Boston University School of Social Work
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Boston University School of Social Work SSW Office of Student Services BUSSW Guide to Boston Adapted from the School of Public Health International Student Organization Guidebook Revised by Molly Egan-Williams (SSW/SED 2016), Katie Ouimet (SSW 2017) & Tarik Brown (SSW 2018) Table of Contents Welcome!.......................................................................................................................................................................................2 Housing………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 Where should I live? Safety and Crime Transportation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Location & Accessibility Transit Costs & the BU Semester Link Pass BU Shuttle Bus (B.U.S) Taxis & Rental Vehicles BU Escort Security Service Transportation Apps Biking in Boston Health Insurance………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 Boston University Options MassHealth Exploring……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7 Weather Food Fun and Activities -Student Discounts -Places to Visit -Museums, Art & Culture -Great Views of Boston -Seasonal Fun -Social Aspects -Local Movies 1 Welcome Welcome to Boston University’s School of Social Work! As you are getting ready for your move to Boston, and the beginning of the school year, we want to give you information that we believe will be great to know and will be helpful to your smooth transition to Boston and Boston University’s School of Social Work (BUSSW). Within this guide, you will find tips on which neighborhoods to seek out when looking for housing, how to navigate the MBTA system, information on health insurance options, and just some of the many fun activities that you can enjoy around the city of Boston. Also, each Monday read the BUSSW Student Newsletter for BUSSW Activities and Events, Social Work related, BU and Boston Community events. We try and keep you updated on what is happening at BUSSW (send us what you know and are planning to [email protected] ). We hope this is helpful and we can’t wait to get to know you over the next few years! Best wishes, The School of Social Work 2 Housing/Neighborhoods Where Should I live? Finding a place to live in Boston can be tricky, and it is best to start your housing search as soon as possible. As with any urban environment, it is important to balance safety, cost and convenience as you look for a place to call home. Boston is a relatively expensive city, and monthly rent for a room can range from $550 to over $1000 monthly depending on a number of factors. S tart looking at neighborhoods and price ranges as soon as you can and keep in mind that the rental market moves quickly. The most convenient neighborhoods we recommend you look into first are Allston, Brighton and Brookline (Brookline is the most expensive of these three). The typical amount for a room is around $800, give or take a hundred dollars a month for utilities. These three neighborhoods surround BU, and have many students and young professionals. They are also very easily accessible by transportation to BU. Other students also enjoy living in Cambridge and Somerville, the neighborhoods located across the Charles River from BU. Although these locations have less convenient public transport to BU, they also have many students/young people and cultural events. A good place to start your search is with BU’s Rental Property Management: http://www.bu.edu/rpm/ . Another good website to use is the Off-Campus Housing site at http://www.bu.edu/offcampus/. Current students sometimes use Off-Campus Housing to find roommates, and it is a good place for an in-coming student to find housing close to campus with people who have similar interests. Students also often use Craigslist to search for apartments, however it works best for those who can apartment hunt in-person. Finding a BUSSW Facebook for your cohort or for cohorts ahead of you is a great way to stay connected on upcoming housing, and much more information throughout the year. Using the BUSSW Facebook group such as www.facebook.com/BUSSW can also be used to find information about rooms and finding roommates. Safety & Crime Like any large city, there can be safety concerns in some areas of Boston. Before signing a lease, it is a good idea to look up the address on the crime map provided by the Boston Police Department to gauge the safety of the area. If you are uncomfortable with what you discover about an apartment or a neighborhood you are considering, please be cautious and continue your search 3 Transportation Location & Accessibility Try using the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) website, http://www.mbta.com/ or the transit function on Google maps (http://www.maps.google.com) to find out what kind of train and bus service is available to the neighborhood you are considering. Bostonians informally call the train system the “T” and MBTA train/bus passes a “Charlie card.” Several train lines connect the city: the Green line, the Red line, the Blue line, the Orange line, and the Silver line which is actually a bus line. The Green line has four different branches - the B, C, D and E. BU is located along the Green B Line, and the BU School of Social Work is a very short walk from the B line at the BU Central Stop. There are also many bus routes that one can take all over the city. Transit Costs & the BU Semester Link Pass Current MBTA Fares: There are a few options to pay for the MBTA. As of July 1, 2016, the monthly “Link” pass for unlimited train and bus transport is $84.50. One train trip using a reusable plastic Charlie Card (available at certain T stops) is $2.25, while one train trip using a paper Charlie ticket or cash costs $2.75. Bus fares are $1.70 with Charlie Cards and $2.00 with Charlie tickets/cash. Tickets and cards can be purchased at train stations and buses also accept cash onboard. Visit MBTA for a full list of pass prices. BU MBTA Semester Link Pass: Each semester Boston University offers students the option to buy a discounted BU semester MBTA pass to save 11% on four months of transit regardless of pass type (link, local bus, commuter rail). For the Fall Semester pass, the price includes the months of September, October, November, and December. For the Spring Semester pass, the price includes the months of February, March, April, and May. This is a good option for students who will be using the MBTA on a frequent basis. The pass must be purchased ahead of time, and can be picked up a few days before the beginning of the allotted time. Those interested in purchasing Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Semester Passes for the 2019 Fall semester must apply before the application deadline of 4 p.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, August 10, 2019.ester Pass is available for purchase via the Student Link website here under the "Personal” tab. Learn more about the BU MBTA Student Semester Pass to decide if it’s right for you. Parking The transportation offices websites also have useful information on modes of transport in the city, offers for students, etc. Check them out at: http://www.bu.edu/parking/ and http://www.bu.edu/parking/general-information/ 4 BU Shuttle Bus (B.U.S.) This FREE bus service for BU students transports students to and from the BU Charles River Campus to the BU Medical Campus located in the South End, including the School of Public Health. A valid Boston University ID or other acceptable proof of affiliation with the University is sometimes required to board The BUS. Check out this website for the BU Shuttle stops, schedule and the bus route: http://www.bu.edu/thebus/. If you download the BU Mobile App on your smartphone you can see the shuttle bus location in real time. Taxis & Rental Vehicles Besides the MBTA, there are other convenient forms of transportation that students use. There are taxis that often drive around on Commonwealth Avenue, and apps such as Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar have become widely popular in the recent years. If you want to rent a car for a big shopping trip or a day trip, Boston has ZipCar available. BU Escort Security Service BU has an escort service that is available late at night if you don’t feel comfortable walking alone on campus (from 8PM -2AM). An escort is available to all students, faculty, staff, and University guests from one on-campus location to another. Two walkers are dispatched for each walk request and are equipped with a radio for contact with the supervisor. All staff may be identified by their uniforms – a red jacket from the Student Activities Office. Please call 617-353-5498 for the service. Transportation Apps Many students use transit apps on their phones to track current arrival times for MBTA trains and buses. Some apps are limited to iphones or androids but recommendations include: Open MBTA; Your Bus Boston; Transit; and MBTA Tracker. Biking in Boston Biking is a popular form of transit in Boston and the city continues to add bike lanes, including the upcoming addition of protected lanes along Mass Ave throughout BU’s campus. Many people use Hubway 5 to rent bikes for their commute or for exploring the city. Make sure that you have the skills, knowledge, and tools to bike safely throughout the city. Please be aware Boston is congested with traffic and biking can be dangerous. Google Maps and Boston Bikes are good resources for developing your bike routes throughout the metro Boston area. Health Insurance Health Insurance can be confusing to navigate, especially when moving to a new state. Below is some information about the plans that are offered to students through BU and information about MassHealth.