MEET THE CRAWFORDS
Names: Jessica and Scott
From: Jessica is from Utah. Scott hails from Texas.
How did you meet your spouse? My husband was a student at Brigham Young University and I was living in Provo going to Utah Valley University. We were both living in the same apartment complex and met at a religious activity.
Where are you in the medical journey? My husband just got into medical school and will start school August 2019 at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW).
Medical School Timeline:
- Accepted to University of Texas Southwestern in November 2018
- Moved from Provo, Utah to Dallas, Texas in January 2019
- Starts school August 2019
How much did you budget for the move?
We didn’t realize how much it was going to cost us to move. There was a lot to consider with the cost for our apartment deposit, renting a U-haul, animal deposit (we have two cats), hotels for the drive, and gas.
So, we sold most of our furniture to get money for the move and deposit, but we also received help from both our parents. If you are traveling more than 1200 miles, I would budget $2,000 to $3,000.
How did you make the move?
- We rented a U-haul and a dolly to pull our second car. I drove my car with my brother and cats. My husband drove the U-haul truck pulling his car behind.
- We split the drive into three days. The whole trip was 18 to 19 hours. We did 8 hours the first day and stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The second day we drove 6 hours and stayed in Lubbock, Texas. The last day we drove for 3 hours. I wanted to make sure we got to our place in the morning so we still had most of the day to unload and unpack and we weren’t dead tired.
- Kind of scary story/funny story… When we were driving our second day, I called the apartment complex to make sure everything was in order for us to move in. They told me I couldn’t pay the deposit with a credit card and I had to use a money order. If we didn’t have the money order, we wouldn’t be able to move in. We didn’t have that much cash on us to get the money order. So, there was a small amount of time while we were driving trying to figure out how to get the money so we would have a place to live! We eventually figured it out and didn’t have any problems when we got there the next day. So, plan ahead!
How did you find housing?
I had the HARDEST time finding housing! But I found our apartment at apartment.com. It was hard trying to find a good place that wasn’t in downtown Dallas that was crazy expensive but that also wasn’t too far from the medical school.
What would you have changed?
I probably would have prepared better for the long drive like getting an audio book or podcast and getting road trip snacks.
What are you glad you did?
I’m glad we drove and were able to do most of the move with just us and help from family. At one point we were thinking about moving with a moving company. Even though there are lots of pros to going with a moving company, I thought it was nice that we were able to do the things we wanted in the way we wanted it.
Also, we thought it would be best to move early to get settled and start working in Texas. I wanted a more permanent job for the next couple years and Scott thought he could get a better job in Dallas instead of Provo. He also has family here so we wanted to be closer!
Best moving tip for med school?
Don’t stress and panic! Because once you start spiraling, you’ll become a crazy person! Take your time and delegate!
Any other advice?
This is an exciting time in your life, it’s supposed to be happy and exciting. Don’t stress about the move too much. Enjoy the change!
