Staying Warm in Boston

Upon making the trek up from sunny, warm Atlanta to Boston, my initial reaction was...this place is cold. It was March, and I expected a nice breeze coming off the ocean, but not the 30 degree weather that I was experiencing. I was asked several times if my winter coat was the one I was wearing and was disappointed when I was told I'd need much more to get me through the brisk Bostonian winters. I loved Emerson, but how was I going to love living in Boston?

In May, I finally made the decision to enroll in Emerson. My first concern was finding a place to live, and Emerson was great about sending out information about off-campus housing for graduate students. I decided to prioritize what was important to me in a living situation, and I set out on my search! I had three requirements for a place to live or my ABCs to living in Boston as a graduate student:

Affordable
By the T
Calm and Cozy

Affordable because, well, I am a poor graduate student.
By the T because I wanted to sell my car. Boston is a great walking-city and has great public transportation.
Calm and cozy because I like to be a homebody, and also because I knew that grad school would require more concentration than undergrad.

Perhaps your ABCs to living in Boston are not quite the same, but the important part is that you decide what you need/want in a living situation and go with it! I spent a month looking over prospective living situations before I settled on my apartment in Brookline which I love. I'm five minutes from the T and I have a quiet and courteous roommate. I know there are several ways about finding roommates, but Emerson has a great housing workshop held in the summer that is helpful. I also recommend using Craigslist and the Emerson tack board where students can post available housing.

Boston has something for everyone when it comes to neighborhoods--Somerville, Brighton, Back Bay, Brookline, Jamaica Plain. They all have something unique to offer. I suggest you look into the neighborhoods online or talk to people. One area is bound to draw your interest. A few of my classmates live in Davis Square where they are within walking distance to great bars, restaurants, and places to hang out. I live moments away from Coolidge Corner which is a great place for a college student. There is a Panera where I can go and do homework, a great local bookstore, and a Trader Joe's. Most importantly, I have an apartment where I can relax after class with my dog and some good television. This is how I stay warm is a city that can often be very cold.