Ann Arbor tips for new comers???

[katfife]

I am moving to Ann Arbor here shortly to start Ave Maria and have never been to Michigan before.  (I'm moving from California)  Do any Michigan natives have any tips for a new-bee??  Other than ditch the flip-flops and bring the ski parka (all of my friends think I'm nuts to move somewhere so cold )  Any tips on where to/not to live, grand places to check out or general info would be totally appreciated!!
Thanks!!

[elo]

You are going to *love* Ann Arbor. Easily one of the best cities in America. Two tips: Eat at Zingerman's (even the NY Times calls it America's best deli) and go to UMS concerts. (see ums.org). Also (okay, this is a third tip), save lots of money to pay for parking tickets.

elo

[Liteon]

I just started a new Yahoo Group for the soon to be 1-L at Ave Maria.  Come and join the group.  Here's the link.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AveMariaSchoolofLaw

[Lilli]

Do you need a car in Ann Arbor? 4 wheel drive? How are snow conditions? How far is skiing?

Also, does anybody know an apartment complex that allows Chow Chows.

I am considering taking the plunge at Ave Maria- can't beat the scholarship offer. Any info or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

[AMSOL2008]

I too am going to be at Ave Maria this Fall. I'm moving up from Texas. I visited the city a few weeks ago and came away very impressed. You should like it.

[LaneSwerver]

Do you need a car in Ann Arbor? 4 wheel drive? How are snow conditions? How far is skiing?

Also, does anybody know an apartment complex that allows Chow Chows.

I am considering taking the plunge at Ave Maria- can't beat the scholarship offer. Any info or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

I'll just give you encouragement. I think you're making a great decision! See you in the fall.

[Painting101]

I lived in Ann Arbor for 2 years.  You should keep the flip flops, they're a staple of Ann Arborinian wardrobes.

You must attend at least one U of M football game your first year.  It will change your life.

You must visit Deja Vu in Ypsilanti.  Hundreds of beautiful girls, and 3 ugly ones.  Girls get in for free.

You must go to BD's Mongolian BBQ on Main Street.

That's all I can think of now.

[panahi]

I have a little Nissan pickup, and I had to put sandbags in my bed one day to get to school. I was just spinning the tires on the snow. It was the morning of my contracts final. I think as long as you have some weight over your drive wheels, you will be able to get around just fine. You need to get a snow scraper for the winter, some gloves, a rain coat, and a warm hat. It gets really cold in the middle of winter, really cold!

Summer is perfect here. The sun comes up at 5am and sets at 10pm.

Brian
Ave Maria 2L

Do you need a car in Ann Arbor? 4 wheel drive? How are snow conditions? How far is skiing?

Also, does anybody know an apartment complex that allows Chow Chows.

I am considering taking the plunge at Ave Maria- can't beat the scholarship offer. Any info or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

[brown]

The most important thing to purchase is an artificial orb, or globe, to light up your room during the 6-month-long winters.  As the sun rarely makes an appearance, you need something to tell you when it's daytime and keep you from getting depressed.  (Another remedy is to buy a clock that tells jokes.)  In winter, living in Ann Arbor is analogous to living in a cave, only the cave is very big and you can drive around.

The cold in the wintertime is dangerous, so it's best to stay inside.  If you must venture out, wear two or three coats and put heated bricks in all the pockets.  You can make your own heated bricks with regular bricks: just heat them in boiling water for five minutes and put them in your pockets with tongs.  They'll help keep you warm, and the extra weight is good for traction.  Note: don't warm the bricks in the microwave; they explode.

Finally, if you don't have a pair you'll need to get some snowshoes.  Last winter a few students tried to walk to school in regular snow boots and sank in the ten-foot snow like it was quicksand.  Fortunately there were other students on hand to fish them out.  (They tied backpacks together and made a sort of rope.)

Good luck!

[lawschoolfeind]

Hey, I'm wondering how hard it's goin to be to find housing?

I know that it's really getting down to the wire, but I haven't secured my private loan yet (@ UMich that is) and I don't want to sign a lease just in case I don't get a loan.

I'm thinking that my loan situation should be figured out by about the first week of August, will that give me enough time to find a place?