Freshman Survival Guide
This Freshman Survival Guide is written by Jordan Krishnayah (+ whoever contributes add ur name here), 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
Obviously, you all have an RPI Dining Plan. I'll cover how to make the most of it below, but if you're really not feeling Commons food, or it's closed, you have a few options.
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.
Making the most of your dining plan
TODO
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.
Panera - Unlimited Drinks (Coffee, Tea, Etc)
Panera has this subscription plan called 'Sip Club,' which normally costs $15 a month. When you first register
This is more of a side note, but a whole baguette at Panera costs $3 and they give you free butter. If you're studying with a group of friends in the Union, it's incredibly cheap and filling.
Social Life
How to meet people
Clubs
Traveling Home
Sometimes you get a little homesick, and if you have a free weekend, it's always great to visit (and maybe surprise) your parents.
New York City is DIRT Cheap to travel to
The best way to travel to NYC, aside from carpooling, is splitting an 8 person Amtrak ticket. Amtrak has group discounts available at amtrak.com/group-travel-discount, where you can get up to 60% off on a bulk order. With this, it's possible to get tickets for as low as around $35 round trip.