writerlookingforwriteansw
January 6th, 2009, 10:15 PM
K. I am an award-winning journalist with 20 -- yikes -- years of experience. I plan to apply to, and hopefully get admitted into, the Master of Fine Arts program at Columbia University. I think the best housing would be student housing, like at maybe the International House. However, I have a dog, a pug. So I don't think that's an option. I'll work to get scholarships and financial aid, plus I plan to get a full-time job in PR or whatever with my journalism experience with a salary of $45,000 and benefits because at 40 I need health insurance. I'm not dumb nor naive, but I do know that NYC, even though I've been there three times for fun and several times for seminars/workshops for work when I worked/lived in Dallas for a NYC-based company, isn't an easy city to navigate. I'm looking for BRUTALLY HONEST advice on ...
1. Where to live. Should I opt for CU student housing or find an apartment?
2. Is $45K before taxes are taken out enough to live on if I have financial aid/scholarships/savings to pay for grad school?
3. How can you connect with people in a safe way in such a big city?
4. Tips for personal safety considering I'd be a single woman in NYC. Where NOT to go for sure and when.
5. Which is best, bus or subway, to get to places?
6. Logistical question: How/where do I get groceries/supplies. Considering I'll be walking a lot, I don't want to schlep bottled water for blocks and blocks. Is delivery an option for heavier items?
7. Should I sell my furniture and just move stuff like dishes/computer/personal effects and then buy furniture there where it can be delivered and where I'll know what will fit?
8. I'm a Christian and want to go to a Christian church. But in addition I am really drawn to learning more about the Jewish culture, since Jesus was Jewish. I don't like the idea of the Jews for Jesus type of organizations, but don't know if a Christian going to temple would be kosher, so to speak.
9. What are the best, as in brutal honesty, web sites/books/movies that portray the REAL NYC?
10. How to find a good doctor. In Dallas, it was a crap shoot because the city was so huge you didn't know if the person was a quack or not. In smaller towns, which I grew up in and live in now, word gets around quickly about who's an idiot.
Thanks, folks!
1. Where to live. Should I opt for CU student housing or find an apartment?
2. Is $45K before taxes are taken out enough to live on if I have financial aid/scholarships/savings to pay for grad school?
3. How can you connect with people in a safe way in such a big city?
4. Tips for personal safety considering I'd be a single woman in NYC. Where NOT to go for sure and when.
5. Which is best, bus or subway, to get to places?
6. Logistical question: How/where do I get groceries/supplies. Considering I'll be walking a lot, I don't want to schlep bottled water for blocks and blocks. Is delivery an option for heavier items?
7. Should I sell my furniture and just move stuff like dishes/computer/personal effects and then buy furniture there where it can be delivered and where I'll know what will fit?
8. I'm a Christian and want to go to a Christian church. But in addition I am really drawn to learning more about the Jewish culture, since Jesus was Jewish. I don't like the idea of the Jews for Jesus type of organizations, but don't know if a Christian going to temple would be kosher, so to speak.
9. What are the best, as in brutal honesty, web sites/books/movies that portray the REAL NYC?
10. How to find a good doctor. In Dallas, it was a crap shoot because the city was so huge you didn't know if the person was a quack or not. In smaller towns, which I grew up in and live in now, word gets around quickly about who's an idiot.
Thanks, folks!