<p>hey! i know there is a lot of this floating around already, but any tips for navigating the u of c as well as the city would be appreciated...thanks</p>
<p>nervous? excited! first year</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Open a Citibank account at home if possible (shouldn't be too hard in the NY area). There is a branch and ATM on campus and their checking services are good for students. They offer account signups on opening day but if you can take care of it earlier that's probably a good idea.</p></li>
<li><p>Bring surge protectors, paper towels, and trash bags. 3 essentials that people always seem to forget. </p></li>
<li><p>Get a Chicago Plus card ASAP so you don't have to wait several days once you get to school. </p></li>
<li><p>Be patient, enjoy the summer, and get a job because you will need a lot of money for school and the city.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>OK thanks, Jack!</p>
<p>--Add to the essentials some form of cutlery. I used a pen to stir my hot chocolate for months and stole forks from somebody I didn't like when I ordered takeout Chinese.</p>
<p>-- The school isn't as hard as its cracked up to be. Don't worry too much about academics-- you got in, you'll be able to do them. If you're worried, talk to your profs/TA/advisor/older housemates and don't let it fester. O-Week will introduce you to a lot of people who are there for you. Try to remember who they are and where you can find them if you should have any problems, academic or otherwise.</p>
<p>-- Explore Chicago. There are tons of cheap restaurants all over the city that are CTA-friendly. (Some of my favorites-- Lao Sze Chuan in Chinatown, the Tank in a Thai neighborhood on the Argyle stop of the Red Line, Flat Top Grill in Old Town, and just about anything on Devon Street).</p>
<p>-- Buy the most expensive winter clothing you can. Woolen underwear is amazing.</p>
<p>--Don't spend all your flex dollars and dining points at once. As a first-year, it's nearly impossible to do that anyway.</p>
<p>--Befriend people who are 21 and over.</p>
<p>-- Relax, be open-minded, and give yourself time to adjust to things (having your first and only class of the day at noon, a roommate, no parents). You'll have a good time here.</p>
<p>let me add one:</p>
<p>Chicago is not a town very freindly to under 21s. They card heavily.</p>
<p>Agree about splurging on winter clothing. Agree on surge protectors/extension cords/etc. Agree on friending 21+ and/or frat brothers. Agree on Citibank. Agree on Chicago Plus card. </p>
<p>In other news,</p>
<p>Bring a bowl, plate, cup, and mug. Or two of each. (And feel free to bring a shot glass if you're into that.)</p>
<p>You can "borrow" spoons, forks, knives, salt, pepper, and garbage bags (plastic grocery bags fit most trashcans well) from your dining hall. Real garbage bags are good for alternative uses.</p>
<p>Bring a Tide stick "To Go."</p>
<p>Bring quarters. </p>
<p>Figure out a system for where you keep your ID on your body and where you put it when you're in your room. Same with your cell phone.
If you're not from nearby, feel free to shop for stuff with your roommates once you're on campus. Locate the Wallgreens ASAP and befriend it.</p>
<p>Get a haircut before you leave.</p>
<p>Figure out fast and cheap ways to get presents for people.</p>
<p>Learn that Chicago has a Subway on every corner.</p>
<p>Learn a few staple places to go downtown for fun, such as the movie theater or where to shop or where you like to go out to eat.</p>
<p>y do we need surge protectors?</p>
<p>You need something to plug all your stuff into, and having it be a surge protector is just a good decision. It's not strictly necessary. You'll probably want something, though. Many rooms won't have enough outlets in the right places for your computer, cell phone, fan, lamp, music player, etc.</p>
<p>Should we bring any specific school supplies, like paper and notebooks or such?</p>
<p>(I'm guessing yes, but just in case I'm wrong...)</p>
<p>You can buy them at school. Since you're coming from Texas you'll want to pack lightly, so plan on buying notebooks and pens and everything once you're here. You can get them at the campus bookstore, CVS, Wallgreens, online, etc.</p>
<p>What's a Chicago Plus card?</p>
<p>A card for public transportation around Chicago (the city, not the university).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.chicago-card.com/ccplus/faq.aspx%5B/url%5D">http://www.chicago-card.com/ccplus/faq.aspx</a></p>
<p>You may want a fan - especially if you are in the older dorms. If you are flying in, remember that Chicago does have <em>stores</em>. You will likely be able to find an RA or a native Chicagoan to mount a shopping expediation during O-week.</p>
<p>O-Week has buses running to Target every day.</p>
<p>Going to Target has the additional advantage of being your first foray into South Side ethnography. It is dead center in the hood (Jessie Jackson Jr's congressional district). </p>
<p>Alternatively, if you are flying into Midway with a parent and have a rental car, you should really aim to swing by Wal*Mart since it is a mile or two from the terminal. Adjacent to it is Aldi's, a German food discounter where you can get snack foods, soda and the like incredibly cheap. A little easier than hauling stuff on a bus. </p>
<p>One of the best Chicago secrets though is Filene's Basement. There are two stores, both downtown, that are quite sizable and have a fair amount of designer clothing deeply discounted. You can save a bundle if you have to purchase true winter clothing for the first time, even over places like JC Penny during their sales.</p>
<p>Haha, as my ever-cheery RA says about the South Side Target, "Make sure you go with a few people."</p>
<p>If the whole idea of living in a city and using public transportation is making you dizzy, you'll be going around the city all throughout O-Week and getting used to the various ways of getting around.</p>