Just for the heck of it, I'm considering applying to a few other schools for my Psy.D. Here are the cities I'm considering.
Can you see me here?
Or here?
Or how about here?
Money (being able to afford to live) is really my only concern when I consider relocating. Loans will take care of school expenses, but how will I live and pay rent and my car payment and buy my Nars makeup? That's when I start to think, "LA ain't so bad..."
PS. Can you guess which cities these are?
14 comments:
I know the first one is Denver. Yes I can definitely see you here!! :)
The second set is Chicago! YES! I can totally see you here!!! My couch is always ready if you need to come and check out the campus.
(The third one is Boston). :)
Ditto for Denver. We have a guest room. And I work at DU, don't forget. :) We finally have Sephora too for your Nars.
DENVER.
Impressive, Ladies!! (Although I figured Carol & Liz would guess their hometowns.)
At some point, I'd like to hear what you think about each city, cost of living, the good, the bad, the ugly.
Is that a vote for Denver, D? ;-P
I don't know about Chicago and Boston but Denver's cost of living is lower than LA - at least housing is. I think all other costs are probably about the same. Denver is a good sized city - not nearly as big and congested as LA but it is growing fast. That, for me, is a downside. I remember when there was LOTS more open space around the metro area. But the city has everything you could want - good arts community, professional sports teams, all kinds of activities. Mountains are very close for quick get-aways. It's just a great city. The only thing we're lacking is an ocean - but we have some nice lakes...
The cost of living in Chicago is pretty similar to LA. However, the U of Chicago is on the southside and it is much more affordable to live around there than it is on the north side (where I live). The north side is pretty much yuppie-ville but the south side is amazingly diverse. Some of the neighborhoods can be a bit scarey on the south side but some of them are very nice. The nice part is that even though gas prices are high here, you don't use as much of it because public transportation is good. I drive to and from work everyday and that's about it. I walk or take the train everywhere else if I can.
Someone told me when I was moving here that Chicago has all the benefits of New York but the people are nicer. So far, that has been totally true. It's a large city that doesn't feel too huge because it's really split up into neighborhoods. There are so many different cultures living so close together here and you can learn so much. Plus, the shopping is AMAZING!!!!! :) Nars makeup all over the place!
The city isn't perfect and the governmnet is totally corrupt and parking tickets are just a way of life but really, I love it!
You know how much I love Boston (those trees, all that brick, the history, the clam chowder, the brisk air!) and I happen to also like Chicago a great deal, too, despite the fact that my crazy family is 30 minutes away...but yes, my vote is for Denver. Didn't you say they have one of the oldest and most well-respected PsyD programs in the country? And while Carol may be correct in saying that the city is getting bigger and more crowded, for you and me it still feels much smaller than LA and worlds friendlier. Plus you get snow and seasons without the winters being so extreme that you feel trapped. And I can see you happy as can be in a trendy downtown loft in Denver, venturing out in the evenings to try out all the little restaurants and window shopping at the boutiques. Plus, nature is RIGHT THERE. One of the things I love about the areas just outside of downtown is that they go out of their way to incorporate green space and public areas (walking and biking trails, etc.) into the city planning. It's fantastic. You really need to go visit again. Oh, and the men: rugged without being hick, polite, and most definitely not metrosexualled to the point of being...confused. Like most men here. :-|
Yes, please, no more confused men. :-)
I think visits to Chi-town & Denver are in order in the not-so-distant future. Thanks in advance for allowing me to sleep on your couch & in your guest rooms!
As much as I think you should come and live in Chicago, I have heard that Denver is one of the best places for singles to live. :) The men in Chicago tend to be a bit more on the metro side but every once in awhile you come across a good ol' farm boy. :)
Just let me know when you're coming! (I don't recommend a visit in February. It's a bit chilly then. :) May through September are good times).
Denise, I couldn't have said it better myself. Denver does have a great singles scene - both Christian and...secular, I guess. We have a great climate - every season is pretty mild. Also the old Fitzsimmons base is becoming a huge medical complex for both research and treatment. So there will be tons of jobs available. DU is an expensive school (is that where you're looking) but it does have a great Psych department. And my recommendation would be to find a job on campus (maybe my department will be hiring....) so you can basically go to school for free. I believe for graduate programs they just treat your tuition as taxable income. What else can I tell you......just come visit! We'll show you the sights!
Selfishly, I don't want you to move ANYWHERE, unless we do. However, that being said, my vote is CLEARLY for Boston. It's the one place I would be truly envious of living. Denver is certainly wonderful, has many benefits worth considering (and we do). Chicago's nice, but I haven't spent enough time there to know about living there. Mid-Westerner's are definitely some of the best stock in the country. So down-to-earth. Then again, that's quite a leap from L.A.
Mike says his vote is for Boston.
In any event, if you're really feeling the 'call' to experience the adventure of a major move, I say 'go for it' and switch to Wet-n-Wild cosmetics for a few years. Adventures are almost never regretted--only ones we passed by out of fear.
P.S. Once you graduate, you'll have many years of Nars ahead of you.
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