Going to Pitt? Me too...

[HansenBro]

Hi all, my name is Jon Hansen and I'm going to Law school at Pitt next year.  I thought it would be nice to have a thread where all the Pitt 1L's could have a meet and greet and get to know each other a little better.  So I guess I'll start off...

So my name is Jon Hansen, not spelled like the teen sensation Hanson, but like the alternative artist Beck whose last name actually is Hansen.  I graduated high school from Peters Township which is in the 'burbs south of Pittsburgh.  My undergrad was at the University of South Carolina, it was nice to thaw out from the chilly weather for a couple of years.  I majored in Chemical Engineering and in the small amount of time when I wasn't studying or in class I was involved with my fraternity (haha yeah right who am I kidding, that should really be the other way around).

But I guess I couldn't stay away from the Pittsburg forever so I'm heading back.  I was really torn between Pitt and Emory, but I really think I'm more of a State U kind of guy, and the difference in price tags doesn't hurt either.

I really like music, The Shins and Radiohead are my two favorite bands.  In my spare time I like to cycle.  This weekend I'm riding from Columbia to Charleston and at the end of the school year I'm biking across the State of Florida (both for Push America, check it out at http://www.pushamerica.org/, really great stuff).

Well I guess that's about it for me, can't wait to hear from the rest of you!

[lauralynne]

Hey Jon.  Maybe we'll be in the same section.

I'll also be attending Pitt.  I was undergrad at PSU (Elementary Education) (also greek), and have been a pharmaceutical rep for almost 3 years now.  I teach spinning classes at the Downtown YMCA for fun (and will continue when I start school), and I also like to cycle outside, but I'm not an avid cyclist by any stretch. 

I'll be at the open house this Friday, so hope to see other decided future Pitt 1Ls there. 

[jomolungma]

My name is Stu and I'll be at Pitt this fall as well.  I'm actually from New York and I live in NYC with my wife right now.  I work for a large landlord in New York, mostly in L&T court, and my wife is finishing her PhD in Art History from Penn. I graduated undergrad in '97 from SUNY Albany, though I carry undergrad credit from Penn, Pace University and Syracuse University. I've spent the last several years either teaching English, doing Internet development or in the Army (most recently in the Army).  My wife spent some time in Pittsburgh when she was younger, studying with the Pittsburgh ballet and half of her family are lifetime 'burghers. We'll have lots of company around us as we struggle through law school but fortunately most of them are lawyers so they'll understand :-) 

I chose Pitt over some other schools because we felt that Pittsburgh was where we wanted to live after school.  I want to go into prosecution and most often you get a job with a DA local to your law school, so it made sense to come to Pitt. My uncle used to be an adjunct for the school as well and he did a lot of convincing :-) 

I won't be at the open house, we'll be in Pittsburgh the weekend of April 22 to house hunt.  But I hope to catch up with you all this fall.

P.S. This cycling thing seems to be catching - I was an avid cyclist for years in NYC, including competing in races in Central Park and Prospect Park.  However, I've been mostly off the bike for the last three years.  If I can get back in shape this summer I'd be happy to join anyone for a ride anytime.

[Painting101]

I'm Adam.  I'm going to the open house this weekend, and unless I totally hate it, I'll be at Pitt in the fall as well.  My fiancee works at a big 4 accounting firm in Pittsburgh, so that's part of the reason I'm going there.  Plus it's (relatively) close to home...  and the Dean's Scholarship didn't hurt. 

I'll be graduating from Penn State (Erie) in May.  A buddy of mine will be a mechanical engineering grad student at Pitt in the fall, so we're going to get an apt together.  I can't live with the woman b/c our parents would disown us.  The other thread about where to live in Pittsburgh has been helpful.

I'm not a cyclist.  In fact, I'm fat, so I only do strenuous exercise when I'm being chased.   
I do love cars, though.  I'm in the process of building a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster that I'm hoping to have done by graduation.  I gave up doing homework this semester, so that's opened up some free time for the hobby.  I also work at a law firm now.  I say "work" but I really mean "follow around attorneys to see what they do."  It's awesome.  I'm excited for the legal profession, and, sadly enough, really excited for law school. 

[Painting101]

Mike, whats your major at U of M?  I went there for 2 years before I transferred to PSU. 

[sita]

My name is Pilar and I will be joining you guys in August.  I love rock climbing, bourbon, and my dog. I am from Kentucky (BASW from UK, MPA from Eastern Ky Univ) and work as a public policy research analyst for the Council of State Governments. I was lucky enough to find an apartment last Saturday when I was in town for the open house.  It's on Alder St near Maryland (about 4 blocks from Walnut). I'll be moving to Pittsburgh August 1 and would be up for some fun and games before the semester starts. Although I am very excited about moving to Pittsburgh I am VERY unhappy about being in the Big East Conference.  I better be able to see my Cats play ball!

[seankenn]

My name is Sean and I will too be attending Pitt this Fall.  I am from Seattle.  Anyone have any suggestions on places to live?  I have been looking, but it is quite hard from 3000 miles away.  I will be driving across country 7/1, so I should be in the Pittsburgh area trying to settle in mid-July.  If anyone is interested in meeting up, my email is seankenn@gmail.com.  Take care.

[Painting101]

My name is Sean and I will too be attending Pitt this Fall.  I am from Seattle.  Anyone have any suggestions on places to live?  I have been looking, but it is quite hard from 3000 miles away.  I will be driving across country 7/1, so I should be in the Pittsburgh area trying to settle in mid-July.  If anyone is interested in meeting up, my email is seankenn@gmail.com.  Take care.

From what I learned at the open house Squirrel Hill and Shady Side seem to be the places to live.  www.walnutcapital.com seemed to be all over.

It's looking like I'm going to be getting a house in Shady Side, and I have one roommate lined up.  Depending on the size of the house, we may be looking for a roommate.

[sita]

Sleepy, the apartment I found may be kinda close to where you are gonna live.  I was also shocked that I found a decent place so close to Walnut for a decent price.  I will be living near the intersection of Alder and Maryland.

[abefroman]

Just for a heads up- there has been a serial car jacker going through shadyside lately.  Don't think for a second that shadyside is any safer than anywhere else- it is the trendy section of town, and it is also where many poor people go to steal stuff.  THey know the resale value of louis vuitton... One of my friends, living RIGHT ON WALNUT, got robbed at knifepoint in her own locked house when she came home last year. 

people here seem to think shadyside is eden.  Its not.  it's night at the roxbury, only where farrell gets mugged. THere are more break-ins reported per capita in shadyside than any other neighborhood in pittsburgh other than homewood.

sorry to sound like such a downer.  chances are nothing will happen to you, and you will like it.  Just remember to buy a lot of shiny hugo boss shirts before you get there (sales tax in pa).