Prepare for a BIG gap in your cash flow. Chances are, your first paycheck won’t come until at least one month after the term starts, and that’s probably at least six weeks after you have all the expenses of moving. After accepting an offer, ask how the paycheck schedule operates, and be prepared to borrow, beg, or be broke. I borrowed. You may also have a gap in health coverage to finesse somehow.

Expect a busy fall. I started with a woman who had just had a baby in June, and negotiated the fall off from teaching. But she wound up coming to campus so often for orientation meetings, new faculty welcome receptions—in women’s studies, by the dean’s office, etc—anyhow, that it wasn’t the most efficient use of a semester without teaching.

Follow up on new faculty acquaintances. I made a couple of friendly acquaintances, people whom I later went to concerts with, etc, just because I had seen them twice at two different receptions and said “hey, we’re on the same circuit, let’s do coffee.” Coffee is very low pressure.

Don’t get miffed if senior people don’t reach out. I have friends who think it is the responsibility of senior people in their department to come introduce themselves, suggest coffee, etc. Result: years later, there are still people they don’t communicate with freely. Don’t let this happen to you. Knock on anyone’s door and be friendly.

Argue or add in the comments. There’s a bit of a social theme here, but no need to feel trapped by that.