Dear MAPHers,
Welcome to Chicago! Now’s the time that some of you are arriving in the city and beginning to settle in. Below, we’ve complied a short list of the top things to do when you arrive here, before Colloquium begins. You can read part 1 of 2 here, and check back here next week to find the second installment!
Your Mentors,
Jess, Michael and Clancey
- Get your University ID Card
Your ID card is an invaluable resource for your time at UChicago. It’ll get you into the campus libraries, allow you to check out books, allow you to access the university gym and the university pub (with a membership), use Student Health & Counseling Services, copy, print, scan or fax at various locations on campus (including the Regenstein library), borrow equipment for free from the TECHB@R, and ride the 170, 171, and 172 CTA buses and the UGoDaytime and UGoNightRide shuttles for free.
The good news is that you can get your ID card right now! You can collect yours at the Identification and Privileges Office, located in the lobby of Joseph Regenstein Library – just take a sharp left immediately before the electronic barrier that leads to the main part of the library. They’ll make your ID card for you for free; the whole process takes only a couple of minutes. All you need with you is a government-issued photo ID. The office is open weekdays until 6pm and Saturdays until 1pm.
- Find, Fix Up and Furnish your Apartment
First of all, for those of you still working on finding an apartment: Mary Adekoya works as a liaison between the Division of the Humanities and the MAPH Office regarding housing for incoming MAPH students. She’s a vital resource in helping incoming MAPHers make the transition into housing this summer as smooth as possible: she’s your go-to person for grad housing questions, other rental options, navigating the particulars of your move-in process and general questions about living in Hyde Park and Chicago. You can contact Mary at maph-info@uchicago.edu.
Marketplace is UChicago’s very own version of Craigslist, and is a fantastic resource for finding everything from apartments to coffee tables, books to coffee tables. It’s an especially great place to get bargain furniture for your apartment, and most of its users are located in Hyde Park, which means less time and effort hauling bedframes or bookshelves into your new place. Check out their “free” section for some real steals, and “Miscellaneous” for some seriously weird stuff.
This is also a great time to do practical things for your apartment, make yourself comfortable and get everything organized before the mayhem of fall quarter gets underway. This might mean doing anything from a trip to Ikea or Target to sorting out your utilities and setting up Wi-Fi in your apartment. Remember, the MAPH staff will be here every weekday until the start of Colloquium, so feel free to drop by or send us an email if you need any help on that front.
- Learn how to use the CTA
Ventra is the name of the city’s transit and prepaid debit card that you can use to board the CTA anywhere in Chicago. Buy them and top them up at Walgreens, CVS or an L station!
The 6 and 2 buses will take you from Hyde Park to downtown and back again, which means they’re a useful way of beginning your journey to much of the city, as L trains are within easy reach of the 6 and 2 routes.
Within Hyde Park, remember that your UChicago ID grants you free and unlimited access to the 170, 171, and 172 CTA buses and the UGoDaytime and UGoNightRide shuttles. You can track shuttles and buses in real time here – especially useful when the weather gets cold and you don’t want to hang around at the bus stop.
A word of advice: don’t always trust route suggestions from Google maps, as they’ve been notoriously unreliable in the past. If in doubt about how to get somewhere outside of Hyde Park, ask us! We’re here to help.
- …Go Sightseeing!
If you arrive with some time to spare before Colloquium, take the opportunity to explore the city a bit. You’ll be glad you did. There will be plenty of time to get your Core reading done, and besides, other classes don’t start up until October! Now is the perfect time to relax, enjoy the weather (rumor has it that it won’t always be this warm), be a “tourist,” find some events to check out, and explore Chicago’s many unique neighborhoods. Here are some suggestions of things to see and do when you arrive:
- Take a walk to Promontory Point.
Promontory Point, a small peninsula jutting out into Lake Michigan, is one of the gems of Hyde Park. To get there, walk along 55th Street as far east as it goes and walk through the underpass under Lake Shore Drive. The Point has one of the most gorgeous views of the Skyline in the city, grassy areas to picnic or throw a Frisbee, and fire-pits for s’mores.
The Point connects with the Lakefront Trail, an 18-mile stretch along the shore perfect for biking, running, and walking. It’s also steps away from the 57th Street Beach.
- Watch a movie in Millennium Park.
Each summer Millennium Park hosts a Summer Film Series which screens a movie in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (a super-cool, metallic structure) each Tuesday at 6:30. Admission in free – bring a blanket, snacks and drinks and you’re set! It’s right in the heart of downtown and steps away from the Bean (a must-see). Lots of great selfie ops. However, as summer is quickly coming to a close, there are only two nights left in the series! Definitely worth checking out.
- Check out an art museum.
Chicago has several world-class art museums and exhibits, many of which are free!
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- $7 for Students with ID
- Admission is FREE for Illinois residents on Tuesdays year round
- Free admission
- Right across from Millennium Park and the Bean
- Art exhibits, performances, talks
- Free for UChicago Students with ID! (A great reason to get your ID ASAP)
- Near the beginning of the year, we will take a trip as a group to the Art Institute, but since this museum is seriously enormous, you can definitely go several times and still not see everything.
- Free admission to all
- Super easy to get to – right in Hyde Park!
- The Smart Museum is UChicago’s fine art museum. It may be small, but don’t be fooled; there are some impressive pieces in here.
- Explore a new neighborhood.
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, each of which has its own unique vibe. While the weather permits and the workload hasn’t yet reared its head, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the CTA by going on adventures all around the city. Try some new food. Find a cool bar. Take a meandering stroll. Here’s a helpful guide of things to do by neighborhood: http://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods-and-communities/
See you next week for the next installment!