I am looking at places live this fall. It\’s weird how people who are also going to CMU aren\’t even that anxious. A friend of mine plans to crash at a friend\’s place the week before class starts and find an apartment that way. I can\’t wait that long, wandering around an area that I will barely know. So I am visiting Pittsburgh in about 2 weeks. To experience the full glory of the steel town, I am planning to take the public bus from the airport (2 dollars one way) and stay at Morewood Gardens CMU dorms (approx $21/night).
This all after leaving SFO at 11 pm and arriving at PIT at 8 am (red-eye flight). I don\’t know whether I should stay in a room in a house rented by someone I befriended online. Or to take a room offered by people who are part of my masters program. Or live in a place with young professionals. Or live with undergraduates who attended University of Pittsburgh. Or to take a new apartment entirely and find new roommates. Or to take a room in my neighbor\’s friend\’s (a professor) house. Or…rent a studio?
At least with my experience renting in Berkeley, I\’ll know what not to rent. And thank god the rents in Pittsburgh means that I will always have my own room. And I love the fact that everybody needs broadband Internet there where some Berkeley people were willing to deal with dial-up.
Best of luck to you finding housing for the school year. I\’m going to make another trip down to LA this coming weekend and finalize it by then. It is really difficult to decide when you should start the lease. On one hand, you don\’t want to pay rent for a summer you\’re not there, yet you want to secure your housing situation as earlier as possible. Then on the other, if you wait \’til closer to the beginning of school, something might open up, but it\’s a gamble. Even the managers I\’ve talked to said it\’s hard to advice people on that.
Damn it, I realize there are a bunch of syntax errors in that comment. Ah well, it\’s too early for me.
Good luck with finding housing in Pittsburgh! I\’ve always wanted to go there, but just haven\’t. I hope you\’ll love it there. :)
Wohooo they have like the best gay pride stuff ever. Invite me over next June :)
I think having dealt with the Berkeley housing situation makes one super paranoid about securing housing!! Good luck finding a place to live. I\’d personally recommend young professionals or pitsburg alums =)
how did you know about pittsburgh, yvonne? :)