<p>I'm wondering if you can list the stores nearby campus for shopping so I know the correct gift cards to send up to Cambridge. I think there's a Target nearby if I remember a posting from one of the blogs correctly, but I am wondering about grocery stores as well. Thanks.</p>
<p>Well there's LaVerde's, the grocery store <em>on</em> campus (student center).. and they take giftcards in the form of TechCash.</p>
<p>There is a Star Market near campus, which was just acquired by Shaw's. My son received a Shaw's</a> gift card from his grandparents for his birthday earlier in the year. </p>
<p>There is, a short T-ride away, a Bed Bath & Beyond and an REI, among other stores, if you're looking for non-food-related cards.</p>
<p>[url=<a href="http://mollie.mitblogs.com/archives/2006/05/you_gotta_have.html%5DHere%5B/url">http://mollie.mitblogs.com/archives/2006/05/you_gotta_have.html]Here[/url</a>] is my blog entry on where to get stuff around campus. There's also a good site [url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/medical/spousesandpartners/faq/shopping.html%5Dhere%5B/url">http://web.mit.edu/medical/spousesandpartners/faq/shopping.html]here[/url</a>] by Spouses and Partners @ MIT.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>My favorite gift cards to get are restaurant and movie giftcards -- it's nice to get off campus on the weekends and grab dinner and a movie. And don't forget that even gift cards to far-away stores can be useful, thanks to the magic of the internet!</p>
<p>mootmom and mollieb - Thanks a bunch. Mollie, thanks for the links again for your blog entries and the other site. I'll review those again. Figure it makes more sense to get notebook paper at places other than the COOP due to cost.</p>
<p>thanks for the help above!</p>
<p>can i put a small refrigerator and microwave into my dorm? is there a school network to store my files online--in case my laptop crashes? thanks</p>
<p>yes, microwaves I think depend on the dorm but I've heard (technically) no, and yes.</p>
<p>may not be the right topic, but i was wondering if there was any access to sewing machines on campus? or anywhere? i often fix up clothes and things myself but i of course wont have room to bring a sewing machine....</p>
<p>how hard is it to get to bulk wholesale type places like costco from campus? I want to stock up on things like shampoo and bottled water..lol</p>
<p>somethingnew, if you have one, would it be possible to ship it later? I don't know that you'd be able to find one on campus.</p>
<p>cryst4lx3, I'm told it's not difficult to find an upperclassman with a costco membership and tag along for a shopping trip.</p>
<p>As I see it, the problem with buying bulk from places like costco is that you are limited by how much you can carry. Getting purchases from point A to your dorm seems like it could be a very large hassle.</p>
<p>Well, you'll probably know someone with a car. Not a lot of people have them, but enough people have them that you'll probably know at least one. So if you can find an upperclassman with a Costco membership, you can find one with a car too. :)</p>
<p>somethingnew, I don't know of any sewing machines on campus. Maybe the theatre department has some and would let you borrow?</p>
<p>I know that Random has a sewing machine for their residents.</p>
<p>ok, thanks for all the suggestions! i'll ask if i can mooch off of random and/or check the theatre department before i get mine shipped over...</p>
<p>I'm definitely bringing mine - you can borrow it! ;-)</p>
<p>wow, that's brave, i thought that i'd either not find room for it or id get made fun of mercilessly...</p>
<p>How uncommon is it to bring a piano keyboard? All the smartest people I know here at home are musicians on the side, so I imagine plenty of people play at MIT. I'm not much good, but I don't want to stop or I'll lose what little ability I've acquired. It's something I enjoy.</p>
<p>Hamster, I know that at least a few dorms have pianos available for its residents to use.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'll probably keep it under my bed or something and only use it really late at night in my dorm to terrorize my roommate. ;-) No, I actually have no idea when/where I'll be able to use it, but I'm bringing it anyway. And...if people tease me, I'll make fun of them for not knowing how to sew.</p>
<p>Plenty of people bring guitars, so I can't imagine anybody complaining about an electric keyboard if you're reasonable about it.</p>