I also remember watching the weather reports and all the storms would split out in the Pacific and either land in Northern or Southern California but never in Central.
Greenwich Village... Grad School... New York City... you wouldn't happen to be going to NYU, would you? I'll be a freshman there in August. Sure, I'll be just as lost as you (and, for now, I'm still trapped in the suburbs of New Jersey) but... maybe it will be good to know there's another Geeknights listener as lost as you in the big city?
Excellent deduction! Yes, NYU would be my base camp for striking out into the frightening world of death-defying j-walking, roving bands of carnivorous cabs, and snow over two inches deep. It is good to know there are other souls sane enough to haunt this thread who are also recovering from a short bout of brain fever--accounting for enrollment in such an institution.
Alright, firstly, you really don't have to worry about traffic in the city. During the day, there are enough people drifting through the sidewalks that you're almost never the only person crossing, and (looking very optimistically) a cab driver is a professional driver. They spend their entire days driving around, and, if Cthulhu-forbid you do get hit, the company has to be insured. Still, the odds of that are slim to none.
As for seasons, there's definitely a positive side to that too. People travel to the east coast to see seasons all the time (autumn is especially peaceful). Snow's not a big deal either. I say it becomes a (very) minor inconvenience twice a year.
Oh cars, never underestimate them. That's when you wake up in the ER with a police officer asking you to give them a statement about that car that just hit you, which you remember nothing of. (Damn old men making left turns.)
But I understand your points. I naturally tend to overstate any point. When I become overzealous with adjective use, it is time to stop believing what I'm saying. It becomes language use as a form of performance.
For the benefit of any people moving to New York in the future that might run across this thread, I have two words for them: Hop Stop. Well, actually one word: Hopstop. Why didn't any one tell me about this? As soon as I found out life was so much better.
For the benefit of any people moving to New York in the future that might run across this thread, I have two words for them: Hop Stop. Well, actually one word:Hopstop. Why didn't any one tell me about this? As soon as I found out life was so much better.
I'm happy to oblige. It's funny, the obvious things that people forget about.
I flew in last August and the humidity killed me. It did things to my hair I didn't even know were possible. And, while the winter was surprisingly bearable, this spring has been driving me crazy. I'm getting really sick of the rain interrupting what could have been a beautiful day.
For the benefit of any people moving to New York in the future that might run across this thread, I have two words for them: Hop Stop. Well, actually one word:Hopstop. Why didn't any one tell me about this? As soon as I found out life was so much better.
Thanks for that. I'm moving in August.
Yeah, I'm slated to be there in July. This is going to be a huge help. Thanks!
Ahh. I'm from North Carolina, so I somehow doubt the humidity will be a problem! We are used to fickle weather. My main problem right now is finding a roommate. Screening people for geekery is difficult to do over an excel spreadsheet and email.
Ah, that does sound like a bit of a nightmare. My last roommate was incredibly normal. We got along fine but she didn't need to know about my pile of anime or my Burning Wheel books. Next year should be geekier, depending on where I wind up finding a place. I have a friend who is a GM and will probably move in with me but if we need a third person we may have to dilute the geekery.
So, for most people this is probably obvious, but another thing I had problems with was shoes. Coming to New York, I started walking a lot more than I did before. So, it is worth investing in really good shoes. That makes sense. What I hadn't considered is the importance of having closed toed shoes. I love sandals and open toed heels so I have a lot of shoes that work most of the year in California but for only a fraction of it in New York.
You are so right about shoes. A lot of people go to the city as tourists wearing heels or some stupid shot then they can't walk enough. If shoes aren't comfortable for walking a lot, they are useless.
The upshot of wearing heels (provided they are comfortable heels) is that people hear you as you are coming. So, when I'm walking and there is a group of people in front of me taking up the width of the side walk (argh!), they hear me and often will move out of the way. It's magic!
The take home message is, still, invest in comfortable shoes!!!
There are walking heels. However, if you really want nice shoes for an outfit once you reach your destination, but those shoes would not be appropriate for walking about the city - just place the shoes in a large purse and wear walking shoes until you get there. Being 5' 2", I love heels but I will not punish my feet to wear them unless they are actually appropriate. There are some really cute flats available lately (both open toe and closed toe). If the flats have a thin sole, just get some decent inserts and you can pair fashion with comfort.
RIT has offered me $35k/year in financial aid. Not complete, but uni is now affordable. I have a stable web2.0 job that pays me $40-45k/year and I can telecommute to. There is an amazing woman who I click with completely going to RIT, and I could possibly have a wonderful relationship with. I love the winter, and want to finally go to uni.
But I just moved to Berkeley. I am conflicted! Berkeley is a wonderful place to live, and I play guitar in the park, but I am like Chow Mo Wan in 2046 - dazzling parties, dazzling gatsby-like society, dates with beautiful women, but nothing of substance. Nothing that makes my heart soar and tremble. RIT was my dream. You guys made it so. So...Should I go back to the East?
From your brief description of the situation, it really seems like your answer is yes. You say that RIT is/was your dream, and Berkeley offers you nothing of substance, so I can't help but wonder if there's something else you haven't mentioned that is making you so conflicted.
Well, the negative is that it's Rochester. Whereas Berkeley is a melting pot of cultures and ideas, Rochester is like some backwater town with a failing economy.
If I can keep this job, and work from Rochester, then I should be good. But, if I have to find a job out there, I'd be screwed. That's what I'm worried about that. That and no good ramen places.
You can't simply stare out at the green light on Daisy Buchanan's dock forever. Just understand that you'll have to cross the valley of ashes to get there.
Well, that seems to be the nub right there, your job, that is. I mean, if you can go to Rochester and risk nothing (since you will be able to go back to Berkeley and pick up where you left off) then you should do it. How often do you have the opportunity to just drop everything and take a totally new direction in life? And if everything goes to hell, you just come back. How long of a program are you looking at?
You got 35k in scholarships from RIT? Wow, you lucky jerk. RIT has been my dream for a while now as well, although I'm still a High School student. I only wish that RIT will give me that much in scholarships, then I could go there. But seriously, you should go to RIT. I don't know much about Berkeley, but I do know that RIT is great, and a haven for Geekdom. I've lived in NY all my life (Rochester, actually, so RIT is just a skip, hop, and a jump away), and RIT has always seemed perfect to me.
Well, the negative is that it's Rochester. Whereas Berkeley is a melting pot of cultures and ideas, Rochester is like some backwater town with a failing economy.If I can keep this job, and work from Rochester, then I should be good. But, if I have to find a job out there, I'd be screwed. That's what I'm worried about that. That and no good ramen places.
First, Rochester is the third largest city in New York State. It is hardly a "backwater" town. Rochester has a lower unemployment rate (7.8%) than New York City (8.2%), Buffalo (9.2%), and Syracuse (8.5%). New York State as a whole has a lower unemployment rate (8.1%) than the U.S. as a whole (9.0%). From Wikipedia:
Rochester was ranked sixth among 379 U.S. metropolitan areas in the 25th edition of the Places Rated Almanac for 'Most Livable Cities'.[5] In 2007, Rochester was ranked as the top city in the country by Expansion Management Magazine for quality of life. Expansion Management rated the region's public schools sixth best nationwide, among metropolitan areas of a million people or more.[6]
The city is widely known for being "great for families". It was ranked number 7 in the top 10 Best Places for Families by Parents.com based on affordability, education, health care, museums, etc. This may not be the best city for young singles and it isn't the vibrant social hub that is Berkley, but it is not a podunk, broke-down, little town. For anyone that attended RIT, I would bet that they minimal explored of the city and its surroundings. More to the point, moving to any city for an education is not committing to that city for life. Just move away if you don't like the area. Berkley will still be there when you have a degree.
I think returning to Rochester can be accomplished if these goals are met:
-Move there with $10,000 in savings -Keep my current job or have a firm offer for a better one -Have a car. Gotdamn Rochacha busses make me want to curl up in a ball and cringe
Macross, I see your points. I was just contrasting Rochester and Berkeley in terms of hep young-people hangouttery. Also, isn't downtown still the dumps? When I was there in January it seemed pretty desolate. I hope it's doing better.
I think if I bring west-coast connections and money to bear, I can actually afford to go to RIT and live in Rochester pretty comfortably.
Comments
I can't think of anything to say about it. It's just farms flying past my window when I drive north to visit my family. I would love food recommendations. What is better than food? Nothing. That's the answer. Nothing.
As for seasons, there's definitely a positive side to that too. People travel to the east coast to see seasons all the time (autumn is especially peaceful). Snow's not a big deal either. I say it becomes a (very) minor inconvenience twice a year.
Finally, a nice counter-argument to the herpes statistic: New York City is, and continues to be, America's safest city.
But I understand your points. I naturally tend to overstate any point. When I become overzealous with adjective use, it is time to stop believing what I'm saying. It becomes language use as a form of performance.
I flew in last August and the humidity killed me. It did things to my hair I didn't even know were possible. And, while the winter was surprisingly bearable, this spring has been driving me crazy. I'm getting really sick of the rain interrupting what could have been a beautiful day.
The take home message is, still, invest in comfortable shoes!!!
The prospect frightens me, and yet...
RIT has offered me $35k/year in financial aid. Not complete, but uni is now affordable. I have a stable web2.0 job that pays me $40-45k/year and I can telecommute to. There is an amazing woman who I click with completely going to RIT, and I could possibly have a wonderful relationship with. I love the winter, and want to finally go to uni.
But I just moved to Berkeley. I am conflicted! Berkeley is a wonderful place to live, and I play guitar in the park, but I am like Chow Mo Wan in 2046 - dazzling parties, dazzling gatsby-like society, dates with beautiful women, but nothing of substance. Nothing that makes my heart soar and tremble. RIT was my dream. You guys made it so. So...Should I go back to the East?
If I can keep this job, and work from Rochester, then I should be good. But, if I have to find a job out there, I'd be screwed. That's what I'm worried about that. That and no good ramen places.
Figuratively speaking, of course.
But seriously, you should go to RIT. I don't know much about Berkeley, but I do know that RIT is great, and a haven for Geekdom. I've lived in NY all my life (Rochester, actually, so RIT is just a skip, hop, and a jump away), and RIT has always seemed perfect to me.
More to the point, moving to any city for an education is not committing to that city for life. Just move away if you don't like the area. Berkley will still be there when you have a degree.
-Move there with $10,000 in savings
-Keep my current job or have a firm offer for a better one
-Have a car. Gotdamn Rochacha busses make me want to curl up in a ball and cringe
Macross, I see your points. I was just contrasting Rochester and Berkeley in terms of hep young-people hangouttery. Also, isn't downtown still the dumps? When I was there in January it seemed pretty desolate. I hope it's doing better.
I think if I bring west-coast connections and money to bear, I can actually afford to go to RIT and live in Rochester pretty comfortably.