Thanks, OTMAAfan! You'll get a chance. 
Does anyone happen to know of any inexpensive but decent places to stay in St. Petersburg?
I stayed at the
Nevsky Hostel on Bolshaya Konushennaya. Cheap, clean, and a supermarket across the street. They have a kitchen so you can save money by cooking most or all your meals there. You'll meet tons of travelers, but it's not "party central" like some hostels. I stayed here and met so many people. I also LOVED the location. It's right off of Nevsky Prospect and the courtyard empties out onto Palace Square. It's 1 1/2 blocks from Church on Spilled Blood, and a block from Kazan Cathedral. The Nevsky Hotel Group has regular hotels too, which might be less costly if you're sharing a room with others. There's also the
Cuba Hostel behind the Kazan Cathedral. My friend stayed there and loved it. Whatever you choose, make sure it's between the Fontanka Canal and the Winter Palace and close to the Nevsky Prospect. That way, you'll be close to a majority of the sites. Being anywhere else kind of sucks and the time it takes to get anywhere will eat into your schedule.
If you have any questions, please do feel free to PM me. I'm excited for you and know that although you've expressed some anxiety about this trip, that you'll come back a seasoned traveler!! :-)
