<p>Hi! Just finished ingesting housing info D2 received yesterday and I have just a few questions please..... What is the UR FOOT Camping Trip all about? It won't apply to my daughter cause she's moving in on Aug 24 to start cross country running... I assume it's a team building - get to know you - pre orientation activity. How many students actually do it? Is it worth it? What cell phone service works the best on campus? I'll be shopping for national plans with free long distance. Thought I read somthing about a discounted cell service? I FED-EX everything. How far is the mail room from the dorms if boxes etc are shipped?? Does someone in the mail center e-mail you let you know you have a package? Also will need actual street address and numbers for fed-ex, PO boxes won't work, is this going to be a problem?? Where exactly are the campus mailboxes located, if they are not in your residence halls? Do most parents do the parent orientation? Or do some just take off and explore? Thanks for your time.</p>
<p>I did not do the UR FOOT. Although to be honest, I haven't heard mcuh about it. I did not know anyone that did the trip. For getting to know each other and what not, there's plenty of orientation activities during the scheduled orientation period. </p>
<p>D'lions and RA's will be on hand all orientation long to create a social atmostphere as well as do various group activities and travelling. So I do not think that an additional camping trip will be very exciting. </p>
<p>If I recall correctly, there are two major cell phone services offered on campus: verizon and cingular. both of these services has a contract with the UR and 413 on the UR campus will get with UR security. I have a cingular phone and I get 5 bars practically anywhere on campus with the exception of Hubbell auditoream which is a concrete bunker underground. </p>
<p>As for the discounted plans. I believe that is offered during orientation, there's a big fair after you get your ID on what Cell plan, checking account, and music service you can sign up for. I don't think they offer that before orientation so if you're planning on getting a service before then, you'll have to look locally or wait until orientation. But usually they have offers during orientation of some sort of discount, whether that would be a family plan, "free calling within network," or something to that extent. </p>
<p>I personally do not know of the exact details of how large packages are sent and picked up. However for most packages, what happens is that a slip is placed into the student's PO box at Todd Union. Which is a 2-3 minute walk from Gilbert and Hoeing, and about 5 minutes from Sue B. Students are notified by e-mail when a package is available at the post office. After presenting ID and the packing slip you can claim the package.</p>
<p>I do not know the details of freshman moving in packaging though. As I am a rochester native, I moved in steadily over orientation to avoid the massive car cram that insues from moving in. Although showing up half an hour before the "start" time really helps since after 10AM there's almost a half hour to hour traffic jam becuase materials need to be distributed according to student which is extrememly time consuming. If there are any questions about how large quantities of packages will be handled, I have to refer you to Reslife at the UR. There e-mail is <a href="mailto:housing@reslife.rochester.edu">housing@reslife.rochester.edu</a>. I will also look into it and get a reply if you do not have any success. </p>
<p>About 1/4 to 1/3 of my friends parents did stay for parent orientation. I think most parents, or the students, feel that there really isn't a need to since the students and the parents will be on completely different tracks and the students will be trying to form friends and social groups. I am told that those who did stayed did enjoy it, though they didn't see very much of their child. I don't think UR's parent orientation offers quite as much interesting things as you would get from just exploring Rochester. So I personally do not recommend the parent oreintation. </p>
<p>I hope this was sufficient, if you have any other questions, feel free to write me at <a href="mailto:achang3@mail.rochester.edu">achang3@mail.rochester.edu</a> or contact Reslife at the e-mail address listed above. </p>
<p>Or in the chance that you have AIM, dltprm is my screen name as well.</p>