Freshman Survival Guide
This Freshman Survival Guide is written by Jordan Krishnayah, it is not meant to be confused with the UC Freshman Survival Guide.
I wrote this initially to condense all the advice and info I wish I had received (or had found useful) into one generic article. By no means is this a step-by-step tutorial on how to get through RPI. I'm leaving a lot of the nitty-gritty details out, because it's incredibly important that you go out there, explore, fail, and experiment. (and also because I don't feel like writing too much)
Food & Grocery
Big Apple Pizza
Big Apple Pizza is probably the best option for a late-night bite when you don't have anything in your pantry. For $10, you get a large cheese pizza, enough to feed 3-4 people. If you come here regularly with friends, don't even bother trying to Zelle each-other and pitch in a few dollars, but rather just have a different person pay for it each time.
One of the most overlooked details is that, for a single dollar, they will deliver to anywhere on campus. This requires a minimum of $13 or so, from what I remember, so you can probably toss a drink or a dessert on top.
Walmart
Bus Route: 87 Downtown Troy to Brunswick
Location closest to Freshman Hill: Directly in front of Troy Middle/High School
To get all your groceries, unless you have a car, or a willing upperclassman friend, you will have to take the bus. Fortunately all buses are free for students, just make sure to bring your RPI id. It'll ends directly in front of the Walmart, so no need to worry about getting off at the 'correct' stop.