Its Been A While...

     Its been a while since I wrote, so consequently, there are a lot of updates. I realize my last blog was when I was just moved in three days and wow have things changed! Including myself! Where to start.....
     Picking up where I left off, I shall begin with the start of school. The first day, I was insanely nervous and thoughts were racing around my head as to all the horrible things that could go wrong of course. Thankfully, my roommate and neighbor Chris ( I'll get to him later) had class at the same time in the morning as I did. We all walked to class together which helped my anxiety because I was among friends my first day of school. Now, remember that I said I had come from a Community college?? Yeah, well it didn't prepare me at all for what I was about to experience. The college was like a small city with cars whizzing by on every street and people walking briskly up and down sidewalks all  carrying the same determined look yearning to get to their destination. Never before had I felt so small or so insignificant compared to the world around me.
     The first class of the day was General Chemistry I with roughly 150 other students besides myself and I was scared to say the least. Awaiting for the class in the lecture hall before mine to release I took in all of my surroundings and made notes of things I may need to know later. Finally, the class let out and who else do I see but my infamous ex-boyfriend. Just the sight of him made my stomach turn in disgust... what a way to start the day right? As the day went on, I was delighted to see many of my friends from home which made the day oh so much more bearable.  Over the course of the next few days I gradually began to become accustomed to my new school as well as apartment living and began to enjoy my time away from home.
     Also, during this time of overcoming my many fears, I began to become a socialite of sorts. I had game night at my apartment frequently and went to the BCM (Baptist College Ministry) and enjoyed having friends again that I had lost over the summer for various reasons. The gym became a frequent place for me to go as well because it was so close and my neighbor Chris was really fun to go with. I started bonding with Chris and thinking he didn't know Christ, had made him my project of sorts to show him God's love and mercy and encourage him to become a Christian. ( I later found he already was) I would have to say that this chapter in my life was certainly one of my happiest.
     Now fast forward to today... Chris and I have since then fallen in love and I've really gotten used to living on my own and going to college. Life still has its problems no doubt but overall I can't complain. God has blessed me in so many ways and I could not possibly count them all.
   
   
     

The days after...

Been moved in for 3 days now and its nice to see that all my preparation paid off! It made moving so much easier, so, my tip is to "be prepared" when moving out. Went shopping for the groceries for the first initial "set up" as well which totaled $200... yikes! but keep in mind this was the set up bill, I expect the next few grocery bills to be significantly less. (or at least I hope they are) 

     As far as living in the city.... I'm still getting used to it. Being a country girl has made the transition difficult indeed! There are sirens, car horns, people yelling across the street, and noisy neighbors at all hours of the night. I've heard though that by simply buying a fan and trying to just sleep you'll get used to it though. (I'll let you know how it goes) Also, I've gotten to know my neighbors as well....they range from nice and sweet to downright weird! but that is to be expected I suppose..  Well, that's all I have for today!

Moving day!

So, moving day is finally here! I've learned a lot about setting up utilities, apartment setup, and dealing with a roommate in the past week. First of all, the electric that is not included in my rent I had to set up not at the electric company but the courthouse (who knew!) my tip for this is to find out first where to go from your landlord before driving around town like an idiot as I did. lol  Also, when you first move into an apartment know this, yes, they probably had a cleaning crew come in but they don't clean everything, mark down any flaws in the floors, walls, cabinetry, etc.. take pictures before moving in so you can show them to your landlord, and if you would like to install some kind of hardware, ask your landlord first because he may install it for you! Also, if your keys do not have a "do not copy" written on them ask to have the locks changed because anyone could have your keys. (creeeepy!) As for dealing with the roommate, just be honest with him/her about your expectations of them and their contributions you expect them to make, this will make your life and theirs much easier! Well, thats my two cents worth, hope it helps!

Budgeting

So, move in day is only 5 days from now and already I've had to start budgeting money.  Having only one person to feed a.k.a. myself, makes it easy to make living cheap. Yet, even the most frugal of living is still expensive.
     On my first grocery shopping excursion, I simply bought all my necessities. This included spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, garlic salt, lemon pepper, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder) that I found I use most frequently and the basics for every kitchen such as peanut butter, jelly, soup, flour, sugar, bread etc. Something to remember is that nutmeg is nutmeg and cinnamon is cinnamon. I say this meaning that though some brands look flashy compared to the "great value"  may seem better quality but, they are, in fact, the exact same thing and the flashy more expensive version is simply that, more expensive. To live in today's world of financial ups and downs it is necessary to save whenever possible, by simply saving a dollar or more by buying off-brand items you will ultimately end up saving thousands!  Another tip is to look at the unit price of each item. More than likely, the larger portion of an item will have a smaller unit price and thus save you money in the long run unless that is, that the item is a perishable item and will spoil before you use it all. Things like mayonnaise, peanut butter, coffee, and dry creamer you may find is cheaper to buy in bulk.  More to come after I move in!!

setting up the apartment amenities *sigh*

As the title of this post depicts.... this entry is regarding setting up all of the little things that go with living on your own. A very un-fun part of living alone but when its done, its done! After finally finding out the unit number for my apartment it was time for me to set up internet, phone, cable, water, and electric.  My advice for finding the right provider for you is to simply pull out the phone book and turn to the yellow pages! lol Also, if you have friends where you are moving, ask them who they go with and why... it may prove helpful in your search. Unfortunately for me, I had no such friends... So, after hours of calling around, I found the best plans for my roommate and I and started signing up! Another hint that may help you is to be sure and ask if there is a deposit or "start-up" fees as well as ask what the real price of the plan is after the initial "6 months" that so many companies try to reel you in with. Ultimately, I went with basic phone ($.10 a phone call) which you must have in order to get internet and opted for high speed internet since I like to watch movies and so does my roommate on Netflix. The deposit was $100 and the monthly payment  after the initial 6 months is roughly $50. Also, a wireless modem came with installation which was free as well. As for T.V., my apartment came with basic cable which, being a college student was more than enough. For any desires for a movie or to watch a TV show I always have Hulu or my Netflix account ($15 compared to the $40 for decent cable). For water, the water was included in the rent as well which was nice (something to think about when buying an apartment). As far as the electric is concerned, well, there's really no choice on providers for that one...you either pay or you don't get electric; pretty simple concept.  Overall cost per occupant for the first month of rent and amenities including deposits etc: $316. And that's not even including food!  

Getting ready to move...

     Move in day is only 2 weeks away and I'm crazy nervous! Its a really small apartment that's 2 bedroom and 1 bath which I share with my roommate Susan. Thanks to my eccentric aunt, super excited mother and always prepared grandma, I haven't had to buy a thing to furnish it lol. For all of you getting ready to move out on your own as well, here are some things you may not realize you need... I know I sure didn't!

• Ironing Board and Iron
• Toilet plunger and cleaner
• setting up internet/phone
• coat rack
• extension cords (for those oddly placed items)
• flashlights/candles for blackouts
• shower curtain
• cleaning supplies
• hand towels

These are just a few that I found I had never thought about. Hope it helps you get ready for moving away! Coming soon... cheap recipes that are filling!

My first Blog. Get to know me!

Hi, my name is Sarah and this is my first blog! First, here's a little information to start us off with...
I live in a small town where I've grown up in since I was ten. My family and I moved from California when I was 10 to the South which is really all I know. After one year at a local community college I'm now moving out into the wide unknown world of University life and I'm scared but excited at the same time! This blog will chronicle my journey as I move in 2 weeks from my home to the University that I have chosen and on into university life's successes, failures, questions, and new experiences! I hope you enjoy!