Top 10(ish) Things You Should Know About Moving to NC State and Raleigh

When I was asked to write this post, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to say. The idea is that since I am not from North Carolina, I could give a different viewpoint to how NC State is and what it’s like to live in Raleigh. I didn’t really know how best to do it, so here’s the best thing I could come up with: a list! Maybe not the best Top 10 list ever, but it’ll give you an idea about what it’s like to move 500 miles from home and take a chance. So here we go.

Top 10(ish) Things You Should Know About Moving to NC State and Raleigh

(in no particular order)

1. Don’t be afraid to just go driving around Raleigh to explore. If you get lost, don’t worry. Raleigh is very U-turn friendly.
2. Go to the library. Even if you don’t need to study. They have great ice cream. Yes, I said the library has ice cream.
3. The two printers in the office never work at the same time, but the big copier across the hall is magical.
4. When you come to Raleigh, go eat at a Cookout (it’s a restaurant chain). You can thank me later.
5. Everyone here also loves a place called Bojangles. I’m still investigating that one.
6. Raleigh is a geographically diverse area. If you want the big city, downtown feel, it’s there. If you don’t and you prefer a more rural area, that is here too.
7. Raleigh is in the south, therefore snow and ice will close everything.
8. NC State is made of bricks (even the sidewalks) which get very slick when wet or icy. Good shoes are a must.
9. Get used to a big family. The best thing about moving out to Raleigh has been how welcoming everyone (professors, other grad students, secretaries, etc.) has been to an “outsider.”
10. Also get used to sharing an office with 4-9 people. Some days it may seem overwhelming, but very quickly the few times when the office is actually quiet, it’ll feel really odd.
11. Take advantage of the opportunities you have while you’re here. Present something during the graduate seminar, write an article for Ag Ed Magazine, apply to be a conference presenter, etc. Not everything has to be 100% classes and research.
12. Get to know all of the AEE faculty. You’ll eventually have to pick 3-4 professors to serve on your thesis committee so it helps if you know them and what their interests/backgrounds are.

Like I said at the top, I know this is not the most creative post, but hopefully it’ll be helpful to people coming in from out of North Carolina. It was a difficult decision for me to move 500+ miles from my home area in Middle Tennessee, but it has turned out to to be one of the better decisions I have made. The people here are genuinely amazing and helpful. If I was to give advice on here for anything, I would simply say this: if you are thinking about coming to NC State (or anywhere else) try to make at least one visit. That way you can experience the town first hand, meet the professors, and some of us if we are around, and then better be able to decide if this is the place for you. I was blown away when I came out last March and to be honest, I still have that same feeling a lot of times. I know this is the perfect fit for me and hopefully it’ll be a good fit for others too!

Michael Coley