The days of U-M students sitting on porch sofas watching the world go by are numbered. The city of Ann Arbor is considering banning the outdoor use of “upholstered furniture designed and manufactured for indoor use” due to safety hazards. Ann Arbor Fire Department Marshal Ron Heemstra explains that the foam cushions in many couches are a serious fire hazard that can be ignited by a dropped cigarette. Other college towns, such as Boulder, Colorado, and East Lansing, Michigan, have recently passed similar laws.

New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are the most expensive cities in the United States, according to an annual cost-of-living survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the least expensive American city on the list. The survey uses the cost of 200 goods and services in order to determine rankings. Cost-of-living in various cities is a good thing to consider when you think about moving. Bankrate.com offers a cost-of-living calculator that can help you compare cities. And if you’re looking for a really cheap place to live, move to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic—it’s the world’s cheapest city!

Wherever you live, chances are you might not be able to move into that deluxe apartment in the sky right away. If you share your place with some unwanted pesky visitors, don’t worry. Here are some tips to keep the bedbugs (and other insects) away:

• If you have ants, be extra careful with your food. Seal it up and don’t leave anything out. Then, set traps with bait that use chemicals ants will mistake for food. The bait will bring out the ants and exterminate them.
• Roaches are a bit harder to kill. You can get bait that smells and tastes like food but will actually kill the roaches. Supplement the bait with roach traps, as well. If the problem still persists, a call to the exterminator might be necessary.
• Mice are going to be looking for food. Take advantage of this by, again, setting out bait in glue traps or snap traps or use mouse poison. Just make sure you dispose of any mice casualties before other mice see them—otherwise, the little critters will be smart enough to stay away. Also look for any entries mice might be using to get inside, such as radiator pipes or holes in the wall. Plug these up with copper wool.

If you are moving to a new city, be sure to take advantage of the Alumni Association’s Relocation Connection. We offer many services that will help make your move easier. Take advantage of our Relocation Connection Hosts, U-M alumni in various cities who have volunteered to give newcomers the inside info about what’s hot in your new city. We’ve also teamed up with Monstermoving, the Web’s most comprehensive relocation information resource, to create an exclusive online moving management site just for Michigan alumni. And our regional alumni clubs are all over the country, so you can find a bit of Michigan wherever you go. Check out all our relocation benefits online.

Is grad school in your future? Or are you unsure about it? There are several things to take into consideration if you are thinking about attending grad school. Before you make the leap, keep these things in mind:

• Can you afford grad school without going into too much debt? Are there viable financial aid options available?
• If you need to enroll into a part-time or evening program in order to afford it, will you have the patience and stamina to see it through?
• Will a potential salary increase due to the degree offset the cost of attendance?
• How passionate are you about going back to school?

For more information on whether to go to grad school and how to choose a program, visit Alumni CareerPort partner Monster.com.