Arriving in Boston Before September 1st, Volume III: Integrating with Your BU Community

Boston is a great city, and a great place to live. One of the things that makes it so amazing is the constantly evolving energy from people who move to Boston because it's such a great place to live. Once you have joined their ranks and settled in, it's time to make space for yourself in your new neighborhood. Welcome to Volume III of Arriving in Boston Before September 1st: Integrating with Your BU Community.

This is the fun stuff, you guys.

Practice.

You can see Andy Chae in the School of Music Office for a temporary ID card for access to the practice rooms. He will trade you money ($20 right now, but stay tuned as the amount may change in the future) for the card, which you can swipe in either access door in the basement. Money will be returned to its owner, in exchange for the safe return of the ID.

Practicing is an essential part of performing well on your ensemble audition, if applicable. These auditions tend to fall at the beginning of September, before school starts, so this little chunk of pre-September-1st practice time can be very nice to have!

Go to graduate orientation. 

You will learn how to register for classes, meet fellow graduate students, and gain valuable life skills. If you are feeling particularly sociable, see if some graduate students would like to end the day by getting a meal together, or grabbing a drink. It's important (and fun!) to cultivate these friendships early.

Find a job.

Once you have been assigned your BU login information (name and password), you can access the BU Gig Board. This is a great place to start hunting for work in your area of music. The key is being flexible and having fun, answering emails quickly, and not being afraid to play in new situations.

Also, jobs and quickie jobs are listed here, which is (again) accessible with your BU login information. These jobs include everything from office work to test proctoring to nannying. Find something you like to do, send out a few emails or make some calls, and keep a close eye on the boards for new postings. If you are an international student, on-campus jobs are interesting and plentiful.

Explore Boston

This is, after all, a big part of why you made this crazy-awesome move, right? To spend time in this historically rich, beautiful, culturally saturated place? Buy a one-week pass for the bus and subway system and ride a line all the way to the end; better yet, get yourself a Charlie Card for reduced fares and general awesomeness. Walk to Wally's and listen to some great jazz. Treat yourself to a meal at one of the great restaurants in Kenmore Square. Visit the MIT Museum. Take a stroll through Harvard Square. Go to the Granary Burial Ground. Above all, make yourself at home in this beautiful city which is, now, your home!

These are some quick, simple ways to start to settle into your new environment. Have some tips? Anything you wish you had known before? Let us know!