We are trying to figure out what our next step is. We need to do so relatively fast. We need to start looking for housing, jobs. I need to pick a state to get licensed in so I can take my boards. We need to start thinking about plane tickets since my sister is getting hitched in 3 months. What do you think we should do?
Here's the run down.
Zack was going to start grad school this fall, meaning that we would've known where we were headed right about now. Due to a complicated mishap which I will not go into on here, he needs to postpone starting grad school until January. Our lease ends at the end of May, after which we will have 6 or 7 months until we will be moving on to another place for grad school (or staying here for grad school, as the case may be).
We can't decide what to do with that time.
Here are the options.
#1- Stay put. We would have to find another apartment of course, but we would just stay in Philly while Zack figures out grad school stuff. The pros: Zack already has a job here, it is in the field he wants to work in, and even if he wanted to find another job, he would have some connections. We like Philly. We know the area. Cons: There's no secret that the nursing job market in Philly sucks right now. When I went to a career inservice at school the other week, they told us to move if we can. That's not to say that I can't find a job. Just that it might take quite a while, which isn't really sensible since we don't really have a long while. We can't live on Zack's income alone. Rent is expensive here. We have been relying on the generosity of parents and student loans to date, but the time for that has ended. If I don't find that job pretty speedily, we could be in big trouble fast. Other considerations: Zack may choose to go to grad school here, so even if we chose to leave, we might end up coming right back in a few months. On the other hand, the grad school here does have an exclusively online option, meaning he could complete the program from anywhere. I don't think that's his preference, but it's possible.
#2- A hiatus in Utah. The pros: We would get to spend some time with our families. We would not have to fly to Utah twice this summer for my siblings to get married. We could live with either of our parents for free. The cons: We would not be staying in Utah for any substantial amount of time, no matter how you slice it. There is no grad school program there. If we pick this option, we will be moving to Utah and then moving away again near the end of the year. We have to move no matter where we go (since our lease is ending) but it costs a lot more to move across the country than it does to move across the city. Neither of us has a job there. We could hopefully get one, but Zack's might not be in the field he wants to work in, and I don't know really know what the job market in Utah is like for nurses right now. Other considerations: Zack doesn't love the idea of living with parents (although we love our parents dearly).
#3- We are young and free. We could pick a city that is one of our top choices for grad school (Austin is the city we're thinking about right now) and just take a gamble. We would move there, not yet knowing if Zack is accepted to the grad school. Pros: How fun would that be? This is really the only time in life that we could get away with a thing like this. Before too long (but not too soon either), there will be children and other life responsibilities mixed into all this, and an option like this would just be unrealistic. We would get a change of scene. It is cheaper to live in Austin than it is here. I hear things are much better there in terms of the nursing job market than here. Even just looking online, I have found many more opportunities there than here. Oh, and it's warm there (82 right now... only about 58 here and in Utah). The cons: Again, we don't already have jobs. Although I feel more optimistic about finding one there than here, I don't know that it'll happen instantly. As with Utah, Zack may have some difficulty finding something in his field of choice. We might end up there with both of us jobless. In the Utah scenario, that'd suck but it wouldn't kill us for a short time since we could mooch off our parents. In this scenario, we'd be high and dry. It is expensive to move. We don't know if Zack will get into the school. If he does not get in, or chooses to go somewhere else for school, we would have to move again (just like the Utah scenario). Other considerations: Even if Zack did not get into UT Austin, the option still remains for us to stay there (aka not move again) and he could do the online program. Neither of us have been to Austin. Maybe we'd hate it.
Some final thoughts: It is still 2 1/2 months until the move. If we picked a place now (and we need to really soon here), we could be looking for jobs in that time and hopefully have something lined up by the time we move.
Even though Utah and Texas would involve long/expensive moves, the cost of those moves would ultimately be offset by the potential lower cost of living (free rent with the parents, cheaper rent than Philly by a couple hundred dollars in Austin)
I know that no one can decide for us, but I am interested in what others think. I will be bored by those "any of them sound good" kind of answers. Gimme something I can work with people. We're looking for some outside perspective.
12 comments:
Hey Shanae!
I hate when graduations/job/life doesn't line up and you are left up in the air for a few months. I wish you and Zack lots of luck in your decision.
My personal feelings (based on the info in your blog) is start applying for jobs at all three locations and see if something doesn't end up falling into your lap that makes one move/nonmove a better option.
My gut instinct would be Utah but only because I like the idea of having family to fall back on if nothing else works out. That said, David and I lived with my parents for about a month between undergrad and grad school and have decided if such a situation arose again, we'd live in our car ;) It wasn't really that bad but it can be difficult to live with family after being on your own for so long.
But on the plus side you would save on the double airfares for the wedding which would offset the cost of the moves, even if you just had to head right back to Philly.
I would be freaked out to just move somewhere (like Austin) without jobs lined up but if you could find something there (and from what I've heard, the job market there is pretty good, even considering the economy), it could be pretty cool to just go try a city and see how you like it. And then if Zack gets accepted there and you HATE Austin, you could choose another school for grad school. ;)
I would try to see what opportunities are out there and start to see if one option is sounding better to you than the other ones. Best of luck!
Excuse me! WHERE is Seattle on this list?! :)
Anyway, in seriousness, I think Austin sounds like the best solution. That seems like the city where you both have the best opportunities available. You like the climate, it's cheap, so the threat of unemployment there isn't quite so high as it is in Philly. Plus, if you take your boards for Texas, then you're set to go, and can start applying.
Is it not an option to apply for jobs in multiple cities right now, explaining that you are about to take your boards? If you both did that, the stars might just align, and you could find something that would work for both of you.
But seriously..... Seattle.....
Haha how funny. Asking for advice. . . . I saw the link on fb.
I would stay in Philly. The long term benefits are much greater of Zack continuing to gain relevant experience in his field is big. Two big moves, the online grad school, the unknowns of the other options make them seem untenable. I don't think it makes sense to go very far until you know where grad school is going to be located. Moving with parents would be the second choice. In which case, I would go for a storage option for most of the belongings until you knew where you were headed.
Good Luck.
None of them are too bad, really, having been in a somewhat similar situation. Living with parents, while isn't the nicest option, isn't so bad when you don't have kids, and it wouldn't be a huge amount of time, if you want to hear more on living with parents ask me at church. I agree with Talina about applying to jobs everywhere. Also, if you go back to UT, storing things here would be a wiser decision since you would be spending a lot more to move it twice. Austin is REALLY hard to get bored in and last time I was there, there was lots of free stuff. Also, there's San Antonio only a little ways away, which has tons more stuff, like my favorite water park ever! But that's neither here nor there. Work out what you think is the best option and pray about it. He'll know what the best thing to do about it is :) We'll miss you if you go though :)
Wow...tough decision. My vote is pray about it and do whatever God thinks. That's how we ended up in Philly in the first place. My other (and more selfish advice) is to stay in Philly. And, hey! The apartment next door to me is for rent. 2 bed, 1 bath, 15 min to center city on the R6 (which is right down the street), Shopright at the other end of the street, and next door to me for $875/month. Great, SAFE neighborhood and great ward. Could it be more perfect?
Hi ShaNae! Have you ever considered travel nursing? I'm not sure how your license would come into play but you could look into it. Companies usually compensate for moving expenses as well as housing, often offering sign-on bonuses as well. My sister did this in Florida, California, and Nevada. She did three month contracts and in some cases renewed them. It might be a nice short-term solution. I will say that in some places she felt like she was worked harder than her union counterparts. Also, I have obtained licensure outside Utah (my original issuing state) and it's really not a big deal: a fee and some paper work then your done.
Beyond that, I can only empathize. Chris and I have been in similar situations many times and somehow things have worked out. Good luck :)
I say you are young you have no kids to think about at this time live it up! Go to Austin (housing is very reasonable in Texas) once you are licensed it is easy to get another in a new state (proof of hours and/or continuing ed if you haven't been working and a small fee) flights from Texas to Utah are resonable the drive isn't all that bad either. That is what I as the outsider looking in would do.
Adrienne
Just saw Annalee's comment. I happen to know that in Jackson Wy they pay traveling nurses very well ($80/hour) and provide housing for you. You won't need to get a Wy license if you have a Utah or Idaho one.
Adrienne
i really think it is quite a simple decision. stay in philly. :)
Come live in Utah! I miss my big sister.
I think it is obvious. Move to HI. This may be your only chance.
yfac
Just FYI, Texas and Florida are the only states I know of that require separate (big) licensure fees for nursing that are not transferrable to other states. You might want to call Texas' board of nursing and ask about their fees.
I vote for Utah as a first choice with Philly as second.
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