<p>I was assigned to IV for this coming year, and I was wondering how the surrounding area of IV is? I know there are threads out there that deal with the general safety of the campus, but I was wondering how safe (or unsafe) the IV area is in particular? How far do we have to go to pick up packages? (I think it was somewhere in Columbus Ave?) Is that a safe area? How far is the nearest CVS?</p>
<p>Also, has anyone used the orange line to go to places? How safe is it? Is it safe to go through Ruggles between 7-8am and maybe between 6-8pm? (I have 8 am classes at least 3 times a week)
What time/s should the Ruggles station be avoided? </p>
<p>Any personal encounters you've had with strange people in that area?</p>
<p>So far as I’ve read in these forums, the only time Ruggles is kind of unsafe is after 1 or 2 a.m. other than that there are guards and stuff till 11 I think.</p>
<p>I can only say that my mother, who was almost looking for something to be wrong as we neared the end of my orientation session (she was highly suspicious of how much she liked the school), was not concerned at all about Ruggles. Of course, I’m a guy, but I really expected her to offer some kind of complaint or fear, and she was totally fine with it. I’m personally not worried, but then again… I don’t exactly have a ton of experience. </p>
<p>I did use the subways frequently when I visited Boston over three days last year, and they seemed pretty safe in comparison to what I have seen in other places, at least during most hours of the day. How they get later at night is still a mystery to me.</p>
<p>I haven’t lived in IV, but as far as the area being safe, you have nothing to worry about. Everyone uses the orange line to go places all the time. And as far as 8am classes, that is definitely nothing to worry about. Many, many, many people will be having classes/co-ops where they need to be up and passing through Ruggles before and around 8 am. </p>
<p>I’m not sure where you guys have to pick up packages, but i thought everyone does at Speare. Speare is like a 5- 10 minute walk maybe from IV, but you will be around there all the time for classes or to eat at stetson east/west.</p>
<p>And as for Columbus Ave in general, I would say just don’t walk around there alone very late at night (past maybe 2 am). I worked on columbus ave last year and would walk alone back from work all the way across campus at around 9, and i never felt unsafe. </p>
<p>Hope that helps</p>
<p>Ruggles is always busy, but you if you plan on being in that area late at night (like after 1) definitely have someone else with you. The closest place to pick up your package is on Columbus Ave. Keep in mind that the part of columbus ave that you will be on is technically on campus, so you should feel safe. It’s past a certain point of columbus ave that is a bit iffy.</p>
<p>As a mother who worries a lot, I was worried a bit about my son living in IV and walking through Ruggles. But after this week’s orientation sessions I feel a lot better. </p>
<p>From a logistics standpoint, it is not as bad as I thought. Yes, many freshman live on the other side of campus. But it would be easy to meet at the library (open 24 hours) to study. Also IV is closer to the “other” end of the station than I thought. As an added bonus, a good part of the walk to class is covered (protected from rain/snow).</p>
<p>From a safety standpoint, it sounds like there is a lot of protection from the campus police as well as MTA guards. Yea, late night walks would be better with a buddy… but tis true of all late night walks on a city campus.</p>
<p>We got a chance to ride the Orange Line and Green Line. It seemed ok, but we did not do very late night rides</p>
<p>Orange line can be sketchy riding it really late at night, but no one really does that unless they are with someone else. IV picks up their packages at Columbus, not Speare. Nearest CVS is the same CVS as the rest of campus uses, on Mass Ave, which is about 15 min walk depending on your speed. But Columbus/Tremont have a bunch of small grocery places to pick up essentials when needed. While you shouldn’t do it alone at night, walking south of campus is safe until you get past Washington, where it can turn a bit sketchy. Some people don’t like walking past Tremont without a large group, but I (a girl) have never had a problem and I know a lot of people who live in apartments in the Washington/Tremont stretch of Mass Ave that feel safe at all hours.</p>
<p>Seriously don’t be worried about IV. The way I look at it is this: if you feel scared living in IV because you have to walk on Columbus to get packages or walk 15/20 minutes to get packages or have to go through a train station at night (not saying you are, but if so) then you probably shouldn’t be moving to a city in the first place. Boston is remarkably safe, but if you aren’t comfortable doing simple living activities in a relatively safe area, then you won’t do well in a city at all. Yeah Ruggles is a little weird after 11 pm, but I promise you that at least once in your undergraduate career in Boston, you will have to wait for the last train at 12:45 am in some creepy station far away, quite possibly by yourself.</p>
<p>And stock up on all of your CVS essentials at Target when your parents have their car with them.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input, guys! I’ve read some posts that were a bit concerning (particularly those dealing with NU bordering the Roxbury area), but since that doesn’t seem to be a problem, I’ve got nothing to worry about :). </p>
<p>@ neuchimie: I’ve had my share of city life, believe me, but coming from Canada, I don’t know how American cities would rank in terms of safety compared to Canadian cities, but thanks for the input.</p>
<p>Yeah I didn’t say in really with regards to what you were saying. I’m from the suburbs and I wasn’t too thrilled about city streets at night when I first got here. I’ve just seen a lot of people lately on tours (not the orientees, mind you) who obsess over “well is it safe to walk from the green line to west village? won’t you have to cross the busy street in the dark?” and other such things. And that’s not even parents asking, that’s students. haha</p>