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I'm still investigating living outside of New Brunswick, and someone (a realtor, so he is biased) told me Somerville would be good. It's small, but according to him there is local life, a nice downtown area, not strip-mall oriented, and there seems to be cute apartments there.
What do you guys really think? I'm used to living in big cities, so it might be a shock. But I can't drive around and visit yet (I live in Philadelphia), so I'm trying to see what people think here.
Honestly I'd just live in New Brunswick. Why drive further than you have to? Depending what your studies entail I assume you'll be spending a lot of time on campus. If you really don't want to live in New Brunswick then Somerville is a nice, quieter city to live in.
What do we think about a total stranger on the internet that we know got into Rutgers and lives in Philadelphia moving to Somerville when they haven't even looked at it yet?
Well, I think you might think it's too small unless you think it's too large, but it might be just right for what you're looking for. It's going to be the right commuting distance unless it ends up being too far away, and the apartments are going to be the perfect amount of cute unless you think they're too expensive or too twee or too gritty. It's not my kind of place, but then I'm not you at all. Do you like local life or will the local bars feel unfriendly to college students? Is it cute or too hipstery? Is this realtor a good friend who's known you for ten years or someone you called out of the blue?
I'm coming off as sarcastic, but you should really figure out and verbalize what you're looking for in a place or what your budget might be or, frankly, just go visit it and have a look. Because that's going to to get you the best response you're looking for, as it's entirely subjective.
Honestly I'd just live in New Brunswick. Why drive further than you have to? Depending what your studies entail I assume you'll be spending a lot of time on campus. If you really don't want to live in New Brunswick then Somerville is a nice, quieter city to live in.
Thanks. I've read some people saying it was too undergrad-y in NB, which is why I'm worried. I also thought outside NB was more interesting budget wise.
What do we think about a total stranger on the internet that we know got into Rutgers and lives in Philadelphia moving to Somerville when they haven't even looked at it yet?
Well, I think you might think it's too small unless you think it's too large, but it might be just right for what you're looking for. It's going to be the right commuting distance unless it ends up being too far away, and the apartments are going to be the perfect amount of cute unless you think they're too expensive or too twee or too gritty. It's not my kind of place, but then I'm not you at all. Do you like local life or will the local bars feel unfriendly to college students? Is it cute or too hipstery? Is this realtor a good friend who's known you for ten years or someone you called out of the blue?
I'm coming off as sarcastic, but you should really figure out and verbalize what you're looking for in a place or what your budget might be or, frankly, just go visit it and have a look. Because that's going to to get you the best response you're looking for, as it's entirely subjective.
Yeah I lived in Highland Park during my grad student years. It has a little Main Street area with the basics: grocery, pharmacy, coffee, convenience stores, liquor, a few restaurants. The apartment stock was a mix of apartment buildings and older houses where you could rent a floor of the house with a few others or a room. HP had a nice “community feel” and a lot of grad students, faculty, etc., were there, along with families, professionals, elderly, etc. I could walk or bike across the bridge to classes on the College Ave campus.
Somerville is a fine town. It has a larger Main Street than Highland Park, but I’m not sure it’s enough to make the commute worthwhile. Also, you’d be more removed from student life. Grad school is much different from the undergrad experience, but being around (or even living with) other grad students can make the experience more enjoyable and help reduce any culture shock you’re worried about.
Parts of New Brunswick are undergraddy, but if you have a healthy budget there are some very nice apartments downtown where you’d be with more young professionals and empty nester adults.
Yeah I lived in Highland Park during my grad student years. It has a little Main Street area with the basics: grocery, pharmacy, coffee, convenience stores, liquor, a few restaurants. The apartment stock was a mix of apartment buildings and older houses where you could rent a floor of the house with a few others or a room. HP had a nice “community feel” and a lot of grad students, faculty, etc., were there, along with families, professionals, elderly, etc. I could walk or bike across the bridge to classes on the College Ave campus.
Somerville is a fine town. It has a larger Main Street than Highland Park, but I’m not sure it’s enough to make the commute worthwhile. Also, you’d be more removed from student life. Grad school is much different from the undergrad experience, but being around (or even living with) other grad students can make the experience more enjoyable and help reduce any culture shock you’re worried about.
Parts of New Brunswick are undergraddy, but if you have a healthy budget there are some very nice apartments downtown where you’d be with more young professionals and empty nester adults.
Edit: And congrats on your admission to RU!
Thank you so much! I am psyched (albeit nervous) to start my PhD.
Are there then also local businesses and farmers' markets? It sounds like the crowd there would encourage those activities. I know I have to visit, but I'm caught up in my master's right now in Philadelphia so not much time to sniff around and I don't have a car. I'm planning ahead because I want to make sure I figure stuff out different areas to visit before I'm in the stress of intense apartment hunting.
What would you call a healthy budget to live in that kind of area in NB? What would be one to live in HP in a solo 1-bedroom?
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