Home Sweet Home

So that’s the very short version of my husband’s application process and acceptance. In reality, it seemed to drag on for an eternity. However, if you’re going through this whole hellish process now, for better or for worse, it will end. The day will soon come when you have your LIFE back! If only for a little while….;).

The months after Cam was accepted were actually some of the best we had in Boston. It was sad knowing we were going to leave, but we really stepped it up and tried to have a good time while we were there. Plus, how can it not be fun to decide on your last day of work (!!) and schedule your big pre-business school vacation (a MUST, by the way, and Yellowstone/Grand Tetons for us)? Of course, it was stressful, as well. I had to start looking for a new job, and we had to find an apartment.

The business of where to live is a major issue when you’re about to attend business school, but Booth has its own set of challenges. Unlike most schools that either have a campus downtown or are just in a smaller town, Booth is about 15 minutes from downtown Chicago. People tend to live all over, but most live in the Loop. Because we had lived in downtown Boston for 5 years, we really felt that we needed to visit and see the areas for ourselves. While we were definitely open to living outside the city center, we were also nervous about a possible move to the ‘burbs.

Now, our 475 square foot apartment in Boston cost a small fortune, but Cam was working while we lived there! Now that we were going to be living on my English major salary (which, incidentally, was ZERO until I actually found a job), we wanted to greatly reduce the amount we were going to pay in rent. That basically meant Hyde Park, Lincoln Park or maybe South Loop. We decided on a price point, researched, looked for places that accepted pets (I was dying for a puppy – more on that later), checked out parking options, and visited. Ultimately, the place that fit the bill for us was Hyde Park. With its Allston/Brighton feel and close proximity to the city, it just made sense for us.

Business school, here we come!