Boston University School of Social Work SSW Office of Student Services Charles River Student Guide 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? Transportation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 Location & Accessibility Transit Costs & the BU Semester Link Pass BU Shuttle Bus (B.U.S) Rideshares, 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. 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 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 an expensive city. Start 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 investigate first are Allston, Brighton, and Brookline (Brookline is the most expensive of these three). These three neighborhoods surround BU and have many students and young professionals. They are also easily accessible by transportation to BU. Other students also enjoy living in Cambridge and Somerville, the neighborhoods located across the Charles River from BU. Jamaica Plain is also very popular with a funky feel and is not far but takes a change in “T” lines (see Transportation section below). Although these locations are a bit less convenient by public transport to BU, they also have many students/young people and cultural events. Traffic around the city is congested and parking is hard to find and expensive. A good place to start your search is with BU Real Estate: http://www.bu.edu/realestate/. 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 BUSSW Facebook groups such as BUSSW Incoming Students Fall 2021 (Charles River Campus), BUSSW Part-Time Students (Charles River Campus), BUSSW Advanced Standing Students, and Boston University School of Social Work can also be used to find information about rooms and finding roommates. Transportation Location & Accessibility Try using the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) website, http://www.mbta.com/ or the transit function on Google maps (https://www.google.com/maps) to find out what kind of train and bus service is available to the neighborhood you are considering. 3 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. 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. If you plan to use public transportation (The "T") while you're at BU, you'll be interested in discount T-passes. Here is a link to T-pass Information. Fall passes may be ordered via StudentLink by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, August 10, 2021. 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/ 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 Terrier Transit app on your smartphone you 4 can see the shuttle bus location in real time. Rideshares, Taxis & Rental Vehicles Besides the MBTA, there are other convenient forms of transportation that students use. Many people in Boston use apps such as Uber and Lyft, and there are taxis that often drive around on Commonwealth Avenue. If you want to rent a car for a big shopping trip or a day trip, Boston has ZipCar and BU students get a discounted rate on ZipCar memberships. BU Escort Security Service Members of the student-run escort security service Scarlet Safe Walk are available to walk with you to your on-campus destination late at night. They are stationed at Mugar Library, but can walk you from and to wherever you may need on the Charles River Campus and Fenway Campus. Call them at (617) 353-4877 between the hours of 9 p.m. and Midnight, for a safe walk to your destination. Please note that this service only is available during the fall and spring semesters. 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 protected lanes along Mass Ave throughout BU’s campus. BU has a Bike Safety department dedicated to your biking experience on and around campus. Many people use Blue Bikes 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. 5 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. Boston University’s Plans BU offers Basic and Plus health insurance plans to students. Information on plan benefits and coverage can be accessed on the BU student health services page. Either plan will take effect when classes begin in September. Full-time, three-quarter time and all international students are automatically be enrolled in the Basic Plan; check the deadline to upgrade to the Plus Plan, add dependents, or waive coverage . Students must be enrolled in the Plus plan in order to add eligible dependents. If you decide to waive the insurance plans through BU, you will be required to prove that you have another health insurance plan and that it meets or exceeds the Basic plan that BU offers. MassHealth A list of MassHealth covered services can be seen here. You can apply online at MAhealthconnector.org, by phone at 1-877-623-6765, in person at an Enrollment Center (Boston address is 133 Portland Street, 1 st floor), or by mail with a paper application that you can download from the “Forms” page at MAhealthconnector.org.