If all goes according to plan, I am set to move out of state this fall, from NY to PA. I’ll be working there, paying rent on my own apartment, and going to college to finish my degree in pre-law. I’m so excited to start a new life, but at the same time, I’m terrified. I’ll be all alone, and I’ve never done anything like this before.
I’d greatly appreciate your prayers! Also, if you have any advice for a 20 year old girl who is moving on her own for the first time…I’d be happy to hear anything you have to say.
Thanks and God bless!
Christa
At college, can you see if they have a Newman Center there? Well, it’s just that you’ll need contacts, and that might be a good place to start.
Also, can you go to your local library. They should have a travel section, and get out the booklet on Pennsylvania? Then, either look it up in there, or you could also do this online and begin learning the ropes.
That’s a lot…working, going to school and adapting to a new environment, especially for a young person.
Register as soon as they will let you, then, and if you can find out for sure which books, get as many as you can ahead of time so that you can read them over the summer. Often, I read most of my texts before I ever walked through the door.
Familiarize yourself with your college. Get to really know it well and the area. This will all help you later.
In class, the first day, start exchanging phone numbers. I did that, and once, it came in handy. I had gotten some of my texts, used, and the page for one of my first assignments had been ripped out!
Also, sometimes, I would have a question on what the assigment was or not understand the lesson. I tried to locate serious students and go with them later when we had group projects.
Some colleges keep old exams for the class. One class I was in used the same exam, which had absolutely nothing to do with what we had been studying all semester!
Sometimes, you can save money by buying books, used.
Are you going to have your own car or use public transportation. I think it’s good to get familiar with public transportation, even if you have a car. I went years taking the bus, then got a car, then used a combination of both. When my car was in the shop, I wouldn’t freak out, already knew the buses and that there were other things available.
It’d be good if you can relocate there soon, to give yourself more time to adapt.
Both jobs and apartments sometimes take months to locate. Best to go out as soon as you can to get everything set up. You can get furniture at Goodwill and the Salvation Army, cheaper, clothes, etc.
In my first rental, I got an all electric apartment. I didn’t realize electric was the most expensive! So, I got hit with some large bills in the winter before I found out about “budget billing”. They often can’t do “budget billing” till you have a little bit of a history. They estimate an average, based on your usage. Mine was, I think $70/month. Before that, once, I got hit with a bill for $200, and that was in the 1980s! For me, I had to babysit to pay it!
I learned gas heat was cheaper. I learned how to save energy by putting up plastic in the winter, getting a free energy-saving audit from the utilities. They also taught me a lot about energy, gave me free stuff.
Oh yeah, I found a credit card handy to have, but it’s important not to abuse it. I used it, for example, when I needed to buy snow tires in the winter and wanted to budget that over several months.
It’s hard to get hired as a student, though. Often, I worked for Temp agencies to pay for college. I worked over holidays, etc.
I once shared an apartment with someone, but these were very nice apartments. I got a pharmacy major as my roommate. Pharmacy majors tend to be very serious. It worked out well for me, but if you share, you risk them trashing the apartment, stealing your stuff, running up your phone bill, and leaving before the lease is up without notice, and having loud parties and boyfriends and such dropping by at all hours of the day and night.
