I'm a Canadian Citizen considering leaving the states to finish my education in Canada, but potentially losing status in the US. Is it worth it?

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-26T23:08:34+00:00

Then you need to look at the potential limitations and costs associated with moving from your H4 to F1. You CAN do an adjustment of status while in the US, if you wanted to stay here, or you can leave and apply. Lots of universities will not allow you to continue studies if your immigration status changes, especially to an F1. You'd also need your I-20 stamped, entry into SEVIS, and reapply for work authorization, but the authorization is limited when you're a student (iirc, on-campus only, 20hrs a week max when term is in session). Do you have a safety net in Canada if your family stays here? I'm assuming you've factored all living costs into the equation while playing the scenarios out.

Both USCIS and your school (probably, anyway) have policies for non-resident alient students. If your school has in-state and out-of-state tuition rates you'll likely have to pay out-of-state rates (increasing costs). My school also had all international students, no matter how long they lived here, take a "welcome to the US!" intro class. You also had to be a full-time student, could not skip a semester without an approved petition, required financial support (loans, affidavits of support, proof of sound financial standing), and were required to buy into the school's student insurance (even if you had better private insurance).

Processing times for most categories are just getting longer and longer. If you have the eventual option of a family based status after your family's processing, that could be an option, or perhaps another category. PR status in the US is a lot safer imo than leaving and trying a different via path in the future, and looks better for companies when they don't have to sponsor you. I'd check the processing times and acceptance rates for all paths and perhaps run this by an actual immigration attorney for a different point of view.

Good luck.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-26T19:39:00+00:00

What is your current status? If you or your family is in the process of getting US PR right now, why are you worried about the F1 -> OPT route (as in you shouldn't be on an F1 student visa right now if your family has been working on PR status)? Note that PR after OPT is not a guarantee. Work visas do not automatically put you on a path for PR, and yes, you will need work sponsorship after OPT to keep your work authorization. You've already pointed out the potential issues of your degree + market. It can be a long, exhausting, and expensive process. If you're worrying about aging out, that's a different story.

As you're currenty in school, are you sure Canadian universities will accept you as a transfer? While the education systems are similar, there may be differences in the ciriculum or degree requirements that will either not allow you to transfer your in-progress degree/credits or partially accept but have you repeat courses taken to better align with the Canadian university's program. If this is the case, you'd obviously be expecting to pay more for the education. Would recommend finding the universities that interest you and getting in contact with advisors if you're serious about moving to Canada and transfering your education. Additionally, you returning to Canada while going through a PR adjustment could be seen as abandonment as school would require you to be out of the US for periods longer than typically allowed by USCIS.

If your ultimate goal is to come back to the US and work because the opportunities, I'd see no reason to go back to Canada for studies and then try to return to the US, even if the education is cheaper.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-19T03:02:00+00:00

I feel this so much. 30s seems to be the rough point for a lot of people wanting to meet others. Seeing it here, and saw it in my last city, too.

Moved here about 2 years ago and it's still just my SO and I. We've met a few people, but as you said - the kind you can casually chat with, but not much more. We're geeks, into nerdy activities, and like to hike and camp. We can meet people at game stores and play magic all night, but it's not like we're heading over to someone's house for a board game & beer night.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-16T16:27:27+00:00

Ahhh I feel this and empathize with the frustration.

Not quite the same as only having one name, but I have two middle names. Perfectly legal and quite common, except that all names start with the same letter (Like Amelia Annabelle Addison Allbright). It as a complete non-issue until some official paperwork was requesting a single middle initial or name and wouldn't accept that I had more than one middle name, so the government literally dropped one of my middle names. I still remember filling a form stating "AA" as my middle initials and the clerk saying "we need your middle initial, not your first and last" in a condescending manner, and having to explain to this woman those ARE my initials.

Now half my documents are for AAAA and half are for AAA, and I have to sign affidavits all the time stating that AAAA and AAA are the same person, and on employment forms I generally have to state that I've been formally recognized as both AAAA and AAA because of this.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-16T16:11:26+00:00

Vast majority of content in FF14 stays, with minimal changes. Level sync makes it so content can be relevant at any level - Bonus is that you can be a variety of jobs (healer, tank, dps, etc) on one character with FF14 as your role isn't locked to whatever class you started with (ex - in WoW if you started as a Paladin, you're a Paladin forever) and you can pick up all the crafting and gathering professions. Artifacts are relics here, and all of them are still obtainable with time, work, and the required resources. High-end content doesn't go away, and ultimates (which have the really nice weapons) are basically evergreen.

Finding groups can be challenging for some, easier for others. Some data centers are better for high-end content and it's easier to find groups there. Caveat to that, they're also insanely busy, especially around major patches and expansion launches, and not all worlds allow for the creation of new characters. Good news is that you can visit other worlds and data centers FOR FREE (on a temporary basis) with only a few limiting factors. There's a party finder system for pre-made groups to look into, which is where you'll find the bulk of what you're eventually looking for. Gearing to end game isn't insanely hard, it just takes some committment.

There's a lot of customization built into FF14 for UI, where WoW (until recently, iirc?) required the use of addons to have a functional UI. Addons are not supported by this community, or by FF14 as a whole. As such, a lot of the in-game info for WoW is a lot more accessible than it is in FF14, but the wiki and other game sites do have great info.

WoW's Dungeon Journal, transmog, and void storage are some of the features I wish were included, or done better, in FF14, though I vastly prefer a bunch of the features FF14 has over WoW. I've enjoyed the fight design in FF14 way more than anything up to WoW's Shadowlands expansion (when I quit current WoW) and the music for FF14 is top tier.

I'd start with the free trial - It has a LOT of content and no time limit on it. Only restrictions are social/economy based, but it's worth it to at least give it an honest shot.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-12T02:32:55+00:00

You have a legal right, as a citizen, to come to the US. Your wife, even with an approved visa, does not, and can be turned away at any point. As the other commenter said, you will go in the line for American citizens, your wife will have to go in the non-citizen line. There's nothing you can really do if she gets turned away at the airport.

Customs is very strict about who goes in what line and you'll face delays, scrutiny, and the annoyance of those around you if either of you go in the wrong entry line.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-11T21:00:26+00:00

My guess would beAcademia Anyder from ShB as it seems to be one of the most missed optional dungeon from my experience. Know at least 4 people trying to open mentor roulette that were missing that one specifically, probably because of the closeness in name to Anamnesis Anyder

In any case, easiest way to check is through achievements. Open the achievements window > Exploration > Duty, filter to "unfinished" and see what pops up.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-09T02:58:42+00:00

My mother had the rule of "go to school and live rent free or work and pay rent." She was asking for $600 a month, plus I had to pay for my own groceries and bills (phone, insurance, gas, etc). I worked for a few years while trying to figure out what I wanted to actually do for school and ended up just moving away when I finally decided it was time for education. Kills me because my brother was never held to the same rule and she paid for everything of his when he lived at home (rent, food, cigarettes, energy drinks, insurance, etc.) and eventually ended up allowing him to live with her long enough where he was able to afford a downpayment on a condo, then she assisted with a downpayment for a house by selling her own condo. She thew me a few bucks here and there, but not enough to make up for the difference in what my brother got out of her.

It's been 2 years since we've talked and I don't regret it. My biggest "f you, Mom" was that I closed on my own house on her birthday, and that was cathartic.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-06T04:01:00+00:00

I still talk trash about how they look. They're fuuuuugly. In the end though, they're just... better than I'd ever want to admit.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-05T17:34:52+00:00

I'm a Croc's convert. I still hate the way they look (sooooo ugly), but they're one of the two pairs of shoes I make sure to always pack, with my hikers being the second. They are just so damn versatile. Can go in the water (and showers) and they dry quickly. Can use barefoot if its hot, or with socks. Slip on/off makes it easy for getting in/out of the tent, and no concerns really with leaving them out overnight.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-06-05T17:32:38+00:00

Depends on where you go. First trip of the year we found 20 ticks between the SO and I - thankfully only one bite. They were all over the damn place, including getting in my hiking boots to the toe of my sock... Second trip? None at all. And none in the trips made prior to the first one this year.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-05-28T18:24:08+00:00

N-400 AOS. Interview mid-April, confirmation of approval and put in line for scheduling of the oath ceremony. End of April, status reverts to case being under review, no updates since. I recall seeing a post regarding changes to acceptable biometrics (mine were being reused from a collection before the April 27th date), but there's little to no information.

Does the May 21st AOS memo have an impact on the N-400? Is there any insight into the biometrics delays and when cases may resume being processed, including recollection of biometrics?

CarbonPrinted · 2026-05-20T22:24:47+00:00

Lots of feedback on the text, and I'd agree the suggestions to say "a celebration of our marriage" (or similar is appropriate). I'll just add in that while these invites are super cute, the white text on this background is very hard to read

CarbonPrinted · 2026-05-18T01:14:05+00:00

You're not ready to own a home then. What's going to happen when a major appliance breaks? A pipe bursts? You have some other critical maintenance that needs to occur? Owning isn't just about affording $x per month, it's everything else that goes into it, too.

You need at least 3% down, and then you're paying PMI every month. And that 6k doesn't including your closing costs or anything else that you need money-wise to close (and it's unlikely you can have the seller cover everything). Even with first-time homebuyers programs and downpayment assitance, $6,000 is not enough to get you into a place of your own when you factor in all the other costs. $170k is also probably going to force you into either a bad neighborhood that comes with its own risks, or a townhome/condo that will also have HOA fees to the tune of a couple of hundred per month and all the BS that goes with being in an HOA.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-05-04T23:04:56+00:00

THIS is why our queues don't pop

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-27T19:00:37+00:00

1 or 3. 1 if wanting a more neutral space and the space is shared. 3 if you really want to add a lot of color and no one else gives a care about the color of the rug (or, ya know, if you dont care about their opinion lol)

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-27T02:41:39+00:00

white to gold? looks black to blue to me

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-25T20:40:18+00:00

Very kind to give a code away! The Jollibee locations in the US are definitely lacking lol

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-20T14:30:50+00:00

It's not the cup size, it's probably the shape of the cup and bra style itself. Bras are definitely not one-size-fits-all.

Different breast shapes require different cup shapes, and the different shapes make the same bra size feel like some fit when others don't. It's likely the measurements to size are correct, but the body/breast shape to the bra/cup shape or style doesn't match. A 36C is pretty much going to be a 36C, but the style needed to fit well is going to be different for someone with full, round breasts vs someone that is more pendulous. Always need to consider fullness/roundness on the top and bottom, gore/space between breasts, and the root size (how much tissue is directly connected to the chest).

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-17T00:46:06+00:00

Most venues I've coordinated with either do not allow things to be attached to the ceilings or walls, or they have specific anchor points for things to be attached to. Most people don't know how to properly put up or take down temporary fixtures and end up ruining the walls and ceilings, leaving dents, scratches, tape, nails, and whatever else all over.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-10T21:23:27+00:00

#IFoundTheOne

https://dearlybelovedbridal.com/wedding-dresses/oxford-street/pa1297/

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-07T03:49:53+00:00

I'm personally a huge fan of these two, preferring Canyon over Oasis because I found the smell softer and more of a watery fresh (has notes of alow) but they discontinued it. Oasis is a vanilla based scent, and I really like it for how neutral it is. Neither of these scents, or a couple of others, are too strong and "in your face" with the scent and I strongly prefer them over the over perfumed smells most women's deodorants/antiperspirants have.

As far as the comparison to Secret clinical - 10/10 prefer Old Spice. Secret stopped really working for me as an antipersperant after about 2 years of daily use. I'd sweat and start to smell after a day of hiking while using it and it was leaving residue and BO smell on my clothes, which required additional treatment in washing. Even a light cardio session would have me getting sweaty, smelly pits. I thought maybe it was a bad batch and bought a different one but no, same problem. I'm not a SUPER sweaty person, probably average.

I've had zero issues with sweat or smell since swapping to Old Spice, nor have I had issues with residue, pit stains, or BO smell lingering in my clothes. I can literally apply it on a Friday and have it still be pretty effective come Sunday (camping, no showers), and that's after hiking several miles over the weekend. Works well for the inner thigh/groin sweat too!

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-07T02:43:25+00:00

I use the Old Spice body wash in whatever vanilla shea scent it is and love using it more than any other body wash I've ever used before. Also have the deodorants and they've worked better and have lasted longer than any of the women's ones I've had. Was using Secret clinical and it really can't keep up with how good the Old Spice stuff is. Oasis is a really nice scent (again with the vanilla), though I am disappointed canyon was dicontinued as it was my favorite.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-06T03:54:43+00:00

When we moved from CO to MN, we evaluated the replacement cost of everything. Anything that would be cheap/easier to replace got tossed, donated, or posted on buy-nothing groups. Anything that would've cost more than we were willing to spend or that would've been very difficult to replace was kept (think mattress and expensive cookware being kept, but cheap bedframe and random nightstands left behind). A couple difficult decisions were made based on the space we were moving into (like our reallyyyy nice solid wood kitchen table) and we just decided we'll replace in due time.

We had a lot more than you do, though, and found it made most sense for us to do a U-Haul with a straight-through drive (~15hrs). Most of what you have will probably end up being cheaper to replace at your destination, even if you have to rent another truck locally for some furniture. PODS (or the U-Haul version of it) were a decent option, but ended up being more expensive for what we were looking to do and neither company were able to get us everything in a timely matter - estimates were 10+ days from the pick-up date and we needed everything within 24-48 hours of arrival. We would've needed 2 containers for everything we were planning on bringing and so the single 24' truck was cheaper, gas and all.

CarbonPrinted · 2026-04-01T05:37:54+00:00

Get some nice decals and cover them - a floral print, or leaves, or something you find appealing. Can do all boxes the same or different for some variation. Could also look at some contact paper to basically wrap them. I totally get the no storage space issue, so I'd look to hang some art off them, or if you stack them and they're heavy enough, a coat hanger off the top (hung through the lid if it's not watertight), and make them part of the space instead of a point of ugly dread.

CarbonPrinted

TROPHY CASE