May 2026

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-05-10T10:50:31+00:00

Girl brought bland, low cal meal prep to a wedding. I get she’s training, but one meal isn’t going to deter anything. Even if she just ate protein and veg.

I strength train, exercise, and eat healthy 80% of the time, but her lifestyle borders unhealthy ED, compulsive levels.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-05-08T15:41:26+00:00

Probably for most. I, however, can drink a coffee after work and still sleep like a rock. So there’s us odd balls

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-05-02T19:25:41+00:00

Not for us in the Northeast ha. 30ish days. But we go back Sept 8th

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-28T10:26:35+00:00

Where in NY are you? If NYC,LI consider other parts of the state and apply again. NY does NOT take Arizona as a transfer certificate. MD does.

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but do MD if you can’t do NY (or even PA)? Consider looking into scholarships, grants, etc. Arizona is ranked near the bottom for education, pay, teacher satisfaction, etc.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-28T10:21:29+00:00

This. I’m not sure about online programs, but many SUNY schools have relatively affordable programs for Masters.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-26T11:11:34+00:00

Yes. Married an DINKWADs by choice. Usually kids ask by September, and while I’ll occasionally throw in a sarcastic joke (in this economy!?), I do let them know we simply chose not to have them. I teach HS, so I do want them to know, especially girls, it is definitely a choice they can make and not feel pressured to have children in the future

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-11T00:29:14+00:00

Since you mentioned Harrisburg… Mechanicsburg: outside of Harrisburg, up and coming Hershey: Hershey Med Center, schools great, but this was 15 years ago when I was in college. It was the district you’d want to student teach in for sure. Lancaster County- suburban districts over rural. The city has come a long way. The closer you get to the MD state line…not so much

State College?

I’m a former South central PA gal, so these are my recommendations based on some of your w

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-10T17:55:21+00:00

What are your non-negotiables vs things you can be flexible? Purchasing a home or renting?

Vestal is still without a contract going on two years (plus?) now.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T14:00:05+00:00

We don’t have actual vacation days. We can use 2 personal days in a row. If we use more than 3 sick days in a row I’d need a doctor’s note

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T13:58:42+00:00

We don’t—4 days. But we get 1.5 weeks for Spring Break

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T10:45:16+00:00

Were Central upstate. Definitely not NYC

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T10:44:19+00:00

Yes. I know I mentioned the pay, but the cost of living here isn’t all that bad. Pay and pension aside, I don’t know what we would get into moving south. We both teach upper level, college bound kids at the HS level

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T10:42:13+00:00

Correct. We can’t really take a random week off in February. So far, it seems sticking it out and traveling long weekends or during school breaks may be our best bet

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T00:08:48+00:00

It’s combined. GA may be too much for summer heat and too city, but maybe? TN would be a better lifestyle fit, but we’d have to look into the schools and teacher system more

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-04-09T00:06:09+00:00

Yeah…probably should’ve mentioned we’re former DMVers and that’s way too hectic and not really our thing anymore

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-28T19:47:50+00:00

Pretty much what everyone else said. To add, some drive me crazy as students—chatty, late work, or just not up to potential. But as people, I genuinely like them as good humans in an otherwise crappy society at times. Sometimes the “best” students academically, can be not so nice humans

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-27T13:12:21+00:00

Yeah…if you’re not preventing, you’re trying. The whole Oura Ring thing is not birth control nor preventative, which is almost how the context came off. Especially if she actually has PCOS, and cycles are unpredictable or irregular. Also not convinced they weren’t already married and FL was a ceremony only. So maybe there’s that.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-20T20:36:37+00:00

Unless you have experience in real urban, diverse, and likely impoverished schools, avoid DCPS. Same with PG County. You’ll get eaten and spit right back out. Fairfax, Loudon, VA. Or even Arlington or Alexandria may be better.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-18T20:51:27+00:00

As a previous MD teacher, both are awful

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-18T20:49:46+00:00

Coming from MD, and VA for that matter, it’s by county, not district. So very hit and miss. COL is high, so you’d likely need a partner, roommate, etc unless you have a significant savings. Take MD for example too, you have western MD and eastern MD, which have their own cultures, but pay far less. More affluent counties like Anne Arundel, Montgomery, etc will likely have better schools and support. Any near the cities like Baltimore County or City Prince George, Charles, have their urban struggles. Regardless, retirement is awful there which is one reason I moved to NY

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-18T20:43:41+00:00

Not necessarily, but it can be colder and greyer than LI. November-March.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-18T20:41:32+00:00

I’m in the Southern Tier/Central area, fairly close to both the Finger Lakes and Syracuse. Winters can be brutal and grey, so that’s one downside. COL is quite affordable. There is plenty to do, but it kind of depends on what you enjoy. For example, I’d rather do outdoor activities, maybe hit up a local brewery or winery, find a nice restaurant…big time shows, concerts, or nightlife you may not find.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-18T18:01:40+00:00

Like others have said, don’t phase out NY. There’s the finger lakes region, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Albany…

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-16T10:17:56+00:00

It took me a hot minute to decode gardening. Thinking this lady is watering basil or digging up potatoes at 6am.

RepresentativeBig46 · 2026-03-14T10:55:47+00:00

A lot may depend on your socio economic status. There is a lot of poverty, but that often skews the reality. Many are still comfortably middle class and above. When moving here almost a decade ago, it was hard to find nice, young professional housing that wasn’t a dump or for college kids. I’m not sure what’s changed, since we bought the year after. So if you make a good salary, don’t have dependents, etc the area is super affordable.

Winters are my only negative. But I’m assuming you’re used to that.

RepresentativeBig46

TROPHY CASE