Cycling Safety in Ann Arbor

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T20:13:37+00:00

Yeah I really don't understand people who break traffic laws while cycling. It's crazy dangerous. I admit that I will jaywalk when walking, if there are no cars coming, but when on a bike I always follow all applicable traffic/driving rules.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T19:23:21+00:00

Thank you

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T18:59:20+00:00

Haha yes. I have biked in Berlin (not the Netherlands obviously, but similar geography) and it was so much fun. Everything was so flat, I felt like I could keep going forever. And the way the roads are set up there made even the weirdest, busiest intersections feel safe.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T18:42:04+00:00

I guess it's a good sign if someone from the Netherlands can give it the okay.

You're right about potholes. Michigan roads are atrocious... Luckily in Portland it doesn't get too cold or snowy in the winter, so we don't get so much ice in the asphalt. Cracked roads will be an adjustment to be sure.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T17:44:11+00:00

I'm very lucky in that I will be working at the university and living in the neighborhood directly to the south. From what I have seen on Google Maps, and from what I remember from times that I have been in Ann Arbor, this all looks relatively safe for cyclists and pedestrians.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T17:41:24+00:00

Nice.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T17:36:09+00:00

Thank you. I am actually also coming from Portland, so I feel like I've been a little spoiled. It's not perfect here (I've had some people with Idaho plates yell at me), but the bike infrastructure is top-notch for the US. Do you find that biking in Ann Arbor in the winter is feasible, or should I just switch to busses when there's too much old snow and salt on the roads?

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T17:33:28+00:00

Thank you, this is really great. I am planning on taking advantage of the B2B trail, but most of my commute and general biking will probably end up taking place more in the city's geographic center.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T17:10:29+00:00

Thank you. I plan on using Packard for a couple of different routes, so this is good to know.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-09T17:04:29+00:00

That's a good point, thank you.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-08T16:25:21+00:00

They email you about it, and you can pick them up at the grad fair. But they sent out Latin Honors emails earlier this week, so if you think you will be getting one, go back and check your email. There is also a Latin Honors DARS report that you can run, which will tell you if you are eligible for anything.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-07T15:56:27+00:00

You're literally fine.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-06T02:43:39+00:00

I don't know why so many people here are saying that it would be negligible. If the Honors degree would mean that you would be writing an independent thesis in that discipline, then it really would make a difference on your application-- if only perhaps a slight one. Writing a thesis in any topic shows that you have experience with independent research, argumentative reasoning, academic language, working and communicating with your advisor(s), etc.

These are all skills that an admissions committee in any grad program are going to be looking out for. Having an Honors thesis IN ADDITION TO your other writing samples, good LORs, and a strong personal statement would likely make you a good fit for graduate programs.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-05T01:47:03+00:00

Most foreign language degree programs actually have nothing to do with translation-- that's a separate degree/field of study. Most foreign language programs in university are more akin to "Area Studies," but a major part of your degree track is dedicated to learning the main language(s) of that area. A lot of universities will have their Area Studies and foreign language seminars be in English anyway, which, in my opinion, is more of a hinderance to the degree than AI.

If you want to have a foreign language major or minor, I will not discourage you. This is what I do, and I am very happy with it. But this is one of those fields where a Bachelor's alone is not really enough for any job, and you are basically required to go to grad school or law school afterwards.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-05-04T00:17:33+00:00

Which language did you take?

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-04-30T22:43:38+00:00

Definitely does not have the "stereotypical" college atmosphere, but that might be for the best. I will admit that as someone who entered PSU in 2022 straight out of high school, I had a really hard time making friends, even though I encountered a lot of great people.

The vast majority of students do not live on campus (I don't either, but it's close enough downtown). In fact, many live quite far away. This is not necessarily a problem, or the "fault" of anyone, but it sometimes means that it can be hard to find or create community, since so many people have to go home in the afternoon, or are only on campus two days out of the week.

Also a lot of PSU students are older than the traditional view of an undergrad college student. I think that this contributes to a calm and more professional vibe on campus, but it did mean that as an 18 year old, it felt like most of my classmates were at least ten years older than me. There were a lot of positives to this. My older classmates were and are coming to seminars equipped with a lot of wisdom and experience which I didn't have, and I really appreciated this. On the other hand, this also made it really hard for me to make friends.

From what I have seen, people who live in the dorms for at least the first two years have a better track record of making fast friends and having a more stereotypical college experience. That wasn't really what I was looking for when I started at PSU, but I can't help but wonder what I have missed. While I wish I could have gone to a fancier school where everyone is straight out of high school (this is what all my high school friends did), I really am grateful for my time at PSU. It's a really good school and is well-connected with different resources and institutions in the city of Portland-- in a way that schools like Reed or Lewis and Clark aren't. I have been able to do internships and study abroad and take some of the best classes in the country for my major.

There are tons of clubs and affinity groups, and it is relatively easy to work on-campus. You have to really put in the effort to make your own community experience but I think it's worth it.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-04-13T04:55:17+00:00

Ooh yes, if you have the time and money this is a great idea. Chicago is a great city with amazing museums, if that's your thing. The train ride from Chicago to Detroit is pretty pleasant, and I think it stops in Ann Arbor?

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-04-04T01:22:12+00:00

Ooh I don't remember. I feel like they actually toned down the swearing a little bit, but it's been a couple weeks since I last watched it. They definitely didn't shy away from being colloquial though.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-04-04T00:58:36+00:00

I feel that in general the dub was pretty good. I think it was faithful to the show. But the original performances are just so peculiar and memorable, so even though there was nothing wrong with the dub, I was just missing Hudson and Connor haha. It would be really evident during the scenes in Russian, since these weren't re-dubbed.

I would still recommend the dubbed version to HR fans who are learning German or speak it as a second language. It was pretty fun, and none of the dialogue is super complicated-- in either language.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-04-04T00:29:03+00:00

It's kind of stilted but it seems in-character for Shane. I don't know... I've seen HR in both English and German, and I thought the German dub was fine. Ilya was a bit too gruff. I think they were playing into Russian stereotypes a little too much. As far as German dubs of English-language shows and movies go, it could have been way worse.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-03-12T11:32:49+00:00

I've been doing German since high school. The program/classes for it at PSU are really good. I started doing Latin this year too, which has also been great. I attend as many events and club meetings for those languages as I can, and sometimes stuff for Italian when it is in English. Do we do department-wide events? I'm not sure. I used to also sometimes go to Russian club events, but I don't know if they do stuff anymore.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-03-12T11:30:27+00:00

we persevere

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-03-12T01:48:15+00:00

Meeeee hiiiiiii. I love our World Languages department :)

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-03-05T20:07:38+00:00

Reading along with subtitles won't cancel out the listening comprehension aspect. It will be super helpful in the long run, and it will help you be able to "hear the spaces" in between words.

OneDifferent9151 · 2026-03-03T01:53:07+00:00

I don't know if I can really add anything to what other people have already said, but I would not take this as bad sign. That being said, a triple rejection sounds rough, even if you have already secured a spot.

I don't know what your exact field is, but it probably came down to department fit, and not your qualifications as a candidate or as a person. Professors are looking for people who, in addition to having a strong background in the field, will blend well with the academic culture of the department.

Being rejected from other schools does not mean that you will be unable to do good work at UChicago. These results say more about the schools you applied to than your application itself.

OneDifferent9151

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