Ack!
Apartments and roommates? It never occurred to me that I would be doing this again as an old married lady. I didn't even know where to start so I used Craigslist and it turns out that one landlady and the roommates are actually in my department at the new University!
The ideal place just doesn't seem to exist. If the roommate thing works out, it is only a 6 month lease, cheap as can be and has potential for the Grackle to bring the dog for weekends. No cats, ever. My own apartment, however will allow me to have my own space and potential for kitties to stay with me but this will cost at least twice as much. No dogs ever.
I'm trying to be open to all possibilities until I see everything and not freak out about it all. As a postdoc I'll basically live in the lab 16 hours a day anyway, right?
6 comments:
I too wonder what's going to happen with our living situation. Husband is the one moving, but I'm not sure if it's really affordable for me to stay where we are now, considering we came here on two salaries with one place... and now we will be making the same amount of money, but living in two places, plus the expense of traveling (and as I don't have a car, if I want to visit him, I'll need to fly or take the train).
The thought of getting a roommate does seem totally backward! Not that it's necessarily a bad thing -- I've had some great roommates -- just... a step in the wrong direction once you are married. Hopefully things will work out, though -- finding roommates, and ones in your program, to boot, would certainly be a huge help in getting to know new people in Postdoc City!
It can be tricky living with colleagues - hard to escape problems and all that. But it might be really nice to get yourself set up with some friends right away especially if you're going to be working so much. It's hard to make friends in a new place.
I think if it were me, I'd go with the roommate situation unless the potential roommates seemed like tools.
I'd probably pic the cats and my own place, but I tend to like my own space, especially when working crazy hours. On the other hand, roommates may add some normality to your life (where may is the operative word). Whatever you decide, good luck!
For my first postdoc I shares flats with two different women, great success. For my second postdoc I had my own flat and was wasting a lot of money since I spent very little time there.
I would start out with flat mates and if it doesn't work - or you find something better - you can move, right? Good luck!
Living situations can be sooo hard....I hope it works out for you in the end! It seems like a number of science ladies that are married are facing separate living situations - I too thought that would end once I got married, but I guess not!
have you contacted the new dept. you are joining and ask if the university (or the specific dept) has any leads or set up for finding housing/roomates? i'm sure you have thought of that. good luck. dang choosing between kitties and puppies. uh uh. nope. is there one that excepts both pets types but not husbands that would be my winner...oh ooops did i say that out loud? and at least you aren't an old, married, mom to boot!
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