<p>Those who are already there: in your opinion, what are they?</p>
<p>In my D's case I would say the biggest disadvantages are 1. housing and 2. missing the friends, even then it still works it self out.</p>
<p>In her case she and most of her friends were on leave this past fall and winter just returning to campus last week and not seeing a lot of her friends since they left at the end of sophomore summer. </p>
<p>When she was on her FSP, she bonded with a new group of friends and met up with some of her old friends in when they were all abroad. Since we live in NYC, some of her friends came by and crashed at our house for a night or 2 before making their connecting flights home (one of her friends stayed at the house while finishing up her internship here). </p>
<p>During the winter term when she was based at home she went to lunch and a couple of gatherings thrown by her friends who were based in here, including a "goodbye NYC" party at the end of winter term. When one of the friends turned 21 recently they all went up to MA. for the weekend to celebrate with them. There was a lot of calls and blitzes going out in preparation of most of them coming back for the spring (although a few of the friends are doing a FSP this spring). When she called me after landing in boston, I could hear the squeals and hollers in the background as they were catching up with one another to take the dartmouth coach back to hanover. Even then, the friend who lives in MA, drove down to hang out with them (she is going to Oxford and the trip does not leave until next week).</p>
<p>Housing;</p>
<p>Unless you are in residence for summer (if sophomore summer) or fall, you cannot participate in room draw. Your options for housing are :</p>
<p>if there is room in your greek house you may be able to get a room</p>
<p>You can choose to move with friends off campus</p>
<p>You could be "pulled in" by one of your friends who has a vacancy (someone leaving the same term you are arriving)</p>
<p>If you are a UGA who was only off for one term, you go back to being a UGA replacing someone who is going to be off</p>
<p>You fill out housing form stating your requirements (where you want to live, type of space you want). D requested a single on the gold coast. When she got her room assignment, she was placed on the gold coast in a 3 room triple with 2 students she did not know. At first she was a little disappointed by the prospect of living with 'strangers' but it's all working out as she says her roommates are great and she now has 2 new friends in addition, one of her best friends lives on the same floor 2 rooms down.</p>
<p>But don't let the D-plan scare you as I can say my. d and her friends have had some amazing opportunities with it from doing FSPs/ LSAs in spain, mexico, france, germany & argentina to studying in their major in england, scotland, costa rica, copenhagen to doing volunteer work (with grants) in the Marshall islands. Many took time to take MCATs, LSATs volunteer in hospitals, while there was not a loss of students doing IB, mgmt consulting, television, magazin, CS & legal internships here in the city.</p>
<p>Also with internet, the world is soo much smaller. Chicky is back amongst her people and it seems like they have never left each other.</p>