<p>ooo.. it looks great! thanks so much idad.. u just solved a whole bunch of problems for me all at once!</p>
<p>Wooded Isle Suites is very nice (owned and run by a freind of mine). The Ramada Inn will be inexpensive for Chicago and might be a little dated but adequate. (I am in the process of organizing my parents' 60th anniversary in Hyde Park so I am learning a lot about the hotel scene. We actually booked 9 rooms for our relatives at the Wooded Isle Suites. You should know that they are not handicapped accessible.) </p>
<p>If you are intimidated by the predominant presence of African Americans, then don't go to the University of Chicago neighborhood. There will be predominantly African Americans near the Wooded Isle Suites and at the Ramada which is perfectly fine as far as I'm concerned but I then grew up in Hyde Park. Betterday55 - I had my worst car break-in in rural bucolic Vermont. Unfortuantely, these things can happen just about anywhere.</p>
<p>booklet - Skokie is very far away from Hyde Park (at least an hour, probably more). Eat at Bartlett Dining Hall as idad mentioned.</p>
<p>Yeah, we had a window in our van smashed on Nassau Street in Princeton...in broad daylight, next to campus, on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Three cops showed up (one on bike, one on foot, one in car) -- I think we made their day!</p>
<p>Crime isn't limited to the cities...</p>
<p>Honestly, this is sort of pathetic. I'm from Brooklyn, and from what I am reading on this thread, it seems like a lot of non-city kids are acting the stereotype. </p>
<p>Black people are not scary people that mug you. Diversity is a good thing, which is one reason i think there is a great divide between coasts and urban areas and homogenious middle america. Escalades are mad nice cars (despite being SUVs). </p>
<p>I've been mugged before, and its not a big deal, muggers want your money and maybe your cell phone, not to hurt you. It sucks, but its not like going to U of C will get you killed or hurt. Common sense is the key. As long as you walk with confidence, and dont flash anything that people might want (iPods) you are a-ok. You are being silly if you are scared of this stuff--not to say bad things don't happen, but fretting about it and worrying about it is silly to me.</p>
<p>Man up, learn to punch someone if you have to, and like I do in BK, if you end up living in any city, you get to brag to people about walking around in neighborhoods like bedstuy and harlem past 125th street late at night.</p>
<p>Diversity IS a great thing, I lived in both Manhattan and a sheltered CT suburb where 96% of the people were white (from the 2000 census) and I would definitely prefer to live in a city again, no question. </p>
<p>And to be fair, I have barely seen any chromed-out Escalades since getting here, and you have to go like 10 blocks west of campus before you start to see dudes walking around in puffy jackets with huge wads of money in their hands (they really do flaunt it). Most of the people you will deal with in day-to-day life in Hyde Park are just normal, adjusted people who are providing for their families, working jobs. Kids are going to school. It's not the 'jects, it's a genuine community.</p>
<p>No offense, Smirkus, but I wouldn't recommend learning how to punch people. Most of the muggings around here are pretty simple: a few guys walk up behind somebody, put a gun or baseball bat to their head, demand the wallet, and run off/jump into a car. That's most of the crimes reported in the Chicago Maroon police blotter section, anyway. In all the cases, people who surrender their stuff quickly and quietly don't get hurt at all - and they usually catch a description of the guys or their car, which can often get you your wallet back after a police search. </p>
<p>The most important thing, though, is that if you look at the time/places where those events occured, they're all late at night and away from the main campus. The message is pretty clear: don't walk around late at night in places you shouldn't be. Stay with some friends, and within the general area of campus (where the UCPD patrols heavily) and you'll be absolutely fine.</p>
<p>This doesn't mean you won't escape the reality of living in Hyde Park. It's not a cushy area; there was a guy sitting behind me on the 55 who was dealing crack over his cell phone. There are also plenty of homeless people who aren't shy about asking you for money (although they are usually nice enough if you refuse). I mean, it's a major metropolitan center - it's Chicago, baby. If you want to live and go to school in a city you're simply going to have to deal with the realities of doing that.</p>
<p>Okay, so this isn't in relation to being mugged or being a thug or safety, but I do want to know it.
How much does it cost to get a haircut in Hyde Park? I'm not talking an extremely fancy salon, but something just a step beyond a Great Clips. I'm female with shortish hair that needs cutting every 5 to 6 weeks to keep it looking okay, and I'd like to know a ballpark figure to work out planning my budget for next year.</p>
<p>The city of Chicago has a $38.00 excise tax on hair cuts. So considering that in any other city a haircut at a middle of the road salon is in the $20-30 range, a safe bet is around $50.00.</p>
<p>there's a guy in the basement of the Reynolds Club who charges $15 for a haircut; he does a damn fine job on me (With a $3 tip it's $18). 57th street salon is also an option, although probably too pricey to go to regularly (i go there for special cuts). There are other places including one that offers a student discount but I haven't checked those out because I'm happy with the Reynolds guy.</p>
<p>University Barbershop on 57th Street is roughly $18.</p>
<p>Cutting hair is a perfect part-time job for a student. When I was in college, there was a young lady in our dorm who did haircuts. She was good, cheap and it gave her some extra income on her own time.</p>
<p>My friends and I have actually begun practicing on eachother to become skilled at the art of cutting hair for college $$ purposes... it's quite nice. My problem is now that they won't be coming with me!!!
$50 is way steep. I'm liking the sound of the $18 barbershop one- is it mainly for men's styles, or does the barber do girl's cuts as well?</p>
<p>I was just kidding about the $38 tax... as far as I know there isnt a sin tax on hair cuts...yet!</p>
<p>A question about Chicago weather in general, NOT about winter specifically... what's the seasonal breakdown? Like... do all four seasons exist, or is the summer & winter to fall & spring ratio disproportionate? For how many months does each last, and how intensely?</p>
<p>I ask this in case I develop Seasonal Affective Disorder some time in the future. Precautions are always good. :)</p>
<p>Metonymy - I lived in Chicago for many years at different times. There are four seasons but spring and fall are short lived. I would say that spring lasts typically from last week of April till first week of june if you are lucky. Fall lasts from second week of Sept. till second week of Oct. Snow can fall on Oct. 1st and can also fall on April 15th. I've experienced both. The best time most likely will be from the last week-end of May till 4th of July. If you want to come to Chicago, you will need to accept and enjoy long winters and hot summers! The lake makes it great!</p>
<p>Peacemaker has it about right. Chicago weather is something to behold. I remember being at a Cubs game that was snowed out!</p>
<p>I find that the four seasons are a lot more distinct than they are where I'm from (in the Northeast), but Peacemaker's description is pretty on target.</p>
<p>I've known three guys who have gotten very bad haircuts from the basment of Reynold's, so beware.</p>
<p>everyone complains about the reynolds guy, but i've never actually seen anyone complain about a bad experience they had personally. i wouldnt advise it if youre a girl, since hes a barber not a hair stylist, but for a guy without emo hair its pretty hard to screw up that haircut.</p>
<p>The three guys I knew all complained. Two wore hats for a while. Hair grows, though, so no harm done.</p>
<p>Regarding weather: It's very erratic. This year is got chilly in mid-September and stayed about the same temperature until Thanksgiving (so it was actually relative warm for mid-November). Fall is different every year. Sometimes it's pretty warm (maybe light-jacket weather) for most of October. Sometimes it's really cold in late September, then rebounds in October. I guess it's never been (in my three years) a steady decline into cold weather. More like alternating hold and cold weeks.</p>
<p>Other than the Hyde Park area around campus, where are some other cool areas where students live? Do many students live in the city itself or is it too far and too expensive?</p>