HELP PLEASE LOCATION: Single mom of one moving to Florida to attend either UF or UCF (Jacksonville: for rent) - Orlando - (FL) - City-Data Forum

Teachrenee · 04-05-2009, 08:20 PM

Hi Everyone,

I need advice badly. My little sister lives in Jacksonville, FL and I will be moving down from NJ in Dec. of 09 to help her with her children. While in Florida I will be attending either UF if I get in or UCF to finish BA in accounting. I'm from the suburbs of NJ with million dollar homes starting. I wake up in the morning and have horses outside my window, I live where there are roads not streets, and where you can leave your house doors open and no one will walk on your property because everyone homes starts on 5 acres+ just to give you guys an image. Now my problem is living where I'm use to all my life (we have diff. fathers & I was raised by mine) and have visited my sister numerous of times it is no way in HELL I want to live Jacksonville. And I have other family that lives in Orlando and it is just like Jacksonville. Where would it be an okay place to live while attending UCF or UF if I get in with my 6 years old whom is use to blue ribbon school district that will roll out the carpet to help the children learn, girl scout, horse back riding lessons, and soccer? I'm saving for rent and utilities in florida now until I'm able to find a job with my AA degree while in florida. I have been web searching and asking family that live in Orlando questions, but they keep referring hood neighborhoods that my daughter would freak out in. My father and I are cut from a different cloth than the rest of the family we work hard so we can have the best and they settle for whatever it seems to me. That is why I'm up rooting my life to see if maybe my sister see me working to finish college and get my CPA lic. maybe she would too got back to school for her little ones. Help me please I'm not trying to be prissy but I want the best for my daughter and to show her & my sister it is never to late to try and if there is a will there is always a way. I am human I will be taking personal loans to also help pay for cost of living for 2 years while in Florida.

I will be coming to FL in August if time permit it to look at places and get familiar with temp agency while in town, but defiant in Nov. thanksgiving week to start to finalize apt. and interviews hopefully for jobs.

shokazulu · 04-05-2009, 09:58 PM

your story touched my heart it really did.

annerk · 04-06-2009, 05:03 AM

Just an FYI--after moving here four years ago i quickly learned that temp jobs around here are not like temp jobs in NJ. In NJ you could get anh assignment the next day after you tested and interviewed with teh temp agency. Here I was signed up with three agencies and had one job--low paying and doing nothing but data entry after five weeks. Don't count on temp woork here.

I'm really confused because you say you are moving to help your sister who is in Jacsonville, but are looking at colleges hours from there.

I'm not sure you're going to find what you are looking for here. I waited in NJ until my child graduated there before moving here. There was no way I was going to subject him to the sub-standard schools here. A good school here is equivelent to an average school up there. For the most part the best schools are private with a huge tuition tag to go with them.

floridasandy · 04-06-2009, 05:14 AM

i agree that this was a confusing post. will you be taking out loans for both school and living? you may have too much on your plate if you want to take care of your sister's children, go to school, take care of your child, and earn some money. it is nice that you want to help your sister out but i would not think that you should be borrowing too much if you want to show your child a better life. florida is not a state that guarantees jobs when graduating and the job market is fairly tight down here currently.

Teachrenee · 04-06-2009, 06:00 AM

Hi guys,

Thanks for the reply, but I will be helping watch my sister children(NOT FINANCIAL SUPPORT THEM) I draw the line there. I love my nieces & nephews but they are not my burden but I can help watch them. As of right now my sister do not work or do anything so when I get there she & I will make a work or school schedule for her at night because I have to finish school. I like taking early morning classes so I can work afternoons. That is why I must stay within a hour or so from her but NOT in Jacksonville. I am saving now to help on bills when I get there but so I'm not worried about bills while attending school if I don't get a job right away. I will be taking personal loans or more like student loan prior to leaving NJ that will not have to be repaid until I get out of college but me being me will pay on loans if my plans works out to a T. I've talked to my credit union, banks, and loan officers and they do issue loans like that for school purposes only but you can't go to gov. loan because that goes straight to the college and then you receive difference of loan 3 months later which is to late for rent.

Also I will be in Florida for two or three years if I decide to get Master's after two years of school. And the big bucks for my job is in NY and NJ so I will be coming back home. I just want to show my sister you can do it. I have done this before here in NJ while attending FDU taking 15 credits & worked 40 hours a week and maintained 3.3 GPA while taken care of 1st nephew. This all can be done it is just how hard you want it. And I have no choose but to want it, my daughter father passed away 1 year next week and life insurance(NONE) and my daughter is use to going to florida once a month every year and last year I had to rip all that from her and just keep the bare essentials for her life not to change so much. But each time I speak to my sister it's not good and when she was here in NJ she tried maybe because I was here? Or maybe because I've always worked hard since I was 16. And at 17 I worked at clothing store for discounts to buy her clothes because her father & our mother broke up & our mother basically wasn't use to working, so as a big sister you want to protect your siblings as much as you can. I will only help watch the children, I only have one and I try not to down grade my little sister by having so many children at such a young age, but if while in florida and she doesn't get her life on track while I'm baby sitting. Which would normally cost her about 1K + a month and weekends, someone you trust, and can leave children with no food or clothing they will be well taking care of thats hard to find. If my sister don't get on school or work wagon while I'm in florida I will stay and finish school because it will be to late to transfer to another school and try to show my nieces & nephews never stop trying like me.

But while I'm in florida I can not live in Jacksonville if I get accepted to UF but I know I will be accepted to UCF is Clermont a good neighborhood can I let my 6 year old out and play with next door neighbor child and education? Or any other town close to UCF within 1 hour driving time because that is what I'm use to now commuting at least 1hr.

Iris14 · 04-06-2009, 06:18 AM

If you have to be in Jacksonville every day or even regularly to help your sister, UCF in Orlando is pretty far, over 2 hours away...

Gainesville isn't super close either, 1 and 1/2 hours or so out from Jacksonville, but it is more nature and country and has more of a "small town" feeling than Orlando, so it would probably be more what you're looking for.

If you are strictly looking for an education and convenience to your sister, and don't want to do all this traveling, there is the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville. It's a pretty good school...

Cheer5 · 04-14-2009, 07:45 PM

Try to look for houses in wintermere pointe great area for kids and close to those colleges

annerk · 04-14-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheer5

Try to look for houses in wintermere pointe great area for kids and close to those colleges

Do you have any idea where Windermere is in relation to Gainesville or UCF? It is not "close" to either of those schools. At least a 45 minute drive to UCF, and about two hours to Gainesville!

GLS2010 · 04-14-2009, 08:47 PM

i think your plan is impossible. sorry lol. unless you get accepted to UF and find a nice home, in a nice community with good schools somewhere in between UF and Jacksonville (which i dont know of any in existence). but i could be wrong so look in to that area between UF and jax, thats your only hope. good luck!