Thanks, Dee! And thanks for the advice, mystified. I think I'm deciding to go the safe route, because it has a lot of good things going for it---living with others, guaranteed housing + job (vs. applying for something new and trying to find my own apartment), closer to family, no car needed, fewer hours at work (so not up for 9-11 hour workdays! 8 is all I can handle), plenty of resources for both fun and social support around. My dream will still be there next year (gd willing!), and hopefully by then I will be stronger, calmer, and more capable of facing the world. I finally feel good---or at least calm---about this choice, so I think I am going to go for it. Hoping it will work out!