.reslife.okstate.edu/Housing/files/rate-sheet_2015-2016.pdf

Also, a few things.

1. I mentioned Big Lots. Do you have those in NYC? Think of them as a sort of closeout furniture store with prices similar to Ikea. I just bought a couch from them at around $400, and I think they have options in the $250-350 range. Pretty decent furniture as long as you're not too picky about the selection. They more or less have what they have at that moment.
2. Dallas is probably about 4 hours away. It might be more like 4.5, depending how fast you drive, but it's an easy drive. You start heading south on I-35 and you eventually hit Dallas. I-35 runs nearly directly to Stillwater.
3. If it were 10 years ago, Oklahoma might have been more unfriendly to you, as a gay person. However, it's liberalizing slowly. I'm not sure how welcoming Stillwater will be, but it is a college town, and that means almost by definition that it'll be more liberal than the vast majority of Oklahoma. You might check out this website and see if there's any good info. Also, there's definitely more active communities in Tulsa and OKC (e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NW_39th_Street_Enclave). If you like, I can see if one of my gay acquaintances can give you some more concrete info. I'm sure they'd know better than I. 

Edit: I should also add that the 4 bedroom rate is probably one those shared living space college apartments, if you know the type. So it'd be at that rate for every individual, making the actual rent quadruple that rate. I find that those apartments tend to be expensive and badly managed for what they are, but if you enjoy the environment (e.g., a quasi-dorm environment), it's probably a good option.

Thanks for the info and I've heard of 39th street in OKC. It's supposedly the city's west village (the gay area in NYC). If your friend can provide anymore info that would be great! I plan on visiting Stillwater soon so I'll just get on grindr and ask people but I'm expecting to be A LOT different from NYC. We don't have Big Lots in NY but it seems with the price of furniture that a furnished apartment might be worth it. I'm still deciding on a lot of things but I think I'm definitely going to drive my jeep down there with all my cloths and stuff. The problem with roommates I guess is finding the right ones. I always wanted to live with other gay people but I'm sure I can figure something out. Do people travel to Dallas often from Stillwater ?  

[marycaryne]

Keep in mind that college towns tend to be more liberal in general just from the fact that the population is made up mostly of college students coming from all kinds of backgrounds. So no one is really going to bat an eyelash at anyone being gay.

I've been over to 39th St several times (I live only a couple miles away from it). The area itself is pretty small. There are a handful of clubs in a range of a block or so. There is The Boom, in which its Sunday gospel brunch is probably its most popular feature, but the drag shows in general are pretty fun. Habana Inn has a couple clubs, but the hotel itself is known locally for cruising the rooms. There's also the Apothecary 39, which has the potential to be pretty awesome as a more upscale/vintage style jazzy gay club. Except it used to be another considerably risque club and there are still remnant from that so it has this in-between confused identity crisis happening for it right now. Hopefully it will find its way. There's the Wreck Room which has a drag show, but the age requirement is 16+ before midnight and 18+ after midnight. For this reason, I know several people who won't go because of the whole teen factor. I mean it's something to do on a weekend, but I'm originally from Chicago which has a large gay district and 39th St just isn't very impressive to me. However, it is pretty progressive for a conservative state.

I don't know any stats on how many people drive from Stillwater to Dallas, but I'm sure people do. Dallas is a popular trip just from OKC itself, especially considering the shopping is WAY better. Most of those I knew from OSU though made trips more to Austin for games.

[TakeruK]

5 hours ago, columbia09 said:

I asked my advisor for some contact info from his grad students but he only gave me one. Should I just go ahead and contact the other ones myself ? 

Yes, you can definitely do that. We (grad students) have contact info on the website so that people can contact us. If you don't like randomly emailing people, you can ask the one student to put you in touch with other students who would be in similar living arrangements.

[Neist]

5 hours ago, columbia09 said:

Thanks for the info and I've heard of 39th street in OKC. It's supposedly the city's west village (the gay area in NYC). If your friend can provide anymore info that would be great! I plan on visiting Stillwater soon so I'll just get on grindr and ask people but I'm expecting to be A LOT different from NYC. We don't have Big Lots in NY but it seems with the price of furniture that a furnished apartment might be worth it. I'm still deciding on a lot of things but I think I'm definitely going to drive my jeep down there with all my cloths and stuff. The problem with roommates I guess is finding the right ones. I always wanted to live with other gay people but I'm sure I can figure something out. Do people travel to Dallas often from Stillwater ?  

@marycaryne Answered your questions better than I could, so I'll leave them there. I agree with everything already said.  

Also, MaryCaryne, is that the same Wreck Room that used to be a goth club? I vaguely remember a Wreck Room goth club in the city about 15 years ago. It's a pretty generic name, so who knows? Also, @columbia09, I'll get in touch via PM when my acquaintance gets back in town. He had a death in the family, and I imagine I won't be able to get a hold of him for several days.

[marycaryne]

1 hour ago, Neist said:

@marycaryne Answered your questions better than I could, so I'll leave them there. I agree with everything already said.  

Also, MaryCaryne, is that the same Wreck Room that used to be a goth club? I vaguely remember a Wreck Room goth club in the city about 15 years ago. It's a pretty generic name, so who knows? Also, @columbia09, I'll get in touch via PM when my acquaintance gets back in town. He had a death in the family, and I imagine I won't be able to get a hold of him for several days.

I've heard something the Wreck Room previously catering to a goth crowd for a few years or so before. That was long before my time in OKC, however, so I don't know many details about it.

[columbia09]

4 hours ago, TakeruK said:

Yes, you can definitely do that. We (grad students) have contact info on the website so that people can contact us. If you don't like randomly emailing people, you can ask the one student to put you in touch with other students who would be in similar living arrangements.

I actually did ask him but I don't think hes getting back to me on that so ill contact someone. But thanks everyone for the info it's going to be a big change ! 

[szabo]

Hi there,

I live in Stillwater and this is my 2nd semester in my program (working towards Master's). Currently, I live in family and graduate housing by myself so I am paying $675 (it's an unfurnished apt by the way). If I had a roommate, I would be paying half the rent. If you are interested, it would be best to have a roommate. The furnished apartments are a bit higher, in the 700-800 range. Staying here is good because the rent includes everything. Only downfall is that you have to pay $101 every month to use your air unit. I will be moving out at the end of May and currently I am doing my searches on Craigslist and there is a lot available. I even met with a few managers that have posted their listings on there and will be meeting another tomorrow. CLICK HERE

There are Facebook groups set up for people who are wanting to live off campus and people often post and comment looking for roommates. To join the groups, you need an OKSTATE email. Additional info regarding places to stay, Henneberry Properties has several and good priced apartments. I would just call and ask questions and also explain your plans and what you're looking for. They also post on Craigslist: CLICK HERE

As for the culture here at OKSTATE, as someone mentioned above this school has a lot of different people coming from all kinds of backgrounds and I wouldn't worry too much about how different I am (coming from a black chick in a predominant white program). People are cool.

I looked at the Graduate Students Geology webpage. Check it out to see who you could contact other than the one your adviser recommended: CLICK HERE

Any other questions, I'll do my best to answer. Take care and congrats

Edited March 31, 2016 by tsmills

[darcandra92]

On 3/27/2016 at 9:11 PM, Neist said:

I've lived in Oklahoma my entire life.

Do you go to OU?? I'm moving to Norman in the fall for a PhD program and I have no idea where to live! I've been doing tons of research, but I don't know anyone out there to get opinions. I'm definitely looking into renting an unfurnished 1bed/1bath apt. I've been reading lots of reviews....will I have roaches no matter where I live?? How is the bug/rodent situation out there? (I'm from Utah...super dry and relatively bug-free!)

[Neist]

21 minutes ago, darcandra92 said:

Do you go to OU?? I'm moving to Norman in the fall for a PhD program and I have no idea where to live! I've been doing tons of research, but I don't know anyone out there to get opinions. I'm definitely looking into renting an unfurnished 1bed/1bath apt. I've been reading lots of reviews....will I have roaches no matter where I live?? How is the bug/rodent situation out there? (I'm from Utah...super dry and relatively bug-free!)

I work at OU and go there as a student, and I've lived in Norman for 10 years.

I don't know about roaches. I've never had a roach problem anywhere. Sometimes we get beetle problems depending on the time of the year, but never roaches. Likewise, I doubt you'll have much of a rodent problem unless you have an especially untidy neighbor. The only rodents I ever experienced were in houses, not apartments. Old houses tend to get mice from time to time.

I'd suggest either looking into Kraettli Apartments or Sycamore Cottages. The latter are very small efficiency apartments (http://www.elite2900.com/sc.html) that are owned by a reliable, responsible company. I lived in their apartments for probably five years and never had an issue. It looks like the going rate is about 470 per month, and when I lived there, that included all utilities but electric. No internet/cable was provided with the price.

The former are university-owned apartments, but they are about 670 for an unfurnished two bedroom that includes basic cable, all utilities, and internet. You'll probably be hard-pressed to find any single apartment that cheap in Norman, regardless of its size. You could go cheaper with roommates, but that doesn't sound like what you're interested in.  Considering they are twice the size of the cottages and you don't have to worry about fluctuating utility bills in the summer thanks to air conditioning (which can be well above 100F in its peak), it's a pretty good deal. I currently live in Kraettli, and I doubt I'd want to live anywhere else in Norman at the moment. They are older apartments, but well-maintained by the university. Most of your neighbors are quiet, international students and their families. They are also very close to campus.

I would avoid at all costs apartments that are designed specifically targeted at college students. You know, the kind with private rooms and bathrooms and share living areas? The ones in this area tend to be badly managed and poorly built, and it's especially true with cheaper options. Also, if you do decide to go with Kraettli, get on their waiting list now. These apartments have significant waiting lists thanks to their affordability, especially come August; the waiting list is based on priority of who's been on the list the longest, but also when a person wants to move in, so it's easier to move in during February than August, for example.

I guess it might matter a bit, but what sort of budget were you looking at? Cheap-ish, stipend-capable rent? And feel free to PM me if you have any more detailed questions about specific areas of town or apartment complexes you find. I'll help in whatever way I can.  

Edited April 6, 2016 by Neist

[Deepwater]

On 31/03/2016 at 9:07 AM, szabo said:

Hi there,

I live in Stillwater and this is my 2nd semester in my program (working towards Master's). Currently, I live in family and graduate housing by myself so I am paying $675 (it's an unfurnished apt by the way). If I had a roommate, I would be paying half the rent. If you are interested, it would be best to have a roommate. The furnished apartments are a bit higher, in the 700-800 range. Staying here is good because the rent includes everything. Only downfall is that you have to pay $101 every month to use your air unit. I will be moving out at the end of May and currently I am doing my searches on Craigslist and there is a lot available. I even met with a few managers that have posted their listings on there and will be meeting another tomorrow. CLICK HERE

There are Facebook groups set up for people who are wanting to live off campus and people often post and comment looking for roommates. To join the groups, you need an OKSTATE email. Additional info regarding places to stay, Henneberry Properties has several and good priced apartments. I would just call and ask questions and also explain your plans and what you're looking for. They also post on Craigslist: CLICK HERE

As for the culture here at OKSTATE, as someone mentioned above this school has a lot of different people coming from all kinds of backgrounds and I wouldn't worry too much about how different I am (coming from a black chick in a predominant white program). People are cool.

I looked at the Graduate Students Geology webpage. Check it out to see who you could contact other than the one your adviser recommended: CLICK HERE

Any other questions, I'll do my best to answer. Take care and congrats

Thanks szabo!

I am an international graduate student and will be starting OSU in Fall 2016. Would you mind if I PM you with some of my questions?