I am so very excited to meet all of you and for you all to start, of course! I want to share a little insight with you about my experiences in moving here, living here and getting settled.
Where to live?
I moved 2,000 miles away from home (Texas) and the first thing that came to mind was: ROOMMATE! I didn’t want to be alone, so I talked to one of my classmates and we decided to live together! I know it’s a tough choice to make since you don’t know anyone, but, in my opinion, it’s better than being alone in a new place. There are plenty of nice apartment complexes in Hamden, which is where I live. My roommate and I share a 3 bedroom apartment with a nursing student at Town Walk- Hamden Hills. It’s amazing! Two pools and two gyms! We did need a co-signer with a good salary/income. Only professionals, families and professional students live in the complex. No undergrads! Some other good places are Whitney Towers, Broadmoor, Hamden Centre and Chestnut Hill. These are all pretty different and it totally depends on what type of place you’re looking for.
What should you bring?
When moving your things here, consider how far you are traveling. I only brought personal stuff and bought all my furniture here. There’s a nice little furniture store on Dixwell (I can’t think of the name right now), west of CT15 a few blocks on the left hand side. I purchased my bed there for $200 with free delivery! The rest of my furniture cost about $100 total at IKEA (about 15 minutes south, in New Haven) and my room is comfy and home-y!
How soon should you move??
My boyfriend and I drove up a week before the beginning of classes. Our road trip took 3 days! I had plenty of time to get settled and find some good food! I also had a chance to meet some of my fellow classmates at a little gathering put together by the current second year students, which my class will arrange for you all.
Books and note-taking
I love ordering my text books from Amazon, so I did just that! The university has listings on the website if you choose that route. You will need to purchase a set of books from campus copy for the gross anatomy class. As far as note-taking goes, I used both spirals and my laptop depending on the class. I also recommend always having a highlighter!
Orientation
Our orientation was pushed back into the first week of school because the physician assistants had conference the week it was scheduled. Every university office had a booth set-up with information. I’m sure having the information session before classes begin will prove more beneficial for you all.
Summer classes
My classmates and I had classes at four different locations in the summer. It was pretty annoying at first to have to travel all day,but we carpooled and it worked out well. I highly recommend it! I’m not sure how your classes are spread out so just be open to the idea of carpooling! As far as the course material, you will be overwhelmed. But don’t be discouraged, you will be fine! Summer was my favorite! The best advice I have is to study and don’t fall behind! Also, if you have any questions about any material, ask the professor. They are always willing to help!
Nancy graduated in 2009 from Baylor University with an undergraduate degree in Forensic Science and a minor in Chemistry. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Nancy!
