Hi everyone! I will be moving quite far from home to go to an OOS vet school. I am feeling a bit nervous about it. Can anyone in a similar situation or who has done this in the past offer advice and share your experience living in a new location during vet school?
Moving far away for vet school
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I am from Virginia and ended up at the furthest vet school I applied to (Missouri). I had never even been to the midwest or lived away from home other than my undergrad years. I was absolutely terrified of moving to a new state not knowing anyone. I will say most vet school classes do form a sort of family. You will make friends and your classmates will help you get through the 4 years of school. I even met my spouse when I was in vet school (not another vet student either). I wouldn't change my experience but it was certainly hard being away from family. I did bring my best golden boy with me and ended up adopting a puppy in vet school. My dogs helped a ton in school to get me through each day. If you have any specific questions, feel free to dm me.
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I moved from California to Georgia, then from Georgia to Virginia for vet school. Been on the east coast for 6.5 years now and itching to get back to the west coast where all my family is. I'm a pretty independent person, but miss being home with my family for every holiday (it's expensive to fly!). But I'll echo what Rainheart said, you'll make friends in your class, there's always someone around over the holidays if you don't go home, and honestly life is so busy during school that the time flies by. Having lived in 2 very different places than where I was born and raised has been such a great life experience! Do it before you have a grown up job +/- family tying you down to one place 
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Moved from Colorado to Illinois. I did live in western Nebraska for undergrad. Only went home for breaks that were a minimum of a week because the bus ride up to Chicago, then the flight home, and then doing it all to go back wasn't worth it for any shorter breaks.
Again, it's about making your social circle at school and staying busy. About half of a lot of vet school classes are out of state and there will be a ton of other people who will be from far away (with maybe exceptions of schools like Georgia).
Again, it's about making your social circle at school and staying busy. About half of a lot of vet school classes are out of state and there will be a ton of other people who will be from far away (with maybe exceptions of schools like Georgia).
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I second alot about of what has been said already. I moved from CO to WA. It was an adjustment for sure. First time i had lived on my own since I stayed at home for undergrad. My fiance did move with me but it was a big adjust regardless for us both. Ultimately I made a fantastic friend group who became family while I was in school. I also didn't go home super often due to travel time and flights just not being worth it. I don't regret any of it and honestly I had fun (like vet school stuff aside). I got to go and do so many fun and new things and travel parts of the country that I probably wouldn't have visited for years otherwise.
Hi! There’s a good chance this’ll be me. I’m an east coast resident, but may move to Arizona in a few months for vet. school if 2 other schools get back to me. I’m scared out of my mind and feeling sad to leave my family and 2 dogs especially, but I’m following this post mostly to see how everyone else did it.
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I did the same move last year
NJ to AZ. I moved with my bf and two dogs. Not sure if you're planning on driving, but it is a longgg drive. We took our own cars so we didn't drive together, but we did stop at some fun places along the way. It was 115 degrees F when we arrived in AZ (in July), so be prepared for that. It's hard moving far away from family. Luckily, school keeps you busy and goes by so fast I often don't think about how long it's been since I've seen everyone - I really only get sad when I can't be with everyone for a holiday or if I see how much my niece has grown since I last saw her.
I recommend just getting yourself used to the area before classes start and meeting up with future classmates if you can. It really helped that when classes begun I already had friends and felt adjusted to living here.
I think I would've really struggled without my dogs, though. If you are someone who emotionally/mentally benefits from having pets, maybe look into finding a roommate with a pet or getting one of your own
I did the same move last year
I moved with my bf and two dogs. Not sure if you're planning on driving, but it is a longgg drive. We took our own cars so we didn't drive together, but we did stop at some fun places along the way. It was 115 degrees F when we arrived in AZ (in July), so be prepared for that. It's hard moving far away from family. Luckily, school keeps you busy and goes by so fast I often don't think about how long it's been since I've seen everyone - I really only get sad when I can't be with everyone for a holiday or if I see how much my niece has grown since I last saw her.
I recommend just getting yourself used to the area before classes start and meeting up with future classmates if you can. It really helped that when classes begun I already had friends and felt adjusted to living here.
I think I would've really struggled without my dogs, though. If you are someone who emotionally/mentally benefits from having pets, maybe look into finding a roommate with a pet or getting one of your own
Ah! A former neighbor! I’m from NYC lol, so it’s definitely gonna be a transition for me. I went down to AZ for a week (during the week of Visit Day for MWU) to apartment search and drive my rental car around a bit. It’s definitely gonna be an adjustment, but I’m looking forward to it!
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The furthest school I applied to was Mississippi State. While I haven't made a final decision, I did move away from home for my gap year. It is quite lonely at times, espcially since I live alone. For me, I know once I move to vet school, I will need a roommate of some type to feel less alone, and knowing that I will not be spending every waking second in my apartment after classes. Its definetely about keeping busy, maintaining contact with family, and checking in on yourself.
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Other than the brutal heat July-Aug, I love it here. If you have any questions about Midwestern or Phoenix in general let me know
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I really leaned on my classmates moving away for vet school - I knew absolutely no one in Columbus when I moved here, but I made a lot of wonderful friends right before & during orientation & the first few weeks of class, and I have been able to depend on them for a ton. I’ve also tried to keep in good contact with my family & friends via Zoom & FaceTime calls on a regular basis, which has helped a lot with the homesickness. I’d also highly recommend finding a roommate to live with, definitely helps combat the loneliness!
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I cried a lot moving out of Nova Scotia for the first time. And then the four-day road trip was a bit brutal but exciting, and I got to Indiana and it seemed kinda like I was exploring the tropics. I still feel the “this is my home but it is not Home” feeling. I’ve gotten to know the plants and animals and land a little but we’re just acquaintances, whereas I feel like the plants and ecosystems of NS are family. However, that feeling is a lot less lonely and scary than I thought it would be. It still feels a bit like I’m on an extended vacation, getting to know an exciting new place, and when I hear about or talk about home it feels great to get to share it with someone and know that I’m going back, and I even know that I’ll miss it here a bit, too. You’ll adapt quickly!
