I want to start this blog off with first saying a big thank you to you for choosing to live with JSM and welcome to Champaign-Urbana!  I’m sure for most moving to a new town may be nothing new to you, especially if you are a returning University of Illinois student.  But for many others this is a brand new experience and I know that with moving comes hefty amounts of stress.  Because not only are you moving to a new area, you also have classes starting soon (August 22nd; the Monday after Quad Day!), and that can add even more to your already busy schedule.  But don’t sweat it!  I’m here to help give you some helpful tips and tricks to surviving the first week and help throughout the school year right here!

Look at a Map

You don’t have to take this suggestion literally, but what I mean here is to familiarize yourself with your surroundings.  Do your best to get out of your apartment and go walk around downtown Champaign and downtown Urbana.  If it helps to encourage you to get up and out download Pokémon Go (I hear there is an overabundance of Drowzees located in Downtown Champaign)!  Nightlife during the summer in both downtown Champaign and downtown Urbana is jam packed with events, especially leading into Fall.  Check out the calendar of events here for Champaign, Urbana, and other surrounding towns for great events to check out!

I’m sure plenty of you might use the excuse that you don’t have any way to get there, but lucky for you Champaign-Urbana has a phenomenal MTD (Mass Transit District) system!  The buses cover quite a large part of both Champaign and Urbana, however it would be good to look into their schedule here.  That way you can even plan your trip!  You can also look into Uber.  Although Champaign-Urbana isn’t as large as Chicago, we do have plenty of Uber drivers that come up here and there (especially around campus), and all you have to do is download the app and create an account!  You can find more info on Uber here!

Find Places You Like

While you are out and about town you should definitely find some great places to eat and hangout at.  If you enjoy café’s I would suggest checking out Espresso Royale, Café Kopi, or Aroma Café.  As the weather gets cooler you will have to try the chai tea latte at Aroma Café, it’s delicious!

If you are looking for some great food option I would suggest looking into Fiesta Café (Mexican), Maize (Mexican), Black Dog (BBQ), Farren’s (American), Radio Maria (tapas), Courior Café (American), Bangkok Thai (Thai), Manolo’s Pizza & Empanadas (Italian), Watson’s (American), Mirabelle Fine Pastries(Bakery), or The Dancing Dog Eatery & Juicery (Vegan)!  Honestly, I could go on and on about delicious places to eat at in Champaign-Urbana.  Either way, no matter what you try it is important to get on your feet and explore when you are somewhere new.  It will help you to meet new people and to start feeling more at home as you familiarize yourself with your surroundings.  Not only that, but when finals come around or you have to find that perfect space to study you will already have options.

Parking

If taking an MTD bus or using Uber weren’t to your liking then you are probably looking to get a car at some point.  And for some they get the car but forget one large part of having a car on campus—getting a parking space.  Unfortunately, parking around campus isn’t all that cheap, however Urbana tends to be a bit better of an option if you are just looking for street parking temporarily in a residential area.  Typically, the closer that you want a spot to campus the more expensive it will be.  JSM has a number of parking options, both covered and uncovered.  When you are looking at the two options keep in mind that the weather in the Midwest can be a little…  Odd.  At times during the winter there could be one snowfall or we could have a winter where we get 6 feet of snow in the matter of a day!  With all the ups and downs consider what you are comfortable with.  Do you want to be scraping snow and ice off your car?  Because while JSM does provide some heated ramps for garages as well as snow removal, we can’t clean off all the cars in uncovered spaces!  Also consider how often you will need to access your car.  If you are someone who will be driving every day because you work around town after classes then perhaps it would be wise to consider getting a parking space close to your apartment.  For those of you who only need to use your car to drive home once a month then maybe get a cheaper space that is a little further from campus.

If you are unable to get a parking space with JSM then I recommend getting in touch with these other companies to find parking and if none of these options (listed below) workout you can always check with other apartment companies:

City of Champaign Parking Permits   217-403-7050

City of Urbana Parking Permits          217-384-2346

UIUC Parking Permits            217-333-3530

Utilities

Saving money on utilities is one of the most important skills to best if you are new to apartment living.  Here are some conservation tips to help you save some money while helping our planet!

Turn your computer off when not in use.

Turn off your display device or monitor when not in use.

Unplug cell phone chargers, curling irons, hair dryers, etc. when not in use.

Turn off lights when not in use.

Make sure furniture, curtains, and rugs don’t block the flow of air from vents and air registers.

In the winter, open the curtains and shades to let the sun warm your home naturally.

Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and higher in the summer.

Don’t let the faucet run while you clean vegetables.  Rinse them in a filled sink or pan.  This can save 150 to 250 gallons a month.

Don’t use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket—throw trash in a garbage can instead.

Shorten your showers.  Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and shaving.  This simple step can save up to 3 gallons each day.

When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible.  This minimizes rinse water needed.

Wash a full load of dishes in the dishwasher.

Groceries

The first time I had to go grocery shopping on my own was terrifying.  Everyone around me seemed to look like they belonged there—had planned things out—while I wandered each aisle.  I didn’t know how to shop for food for myself without someone guiding me.  I had bought snacks before and Gatorade, but typically my parents were the ones telling me what was needed at the house or they were with me.  Instead of overbuying things I would constantly under-buy things.  I never seemed to have enough food and made the mistake of trying to get by with bagels, ramen, and protein shakes.  I recommend using your resources.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t hesitate to pull up good ol’ Google and type in a suggestion for a grocery list for one.  Pinterest has great suggestions.  From how to store your food items to giving you healthy lists to choose from I recommend checking them out here.  Or just log in to your Pinterest account and type in “grocery list” and you’d be surprised what will come up!