I am going to fly, by myself, as a freshman, to other side of country...I'm scared - Page 2

Hunt · 05-15-2012, 12:52 PM

"The Philadelphia International Airport is located in the southwest of Philadelphia. When you get to the Philadelphia International Airport, you can take a train or a taxi to get to Temple University's Main Campus. The SEPTA (regional rail) airport line (R1) connects directly to both Philadelphia downtown and Temple University. The fare is about $7. By taxi, the cost from the airport to Temple University's Main Campus is about $35."

hanselparent · 05-15-2012, 12:56 PM

There is no facebook group for my school, only alumni and interest group

nysmile · 05-15-2012, 12:58 PM

You may be over-complicating the move. An easy way to do it is to ship a couple of boxes beforehand to your college mailing address. One box could include your linens (bed stuff, towels, pillow, blanket). Another box could contain your personal stuff like bathroom supplies, first aide stuff, shoes, etc. This way, you will only have to pack enough clothes in your suitcase to last a week.

Once you get to school, your parents can easily ship more clothes to you as well as anything else you need.

Contact housing and ask them the procedure for shipping a few boxes to your college address before move in day. Also ask them if you will be able to pick them up on move-in day. If these options are available, make sure to pack the boxes so they won't be too heavy for you to carry. This way, all you will have to do is pack a suitcase, hop on the plane, and take a cab from the airport to your dorm at the college. Once you get to your dorm, head to the mailroom and pick up your packages.

Look at the move as a series of small steps in a recipe rather than one enormous project. It will help to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Good luck.

911C2S · 05-15-2012, 01:04 PM

If the school is Temple:

Temple University Class of 2016 | Facebook

911C2S · 05-15-2012, 01:07 PM

Also from Temple's website:

Campus and City guide info (i.e., transportation)

Temple University

fauxmaven · 05-15-2012, 01:14 PM

Ask the school to put you in touch with someone else from your area ,or someone else who is a freshman and can help you once you get there .

robotbldmom · 05-15-2012, 01:27 PM

curleq94: First off, don't be frightened, have confidence in yourself. Write yourself a list of what you will be packing and what you will be shipping so you don't forget anything you need. Organize all your paperwork such as college papers, money, bank cards, checking book, flight information and Identification. Make a copy of everything in your wallet and your important papers. Leave one copy at home and bring one copy for yourself. Look on Google maps and find the quickest way to your college from the airport.

Okay, take a breath. When you board the flight, stow your carryon in the overhead and place your personal bag(with wallet/papers) under the seat in front of you (where your feet go). Relax and enjoy the plane ride.

Upon arrival, take your personal bag and carryon and leave the plane, follow the signs to pick up your luggage, and then grab a cab. Since you have directions to your college -tell the driver that you want to go to XXX College taking the XXX route.

When you arrive at the college pay your driver and tip.

Follow all the Happy Students to the dorms (there should be a checkin center where you will pick up your keys). Study hard, work hard, eat and sleep and have the time of your life. Good Luck and Enjoy!!

JHS · 05-15-2012, 01:41 PM

For Philadelphia, it's fine to take the train in from the airport, and that will save you about $25 right there.

In terms of getting to your school:

If you are going to Temple, there is a train station for Temple at the end of the airport line, but it's a couple of blocks off campus (and not in a nice direction). If you have someone else to travel with, and you are arriving during the day, it shouldn't be any problem to use that stop (and it won't cost you any more than it would to get off the train in Center City). Temple may even run a shuttle bus from the station. Otherwise, the best thing to do would be to get off the train at Suburban Station, and follow the signs to the Broad Street (Orange) Subway Line going north. That will put you right smack in the middle of the busiest, safest part of campus, and it is something you will use time and again while you are a Temple student, so getting to know it is a good idea.

It won't be a problem having carry-on luggage any of these places.

Different directions for other places. There's a station for Penn on the airport train line, but it's really at the edge of campus, several blocks' walk (at least) from any of the dorms. They run a shuttle bus, I'm pretty sure.

SansSerif · 05-15-2012, 01:54 PM

I'm from Philly, too. Temple is the only one in a seriously bad neighborhood, and even there it's more a matter of getting to know the area. JHS gave you good advice on how to get there.

If it's any other school, let us know. We can help you get there! Philly is really not so hard to get around. I promise.

Marian · 05-15-2012, 02:15 PM

A few tips:

1. Buy your plane ticket using a credit or debit card with your name on it that you will be carrying with you. With certain airlines, there may be a problem if your parents buy the ticket with a card you don't have.

2. Make sure you have a photo ID (your driver's license or passport).

3. Bring only what you can carry in one trip. Put your laptop in a backpack. That's your carry-on. Check a suitcase. If you can manage two suitcases at once, great. If not, just bring one.

4. Go to the bathroom in the airport BEFORE you pick up your luggage. That way, you don't have to maneuver your suitcases into a bathroom stall.

5. If it's possible to ship stuff to your dorm so that it arrives before you do (ask your college), do so. If not, have your parents ship it so that it arrives the day after you do, and carry only a couple of changes of clothing and some bedding in your suitcase. All of your important papers go in your laptop backpack.

6. Take a taxi. Don't try to learn the local mass transit system on your first day, when encumbered with multiple pieces of luggage.

911C2S · 05-15-2012, 02:21 PM

If you haven't flown in a while, be sure to check out these sites regarding what you can bring on a plane. Since you're planning on carrying luggage on, be sure that you understand the carry-on limitations, otherwise you'll be throwing stuff out at security.

TSA: Prohibited Items

TSA | Transportation Security Administration | 3-1-1 on Air Travel

CTTC · 05-15-2012, 02:24 PM

The OP is flying from LAX to Philly to be a Temple student.

kathiep · 05-15-2012, 02:25 PM

Great helpful posts above! I am not a city person, but do take public transportation in Philly. I never feel unsafe and wouldn't hesitate to take a train from the airport, but agree with posters who have said that taking a taxi when you first arrive will be the best way. It will put you right at the door of your dorm. Here's a pricing chart: Taxi Fare Finder Philadelphia, PA - Estimate Your Taxi Cab Fare, Cost & Rates I am sure there is or will be a FB page and you can find someone to ride with from the airport. Many, many students fly in to the area colleges. You can do it! My daughter flew herself in with a desktop computer!

Found the FB page - https://www.facebook.com/Temple2016

rodney · 05-15-2012, 02:36 PM

One more thing: If Temple does not have the ability to store multiple packages that you need to send ahead, there are other options....

1) The local UPS store near Temple will probably be able to store anything sent UPS to them; check that out http://www.theupsstorelocal.com/5760/

2) We looked into a new company called box my dorm; it was mentioned on the UAlabama thread.....they use Fedex and will do home to dorm shipping.....

3) Use this service for shipping: http://www.collegeboxes.com/cb-com/g...mpleuniversity

atomom · 05-15-2012, 03:15 PM

Good luck to you--a few years ago, my S did the same thing in the opposite direction. He just took carry-on and laptop and we shipped bedding and heavier clothes. It will be an adventure at first--and by senior year it will be routine.

Make sure you call your parents when you arrive!

Our S didn't--he didn't have a cell phone/computer not connected yet, and it didn't occur to him to let us know he'd arrived safely. After 3 days I called the school to make sure he'd actually checked in!
S's parting words were "I don't wanna go to college. . ." I imagined that he'd either walked away from our local airport after H dropped him at the curb, or was dead in a bathroom at LAX, or maybe had taken a bus to the beach instead of college. . .

I have a big imagination. . .