The most common response I received when I’d tell people I was planning a cross-country move from Connecticut (CT) to SoCal was a concerned smile and supportive, “good luck!” An entirely valid response, the challenge of a cross-country move is certainly daunting, but myself and every out-of-state student before me are living proof that it’s possible, and you can do it too!! It was admittedly quite overwhelming with all the logistics to consider, the labor of packing up your life and trekking across the country, and the nerves that come with settling into a new home in a different state. I hope knowing that myself and plenty of folks at MBKU have made it through the other side can put your mind a bit more at ease, and I think all of us would agree that the journey was all worth it in the end. I’ve listed my timeline along with some tips for your consideration as you plan your own big move to SoCal, but keep your own needs in mind to personalize your plans!
Also, I’d like to give a special shoutout to my incredible peer advisor, Caitlyn Kadooka, and MBKU Admission’s very own Tom Rainey for sharing their out-of-state tips with me at the start of my first year! It is an honor to pass along some of their wisdom here haha.
My Timeline:
- September 2024: interview and acceptance, yippee!!
- For moving, I mostly worked out big picture logistics, like my overall moving timeline and some details like figuring out how much time I needed to prepare, move, and settle in versus how many weeks worth of pay I was willing to miss out on.
- For the soul, visit some of your favorite hometown places before you move! My east coast friends were really sweet and took me on a “hometown bucket list” outing every month before I moved, and it was nice to have those memories to look back on whenever I felt homesick.
- May 2025: started looking for apartments, went through MBKU’s out-of-state student resources, and took care of final health appointments
- MBKU's out-of-state resources:
- MBKU Admissions workshop: I attended the admissions team’s “Things You Should Know Before Attending Grad School Far From Home” workshop, and it was really helpful not only to hear Tom and current students’ moving experiences and tips, but also to feel comforted meeting folks who have successfully made it through a big move. The workshop made me feel less alone and more excited for the move.
- Admissions Resource Guide Page: Admissions really went above and beyond for us out-of-state students :’] I found their directory of resources super helpful. It contains links to a collection of out-of-state peer advisor blog posts, financial considerations relevant to out-of-state students, and more. Here’s the link: https://www.ketchum.edu/optometry/admissions/out-stateapplicants
- WICHE Scholarships: If you’re from Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, or Wyoming, you might qualify for a pretty sizable scholarship via the WICHE program. Definitely worth looking into if you’re from one of these states! Here’s their website for more info: https://www.wiche.edu/tuition-savings/psep/
- Doctor appointments: I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to travel back to my hometown and see my healthcare providers again, and I knew I’d be aging out of my parents’ insurance during my first year, so I scheduled all my health appointments before leaving. Plus, your future self will be so thankful if you’re proactive in taking care of the Complio health requirements (like TB testing and vaccine series) in your home state where it may be easier for you to navigate the healthcare system versus an entirely new state where you haven’t yet established care with any providers.
- Apartment hunting tips:
- Searching virtually:
- Between the day of my acceptance and my move-in date, it wasn’t feasible for me to fly out to SoCal again from CT and apartment hunt in-person. I relied on online listings and setting up video calls with landlords/leasing agents for virtual tours. I had the most luck with finding updated listings and responsive landlords on Zillow, but it’s worth trying your hand at Apartments.com as well! I know some classmates also used FB marketplace, but I would advise against relying on marketplace as it may be harder to sift through scam listings.
- Reaching out to classmates:
- Usually, someone in your class will make a group chat where folks can look for rental opportunities posted by upperclassmen (which are a nice, safe bet since you can ask your peers about their experiences with the rental), or look for roommates. Keep an eye out for correspondence from your class, or don’t be afraid to get the ball rolling yourself!~
- Trust your gut:
- Thoroughly vet the listing before signing anything! Internet search the landlord/leasing entity, have someone stop by in-person if possible, and most importantly, TOUR THE PROPERTY either virtually or in-person! If something feels off, trust yourself, especially if you’re only able to apartment hunt virtually. Another opportunity will come, and you don’t want to add getting housing scammed to your plate while you’re already undertaking the stress of moving to a new state.
- Searching virtually:
- MBKU's out-of-state resources:
- Mid-June 2025: signed a lease, yippee! Now, time to plan a cross-country road trip.
- Planning your route:
- I opted for driving over flying, since I was traveling with my dog and felt safer transporting her via car. I would recommend taking as much time as you need to make the drive (I was frequently recommended pacing out the drive for 1 week). For me, however, my dog isn’t the biggest fan of the car, and I was lucky enough to be traveling with two drivers, so I wanted to minimize our time on the road and planned a 4-day trip. Here’s my travel route in case it’s helpful to reference:
- Southeastern CT To Columbus, OH (10.5hr drive)
- Columbus, OH to Tulsa, OK (12hr 40m drive)
- Tulsa, OK to Sedona, AZ (14hr 4m drive)
- Sedona, AZ to Fullerton, CA (7hr 14m drive)
- For pet parents:
- Final hometown vet appointment: I made sure to get my dog scheduled for a vet appointment a couple of weeks before we left to make sure she was up-to-date on all her vaccines and had a clear bill of health before traveling. My dog also gets super anxious in the car, so I was able to get her vet’s recommendations on anti-anxiety meds, put together a dog friendly first-aid kit, and get all her travel tips for making the trip as comfortable for my dog and as manageable for me as possible.
- Packing for your pet: I made sure to not wash some of her favorite items, like some blankets, pillows, and favorite toys for at least a few days before we left so she’d have things that smelled like home during the trip. Other than that, I wanted to make sure she was well-hydrated, eating enough, and that her bathroom stops were as minimally stressful as possible for both her and myself, so I made sure to prioritize having on hand all her high reward treats and travel gadgets (star players for us were her dispenser water bottle and her own duffle bag packed with everything she’d need for an overnight stay that I could easily bring back and forth from the car and hotel).
- Finding pet friendly accommodations: Most hotels have their pet policies online. Otherwise, I just gave them a quick call to double check. As a heads up, you’ll usually have a pet fee of around $75/night. Also, I found it helpful to call ahead and request a room on or near the ground floor so it was easier to take my dog outside on walks. Don’t be afraid to ask for whatever accommodations you can think of to make your travels easier on you and your pet!
- Emergency vet locations: I luckily didn’t need to use them, but I marked a couple of emergency vets on my route and near our hotels just in case!
- I opted for driving over flying, since I was traveling with my dog and felt safer transporting her via car. I would recommend taking as much time as you need to make the drive (I was frequently recommended pacing out the drive for 1 week). For me, however, my dog isn’t the biggest fan of the car, and I was lucky enough to be traveling with two drivers, so I wanted to minimize our time on the road and planned a 4-day trip. Here’s my travel route in case it’s helpful to reference:
- Planning your route:
- Early July 2025: drove from CT to CA
- Packing reminders:
- Don’t forget all your important documents: things like your passport, SSN card, birth certificate, insurance cards- I made sure everything was updated before I left and made copies of everything just in case!
- Keep an easily accessible suitcase for things you’ll need overnight (clothes, toiletries, medications that need to be refrigerated, etc.), and a bag close to you in the car for things you might need on the road (snacks; first-aid supplies like pain-killers, anti-motion sickness meds, and bandaids; mini-fans for the sweltering summer heat at rest stops; body wipes to refresh, and in case the rest stop bathrooms aren’t stocked up haha; cash; etc.)
- Try to find little joys to keep morale up:
- Prep your the road entertainment: download audiobooks, podcasts, your favorite music (key word, download since you might hit some cell service deadzones). If you’re not traveling alone (I super recommend having a travel buddy or two, but if you’re soloing this journey for whatever reason, I believe in you!!! Stay strong, friend…) Use the time to call and catch up with family and friends. And don’t forget your in-car chargers!
- Other little joys: A tip from Tom Rainey: “Try to make an adventure out of it.” If you have the time, try stopping by funny landmarks or enjoy an impromptu stop in a park. You may be traveling through parts of the country you’d never otherwise see or return to any time soon, so let yourself explore if you’re feeling moved by the “adventure” of it all.
- Packing reminders:
- Mid July - Early August 2025: adjusting to living in SoCal
- I really liked having so much time to adjust to my new life in SoCal. If you have the ability to, I recommend using the time between your move-in day and orientation week to settle into your new home by:
- Practicing your commute to school: especially if the 6- lane freeways in SoCal are new and a bit daunting! It took me a bit to get used to the traffic patterns, so both for getting your confidence on the big freeways and figuring out how much time to give yourself on your commute to campus, take some time in the summer to practice!
- Getting used to your new neighborhood: find your new spots to become a regular at, like a local grocery store, a favorite cafe or restaurant, or a cute bookstore! Use this time to explore and start to feel like a member of your new community.
- Going to a local community event: I find fun events via social media, word of mouth, or stumbling across them in person. In the summer, there are plenty of events like markets for food/thrifting/art/etc., music events, movies in the park, and food truck festivals. It’s a nice way to discover local small businesses and collect fun little trinkets to decorate your new space and make it feel more like home! If you’re able, try inviting friends or make new ones by reaching out to your new classmates. Some of my earliest memories with my classmates (and now close friends!) were going to local thrift and art markets, and I love having little trinkets and souvenirs to reminisce over :]
- Taking care of all the practicalities of adulthood:
- Finding a place that accepted my insurance: I established care with a dentist, primary care, etc., so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it during the school year. If you’re living a bit far from campus, I recommend trying to find providers closer to Fullerton so you don’t have to factor in a long commute back and forth on school days. As for vision care, you’ll get a free comprehensive exam and free binocular vision exam during your first year. I was running out of contact lenses, though, so I made use of my early free time to get started with the free contact lenses program with KH before my scheduled comprehensive exam. If you find yourself in a similar situation and in need of contacts while thousands of miles away from your old optometrist haha, just give KH a call, let them know you’re a student and that you’d like to make an appointment to participate in the student contact lens program.
- Signing up for EBT benefits (CalFresh): As a grad student, you’ll likely be eligible for the CalFresh Program (CA’s food stamps/SNAP). Stores like Tokyo Central, H-Mart, Seafood City, Whole Foods, Ralph’s, and Albertsons accept CalFresh, to name a few! Take a look at this guide from a previous peer advisor for tips on signing up: https://www.ketchum.edu/aboutus/news-mbku/peer-advice-calfresh-101
- Creating a local finances account: if your current bank doesn’t have any branches in the area, I recommend setting up an account with a local bank or credit union in case you need access to some of their in-person services.
- Getting my car insurance sorted: insurance calls are almost always more time consuming than you anticipate. Use your free time to get yourself sorted so you have one less task on your plate before classes start.
- Setting up my utilities: before leaving CT, I had to set up accounts for things like rental insurance, gas, electric, water, and waste management and was able to coordinate with my landlord to have the utilities I’d be responsible for officially transfer to me on the day of my actual move-in. WiFi was the only thing I left until after move-in since I had to physically be there for in-person router/modem setup.
- Updating my mailing address on absolutely everything: I’ve made the mistake of accidentally mailing packages and important documents to my old addresses… don’t be like me haha
- Managing homesickness: even if you fall in love with your new home, it’s inevitable to feel a little homesick here and there. Scheduling game or movie nights over Discord was also a nice way to stay in contact with friends from home. I also hosted friends who visited me throughout fall quarter, and getting to explore SoCal with them are some of my best early memories post-move
- I really liked having so much time to adjust to my new life in SoCal. If you have the ability to, I recommend using the time between your move-in day and orientation week to settle into your new home by:
- December '25 and onwards: CA residency and Medi-Cal
- Signing up for Medical and applying to be a CA resident
- CA resident application: If you choose to apply to become a CA resident (I did for multiple reasons, a fun one being access to resident benefits like signing up for a free library card and free state park passes, yippee), here’s some info on the process: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/drivereducation-and-safety/special-interest-driver-guides/new-tocalifornia/#ca-resident
- Medi-Cal: I aged out of my parents’ insurance in December of my first year and had to sign up for Medi-Cal (aka Medicaid in California). I tried to plan accordingly when choosing my medical providers at the start of the year, but just keep this in mind if you’re working with a similar timeline to me! Here’s a link to the application: https://benefitscal.com/Help/program/medical/HCPDE?lang= en
- Signing up for Medical and applying to be a CA resident
I hope these tips provide some help and comfort as you take on your own big move! Getting into the program is already a huge accomplishment worth celebrating, and taking a chance on yourself by way of moving to a whole new state is a huge undertaking to be super proud of as well!!!! Congratulations, fellow out-of-staters, and you’re just steps away from being a SoCal local (many sunny days, countless yummy food options, beautiful nature spots, and more ahead)!! For any ATLA fans, if things get tough on the road, imagine myself and all the out-of-staters from generations past supporting you along the way, past lives avatar-state style haha. You got this!!!
