Charleston, SC

[RNadine21]

I just received an acceptance to the College of Charleston (woot!)

While I did stay in the area over the summer for an internship, I wanted some general information from people more familiar with the area/from the area.

My biggest issue is transportation. I currently can't drive, and even if I get a license (which is my summer project), I can't afford a car at the moment (although if people have any suggestions for getting a decently priced used car, I'd appreciate that as well). All my classes would be on James Island but I also received a TA offer, which means I'll have to move between James Island and downtown. Would that even be possible without a car?

[Genomic Repairman]

Its not easy but you can bike over the JI connector to get to the main campus downtown if you had too, but you better have a good bike and be in great shape. Have you thought about maybe investing in a scooter, cheaper than a car?

[PaperChaser]

I just received an acceptance to the College of Charleston (woot!)

While I did stay in the area over the summer for an internship, I wanted some general information from people more familiar with the area/from the area.

My biggest issue is transportation. I currently can't drive, and even if I get a license (which is my summer project), I can't afford a car at the moment (although if people have any suggestions for getting a decently priced used car, I'd appreciate that as well). All my classes would be on James Island but I also received a TA offer, which means I'll have to move between James Island and downtown. Would that even be possible without a car?

I went there for part of undergrad and while I was there lost my license (no, not DUI, just WAY too many points). I-and this is before the internet was actually useful-put up posts around campus (this would be smarter to do via the internet now) asking if anyone was interested in a ride share. I got a TON of responses. I had to try a few different people, but I found one girl who was willing to trade petsitting on weekends (she had a really laid back dog that I could keep at my house) for rides to/from school. Obviously, I had to be at school longer hours than I may have otherwise, but it was free, I got around, and I made a new friend!

Is there some reason you have to be downtown if all of your classes are on JI? I'd try to work something out with a classmate, even if you end up paying for most of that person's gas, it's cheaper than a car.

You said you couldn't afford a car (probably), but if you go to a sheriff's sale or auto auction, you can get a good deal if you take someone knowledgeable with you. Also, MANY car dealers right now are doing 0% down 0% interest for (a year or whatever), so you may be able to get something with really low payments.

You can totally make Charleston work. Milk it for the Southern hospitality that it's got!

[Genomic Repairman]

They make the marine Bio grad students teach intro biology lab downtown.

[RNadine21]

I went there for part of undergrad and while I was there lost my license (no, not DUI, just WAY too many points). I-and this is before the internet was actually useful-put up posts around campus (this would be smarter to do via the internet now) asking if anyone was interested in a ride share. I got a TON of responses. I had to try a few different people, but I found one girl who was willing to trade petsitting on weekends (she had a really laid back dog that I could keep at my house) for rides to/from school. Obviously, I had to be at school longer hours than I may have otherwise, but it was free, I got around, and I made a new friend!

Is there some reason you have to be downtown if all of your classes are on JI? I'd try to work something out with a classmate, even if you end up paying for most of that person's gas, it's cheaper than a car.

You said you couldn't afford a car (probably), but if you go to a sheriff's sale or auto auction, you can get a good deal if you take someone knowledgeable with you. Also, MANY car dealers right now are doing 0% down 0% interest for (a year or whatever), so you may be able to get something with really low payments.

You can totally make Charleston work. Milk it for the Southern hospitality that it's got!

Thanks so much for the information! As was mentioned, I was offered a TA position and from what I heard from current grad students it seems like it's mostly running undergrad labs on the main campus, thus my problem. I really like the program and I love the city, but between growing up in DC and doing undergrad in Miami it was never a priority to get a license or a car.

[RNadine21]

Its not easy but you can bike over the JI connector to get to the main campus downtown if you had too, but you better have a good bike and be in great shape. Have you thought about maybe investing in a scooter, cheaper than a car?

Do you need a motorcycle license for a scooter? I think I read that somewhere but I could be wrong.

[Riotbeard]

I don't think you need a license for a scooter! I have a lot of friends in Charleston who get around on scooters! I went there for undergrad, and it is a great town. There is also a decent amount of bohemian culture if you look for it. I went a year there without a car (but all my classes were on main campus) You also don't have to bike the JI connector, there is a much smaller bridge to west ashley, but you would have to add about 2 or three mile to your ride... You could also get a boat, haha (I actually had a friend who lived in a sail boat...)!

[michpc]

So, can anyone tell me more about Charleston? It's Friday night, so my main question is: how's the bar culture? I LOVE a good beer, and love a relaxed local bar that has a huge tap selection where I can go back often and try new beers.

Another question...are there a lot of outdoorsy people? I love hiking and getting outside when weather permits.

[MidwesternAloha]

Resurrecting this dead forum for all of us moving to Chas this summer/fall!!!  

[django4321]

I go to school in Columbia but I live/grew up in Charleston so I can weigh in. If you live downtown you certainly don't need a car, a bike or scooter would be plenty. If you live on the Mount Pleasant side of town, biking is made possible by the nice pedestrian lane on the Ravenel bridge. Unfortunately, if you live on the opposite side of town (West Ashley, James Island) there is no safe way to bike into town. Charleston is a crazy fun and quickly growing town with tons of culture. Contrary to popular opinion, I think Charleston has a fair amount of diversity, especially in recent years. It's a place that people are flocking to and they're bringing lots of variety to the city which is nice. The food/drink scene is second to none within a 1,000 mile radius (maybe a little bit biased here). Also lots of good music especially jazz and indie. 

Get ready for floods because downtown will flood just on a low tide, not to mention the slightest bit of rain!

Enjoy!

[Carly Rae Jepsen]

Just came to say hi to my alma mater town. I miss Chucktown a lot haha

[theburiedgirl815]

Bumping up this thread since I'll be relocating to Charleston from the northeast later this summer and wanted any advice that anyone could offer beyond the basic stuff that can be found by googling. Most of the articles I've seen are geared towards travelers, not necessarily people who are intending to live there for a longer period. Any suggestions would be great!

[MBTA]

Same boat here. Headed to Charleston in the fall and getting a little worried about the lack of affordable housing. Any current Charleston residents with advise would be welcome.

 

 

[Norse_Medievalist]

I grew up in the Charleston area. It is always pretty pricey. If you don't mind commuting, living in the surrounding areas is often cheaper than staying in the city proper. That or finding roommates that you can stay with. The upside is that it's rather good weather, except during hurricane season, and depending on the area the locals are really friendly.

Is there anything specifically you guys are still looking to know? I can try to answer some stuff. 

[zuska]

On 10/25/2018 at 3:07 AM, Norse_Medievalist said:

I grew up in the Charleston area. It is always pretty pricey. If you don't mind commuting, living in the surrounding areas is often cheaper than staying in the city proper. That or finding roommates that you can stay with. The upside is that it's rather good weather, except during hurricane season, and depending on the area the locals are really friendly.

Is there anything specifically you guys are still looking to know? I can try to answer some stuff. 

Hi there,

you mentioned that living outside of Charleston may be much cheaper than living within the city. I am ready to invest in a reliable car and do not mind commuting 30-45minutes. I am not sure if these are just scams, but it appears that living further away can mean having an ok 2 bedroom house for barely 1000$, that's  including water/gas/electricity and internet. Coming from Amsterdam, that sounds like heaven. I was guaranteed a tuition waiver and health insurance. Do you think 28.500$ year is an ok stipend for my situation, or is it likely that I will struggle?

In addition, what is the availability of part-time/seasonal jobs in Charleston? I thought it may be pretty easy to score some jobs at the beach hotels/restaurant. I have visited Charleston in summer and it felt like there must be a need for seasonal workers as it was packed with tourists. 

Finally, are you aware of any cities/areas surrounding Charleston that you would definitely avoid when looking for housing? 

Thanks for any suggestions and tips, it would be very very helpful!  

 

[Norse_Medievalist]

Hello!

It will really depend on where you live and whether you're looking for a house or an apartment. It could be enough or it could be a bit of a struggle. There are stores like Aldis and things opening up in that area which could make grocery shopping easier as well. Just try to avoid tourist trap like entertainment in your free time and you might be good there. If you do find a place for $1,000 a month, you might be good to go. Just make sure to have some money put aside for any emergencies. South Carolina is the land of pot holes a lot of the time. So a car maintenance fund will likely be a must.

Part-time/Seasonal jobs can be found, though keep in mind there are a lot of undergraduate and high school students that try to jump on those as well. I would say applying earlier will make that easier. There is sometimes part time work with the ghost tours, being a server at a restaurant there during the summer you can make good tips, and there are a lot of locally run shops as well that could likely use the help. I loved living in the area and I was right outside of North Charleston. Some parts of North Charleston can be rough to live in, so just make sure you do your research about where you're wanting to move. Some smaller towns near North Charleston that are pretty good to live in are Goose Creek and parts of Ladson.

James Island would likely be a pricey place to move but there are some affordable places in Mount Pleasant that might also be worth looking into. West Ashley might also be a good place to look for housing.

A tip I would give to anyone moving to the area is to get some sort of renters insurance that covers storm damages. Hurricane season is no joke and the Carolina's often get hit with tropical storms at the very least if not full blown hurricanes. Downtown and some of Charleston proper floods during Hurricane season. Make sure you have good rain boots and be aware of the tides. Otherwise, Charleston has a rich culture and great places to walk and bike. As someone else has said, you can't really do that from James Island or West Ashley, but you can in Mount Pleasant.

If I can answer any other questions please let me know.