# Going... going... GRAD SCHOOL **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281 "2002-08-17T02:28:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281/1 "2002-08-17T02:28:51Z")
**I DID IT!!** I threw all my belonings into a 10ft rental truck, drove some 1600 miles (Austin, TX to Glendale, CA) and survived to tell the tale! Not only that, I did it in 3 days and within my budget. WOO-HOO!! I left Austin as of July 21st, some two day earlier than planned. It turns out the friend I’m staying with would be out of town when I arrived, so I moved things up to the 21st instead of the 24th. I drove across west Texas and it was a grand journey. The A/C kept the desert heat at bay and I had a chance to see some majestic scenery. Including dust devils. Weird little tornado-like storms that come and go quickly. They look like a small fire burning, when seen from a distance, but then you notice they’re scooting along the ground and, if they’re close enough, you can see the swirling dust. Marvelous. I lost count after spotting some 15 of them. Be warned, by the way, that weird smell you get on I-10 as you pass into New Mexico is from being downwind of several VERY LARGE dairy farms! _stinko_ The first night, I got as far as “Truth or Consequences” New Mexico. I spent the night in some little cheap motel, the _Rio Grande_. I was happy to pull over. Thunderstorms were threatening and driving thru the mountains at night in a storm wasn’t my idea of fun. The next day took me to Alburqueque where I spent the day with an old friend from my days on IRC, back when I was in college. He showed me the sites and introduced me to a great dim-sum restaurant. _yum-yum_ Wednesday, I started out later than I wanted, but missed the downtown traffic of Alburqueque. I wasn’t sure how far I’d get, but decided that when I got to Needles, CA, I’d call the friend I’d be staying with and let him know my plans. I made good time across the rest of New Mexico. It was fantastic to cross the Rockies going up, up, up, even tho you don’t really feel it. I crossed the Continental Divide around 1 PM (up at some 7000 ft) and started the slow decent into the deserts of Arizona. It was quick traveling across Arizona with only country music on the radio and more dust devils to break up the scenery. I didn’t have the time or money to stop off and see the sites, so both the Grand Canyon and Boulder Damn were missed. _sigh_ By night fall, I made it into California but unbeknowst to me, I was passing into hostile territory. Crazed bandits, disguised as California State patrolmen, pull my truck over and checked over my belongings. They were searching for “fire ants” or so they claimed! They made me open up the back and “haha” asked if I was bringing in an illegal aliens. Worst of all, they confistcated my beloved avocado plant! _whine_ _whimper_ Again, they made the excuse of saying they’re checking for fire ants and nematode worms. _sigh_ I never saw my poor little plant again as those bandits took to the hills! ☹ The sun was just going down when I called my friend from Needles. I ate a quick dinner and then decided to make a run for it. So, driving thru the darkness, I made my way along I-40, then to I-15 and eventually into Glendale, California. And here I am. Now the bad news. I’m here for graduate school. I’m all signed up for classes and getting my living arrangements and other details worked out. But with school, especially graduate school, I’ll have even less time to spend online, reading _The Straight Dope_, especially. So, sadly I must go back to lurker status, or worse, not even read at all! I’ll try to make a few appearances here and there, but my new career calls (I’m in the Anthropology dept and will be studying religious and magical practices of NeoPaganism). It’s been real, it’s been fun and it’s real fun! ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281/2 "2002-08-17T03:01:17Z")
> [@](#): > > so both the Grand Canyon and Boulder Damn were missed. _sigh_ Dam. And sorry to hear you won’t be posting so much. You will have time for other online activities, right? _kittenish pose_ ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281/3 "2002-08-17T11:50:15Z")
There’s no reason why grad school should cut into your SDMB OR drinking activites. Trust me. With no friends you’ll have a lot more time with the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281/4 "2002-08-18T18:17:49Z")
\*\*Matt\_mcl wrote: And sorry to hear you won’t be posting so much. You will have time for other online activities, right? _kittenish pose_\*\* For you, dear sweet boy, any time! \*\*capybara wrote: There’s no reason why grad school should cut into your SDMB OR drinking activites. Trust me. With no friends you’ll have a lot more time with the computer.\*\* There’s the problem. In grad school, I’ll be spending most of my time reading and trying to cram into my brain everything I need to know to write my eventual Master’s thesis. While I love reading and posting to _The Dope_, that means I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing (being a student). _sigh_ I’ll try to make time, but I won’t be posting nearly as frequently as I used to. Hell, I’ve not been posting at all for the past two months. At the end of May, I left the house I’d been renting with my partner (now Ex) for the past 2 years. I’ve been living out of a suitcase since then, first with friends in Austin, now with a friend in Glendale. I’m looking for a place near Northridge Uni. Hopefully I can afford one on my own. I’m getting a part time job bus driving with LACMTA (crosses fingers). More details as they occur! ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281/5 "2002-08-18T19:08:40Z")
Well, **Freyr** , you _could_ combine your academic efforts with participation on the board by becoming our resident researcher on NeoPaganism. Good luck with it all, pal. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-going-grad-school/124281/6 "2002-08-19T00:00:53Z")
Congrats on the move and good luck with school! I made my move for grad school two weeks ago yesterday (University of Tennessee, School of information sciences), and my classes start this Wednesday. I had my orientations this last Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and tomorrow I go to campus to purchase my books (that is, after I see if I can switch one of my classes!). Best of luck to you and congrats on the move!