<p>Hello,
Living in hot as hell suburbia in Calif, I have no contact with anyone who knows anything on Chicago (save bits mail I get from the U). I'd like to talk to anyone who is going thru the same thing, to get familiarized in between those sparse income of paper: </p>
<p>Has anyone got their housing assignment yet?
What should we bring, what should we wait to come here to buy?
How necessary is a car--how much work to maintain it in the winter?
Any econ majors?</p>
<p>Any econ majors? Are you joking? Chicago is famous for econ. I'm likely to be one of the few on this board who is not an econ major. But I have similar concerns. Just bought a huge coat, but thats about it as far as prep goes. Housing assignments come out in august, right?</p>
<p>Actually, I've never met one here...only bio majors. Where do you get all your info: from the class of 2009 website? (supposedly you can login on CNet to check it out but they keep rejecting my password or username)>:[</p>
<p>Dont bring a car, there is a reason they dont reccomend fresman bring cars. </p>
<p>While you should be able to park not during school hours fairly easy, parking in chicago and anywhere you might drive is not so easy. Also, the chicago winter is hell on cars (especially those used to california who get to experiance massive amounts of road salt for the first time).
Just learn how to use the public transportation because it is easy and convienient.</p>
<p>The CTA is not "easy and convienent", at least not in my opinion.</p>
<p>The busses are never on time, ever. The 55, one of the key busses serving the UofC, can often run 15-20 minutes late. Waiting in the snow for it is not fun. Some bus and train lines are dangerous. None should be ridden late at night, others should be avoided daylong (like the 4 and Green Line). Don't ride public transportation at night with two exceptions: the 173 and 6 busses, which run through safe areas. The busses and trains can be scary and simply dangerous at night.</p>
<p>That being said, don't bring a car. Make friends with those who have them.</p>
<p>Keelee2 must have grown up in the 'burbs. As far as cities goes, Chicago has great public transit. Don't like the 55, take the 4, the 6, the 173 express, walk to the green line subway, take METRA commuter rail...</p>
<p>Yes, sometimes buses get stuck in traffic. So do cars. </p>
<p>And don't let some posters biases of neighborhoods of color scare you off of public transit. Not all "scary areas" (neighborhoods of color) are dangerous. Chicago is a big urban area. Urban areas all have their safety issues. S**t happens. You need to develop some street smarts, which RAs in the dorms will help you to do. Then, get out and explore.</p>
<p>Actually, I grew up in New York City, a city much larger than Chicago, with a much safer public transportation system. I despise suburbs and everything about them.</p>
<p>Urban areas do have issues, but I've never felt as uncomfortable and unsafe on a public transportation system as I have in Chicago.</p>
<p>has anyone been able to access the class of 2009 website?</p>