It's Coming on June (Fees)

Top questions I'm getting asked these days and my subsequent responses:

Q: Are you excited to (pick one)

• move to New York???
• start your program at Columbia???

A: Yes, I'm very excited!

Q: When are you moving/when is your last day at work???
A: August 18th/15th, respectively.

Q: What classes are you going to take?
A: Registration is in August, so I'm not sure yet. 

Q: Where are you going to live???
A: I'm not sure. I'm going to the city the beginning of July to find somewhere to live.

It's coming on June and shit's getting real. Yep, I said that because a pseudo-swear, or "faux-swear" if you will, just won't cut it.

In about a month I'm flying to New York City to find somewhere to live and (probably) spend all of my savings on "move-in costs". First + last + security deposit equal to one months' rent = what I'm planning on writing a check to cover. Not to mention the fees: application fees, credit check fees, move-in fees, move-out fees (what? I just want to move in!), answering phone call fees, replying to email fees, "setting up an appointment to view the apartment" fees, Knicks and Jets sorta suck recently fees, 4 rats per every 1 person fees, 'The Rent is Too Damn High' party fees, pigeons in Central Park fees, and Jay Z's down in TriBeCa now fees.

I better get used to it. I'm choosing to move there.

I've scheduled one last appointment with all my doctors between now and the end of July just to make sure everything is shipshape before I ship out. I hope they can recommend their New York counterparts, otherwise I've got some doctor research to do.

The emails I'm getting from Columbia are beginning to be more frequent. I took care of my immunization records, completed all my student loan application pieces, submitted emergency contact and next-of-kin information. I'm slowly checking things off of the "New Student Checklist".

All the things that can come together at this point have and are. I'm grateful, because I know the five weeks in between getting back from my house hunting expedition and packing up my dad's SUV and making the 32 hour, 2,175 mile drive from Salt Lake to New York City are going to be nuts.

At this point I'm most worried about finding an apartment I can afford in a neighborhood where I won't get murdered. Thanks to The Mindy Project I am becoming more suspicious/afraid of serial killers (if you watch it, you get this). I've never felt unsafe in NYC, but I've never been above West 116th.

In that same housing vein, I'm afraid I won't be able to find a place to live without using a broker. But I don't really want to pay the equivalent of 15% of my annual rent for someone to show me apartments for a few days. 

E.G.: $2,000 x 12 x .15 = $3,600

No.

In conjunction with money, I'm also pretty worried that I won't have enough of it. I've expressed concern over this previously, but typing out that imaginary broker fee number really gave me heart palpitations.

[I'm baking again this summer, in an effort to earn some extra money for grad school, so if you live in my general Northern Utah area and need something baked, give me a holler. I can probably bake it for you. I'm practically a professional at this point.] 

In three months' time I'll be in the middle of my Columbia orientation week. A Utah transplant in the Concrete Jungle. Yep, shit's getting real.

"'New York's charm is you're surrounded by things you can't have.'
[shakes head no] 'New York's charm is it makes you believe you can have them.'"
[That Awkward Moment] (that quote was honestly the best part of the whole movie)

Love, Sarah