Like IslandThrift mentioned, and is common knowledge, classes are held in the Annex for 1st semester only.

I didn't get into housing in my earlier post because there are a lot of factors involved, and a lot of personal choices that you have to make. If we get into addressing everyone's concerns, we could be here for ever. And I still have to review all me blood, nervous, and muscle tissue types tonight, so I'll just give you my perspective. There's plenty of info here on ValueMD to supplement.

First and foremost, obviously, is budget. After that, I think, it comes down to how far you're willing to walk.

There's bus service to the Annex - From the Main Gate and also at the bottom of Banana Trail - both free before class, and from Campus at lunch time if there's afternoon classes. After that you can just hop on one of the public transports if you don't want to walk, it's only 38 cents US, so that's not a problem. And as far as nighttime is concerned, there's a van that leaves the library every hour that will take you to your door. So all factoring of location should really be done from the main campus. You'll learn what it is to walk however, when you carry your groceries home (if you're the type to buy groceries), or when you have to go home at high noon on a hot day, with a full book bag, and then hike back to school. I got used to it pretty quick though.

Personally, I reserved a place prior to my arrival. I know some people who didn't, and had a perfectly easy time settling in. And I know some people who did so months in advance, and still had problems. So I think there's some luck involved there. I do recommend, however, that any communications, or money you send, be clear identified, and that you get written confirmations and receipts for everything...just in case.

Understand also, that if you do NOT reserve a place, the housing department will gladly give you a room for one night, and one night ONLY. They expect that the very next morning, after some polite words of warning and encouragement and an odd breakfast, that you get out there and find yourself a place to live (meaning you need to have the first month and deposit for an apartment first thing in the morning, the day after you arrive). RUH is not a hotel for you to stay and sort things out. I think at the beginning of the semester the Housing Dept perhaps has a little too much on their plate.

As far as the different places to live, I find Banana Trail is a great place to start out (and stay all four semesters even - that's my plan). Remember, you can always move. Lizard and MooCow tend to be pricier. Lizard is convenient though, as it's right next to campus. But there are more options on Banana if you don't mind the walk. And they just keep building. Glanvilia is a budget option for a reason. I haven't been down there too often, but there tend to be more locals living in that area, and from what I hear, there are also lots of roosters. And for those who have never lived around roosters, they actually start crowing way before sunrise - sometimes as early as 4:30 a.m. The only place I've seen that I would be weary of is Mamie's. A friend of mine lives there and he doesn't actually have windows, and the walls are wood siding. I'd probably recommend RUH over Mamie's, at least to get started.

Either way, realize that at the beginning everything is completely different and new, and nothing is going to feel right. And you're going to be so busy with school, that, in the end, most of it really doesn't matter. Just look for the basics, safety, and maybe a few creature comforts. The rest you'll figure out as you go.


Cheers! Now, back to my agranulocytes.