<p>Back to books for just a minute - please don’t download them from a torrent site or use other scanned copies. That is illegal. And, although it doesn’t seem like it hurts anyone, it really does hurt the authors of the book. Most of these people are college professors (read: they don’t make tons of money anyway), and they can use what little royalties they get. I know books are expensive, but writing a book is long hard work. The authors deserve to be paid for it.</p>
<p>Thanks all for the route advice. I will definitely take 287 to the Tappenzee, and then the parkway. One less thing to worry about. Now about getting around town and the campus…</p>
<p>retiredRobb, I usually stay at the Courtyard Marriot (bid on Priceline) and try to leave the car and walk. Of course on move in day you will probably try to find a place and pay to park, depends on the freshman dorm what is most convinient. Will say that move in is a piece of cake the upperclassmen descend upon your car and next thing you know everything is gone and you are left to walk up emptyhanded!</p>
<p>We’re staying at the Holiday Inn in North Haven (Hotwire deal). Why do you say “pay to park”? Are the free lots a problem?</p>
<p>free lots? What are those? 
Yeah, you will have to pay to park. I think some of the Yale lots are open to the public on weekends-- are you going on a weekend? In any case at high traffic times those are likely to be full. We’ve actually never managed to use one!</p>
<p>Maybe my kid is particularly hard on her laundry, but she found that the Tide pods didn’t get clothes clean enough for her taste (particularly the white marching band pants). This year I’m sending her with stain treatment!</p>
<p>It’s nice to encounter people who share my opinion of I-95! I have posted a few times about the awful traffic on I-95 in Connecticut, coming from the west toward New Haven, and got reactions that boiled down to “It’s just typical urban freeway traffic. It only seems as though you are going 10 mph. What a rube!” Well, my speedometer thought I was going 10 mph, too. </p>
<p>Admittedly, I have limited urban driving experience. However, I thought I-95 was much worse than freeways I have driven around San Francisco or Chicago, and worse than freeways around LA; worse than New York when I have driven north from LaGuardia; worse than Boston, except that I think that the Boston drivers are ruder.</p>
<p>That being said, we rarely if ever had trouble with I-95 after 7:30 or 8:00 pm. After the first few trips, we timed things to arrive at a hotel near New Haven at 8 or 9 at night. That worked fine. Leaving New Haven for the west in the 10 am to 1 pm time frame also worked fine for us.</p>
<p>One time, we got off in Darien to try to take a side road. Big mistake! We also took a northern route in a few times. It was ok, but not too pleasant in the dark (not dangerous, just not well lit by our “rube” standards).</p>
<p>As it happens our DD is coming home from NH right now from her summer research; I neglected to tell her to check traffic first; went and looked at google and sure enough, there was a major accident in Stamford and she is now about 60 minutes later than “perfect conditions” (1 hr 20 minutes). <em>Every Single Time</em> there seems to be something on I95</p>
<p>My only experience is coming from the White Plains airport, where we invariably land at something like 4 or 5 pm. Traffic is ugly on both the Merritt Parkway and I-95 at that hour. My understanding is that it should take only an hour to get from HPN to New Haven, but in practice it has always taken at least 2.5 hours. </p>
<p>This year we will land at 6pm. I’m hoping that by the time we leave the airport maybe most of the traffic will have passed us by. If it is too early, maybe we’ll go eat in White Plains. It sounds like leaving the area around 7 or 7:30 should be safe.</p>
<p>There is free parking during Move-In on Friday, Aug. 23–the move-in information says Lot 16, Lot 22, and Pierson-Sage. You can park for free from 8 am to 10 pm. There’s also a shuttle bus to take you back and forth. Also, yes, there is free parking on weekends. We have always been pretty lucky about finding a free spot when we visit.</p>
<p>For those with a smart phone, google CT traffic before you start. The NBC affiliate’s map works with a touch screen, as does CT Now’s map.</p>
<p>I’ve also found the CT DOT radio station traffic alerts to be very accurrate; 1670 AM or thereabouts.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the advice. I’ll use the CT DOT info, since I have a $13 cell phone! I’m an engineer, but got laid off 10 years ago when they moved the manufacturing to Brazil, and haven’t found work since. Last week a head hunter told my Hitachi had something for me - at 80% of what I was making 10 years ago, and a 60 hour week.
I worry about my DD’s future in a country that is losing it’s middle class. I hope a Yale education will serve her well.</p>
<p>Well, the CTLimo site is telling me the trip is not available. So much for the new updated website. Guess I’ll have to call tomorrow.</p>
<p>My DD has arrived back at Yale. Her 6:30am pickup @ JFK was handled flawlessly by Go Airport shuttle:</p>
<pre><code> Airport Shuttle Connecticut | CT Airport Shuttle | CT Limo | Service to JFK, LaGuardia (LGA), Newark Liberty (EWR),
</code></pre>
<p>So, I would definitely recommend GO Airport Shuttle over Connecticut Limo anytime your student is arriving/departing from JFK. I did the payment and reservation online just a couple of days ahead.</p>
<p>DD made us a short video of their new suite in her residential college, and I was surprised to find out they have no chest of drawers in her room this year, just a bed, wardrobe, plus desk & chair in each room. All the girls had them last year on old campus, and my daughter had raised her bed, and put both of them underneath it. Now this year none of the suite mates have them either. Does anyone know if she can request one? There is enough space in the room.</p>
<p>I guess the good news is that although their individual rooms are tiny, their common room is enormous compared to last year’s.</p>
<p>We’ve used Go Shuttle to JFK. They only have expensive private cars from Bradley. CT Limo seems to have a lock on Bradley to Yale. Already on hold and then disconnected and on hold again. Their new and improved website doesn’t seem much better.</p>
<p>Okay, so make sure you go to the new CT Limo website (which I did) which is goctlimo.com. The old site will still come up if you put in the adress. Then, do not check Yale Discount Phelps Gate as your choice because that won’t go through. Check just Yale Phelps Gate. I asked him why in the world they have a dead-end choice on the site and he said, “It’s a new site.” I haven’t done it yet, because I am busy at work, but hopefully that will work. Just wanted to pass on the information. I think their website issues over the last year are ridiculous.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any last minute advice for Freshman move in day? We will be driving from Boston.</p>
<p>Arrive early and be patient.</p>
<p>Move in freshman day is super easy. There are tons of students who move it all to your kids room. After that you are on your own! Enjoy the help this year.
Wear comfortable clothes. It’s hot.</p>
<p>As for our Jr…K1 and DH arrive to the room to find the sofa/futon that K1 had moved to the room in May is GONE!!! </p>
<p>… and a small love seat, a lamp and book shelf are in K1s room. </p>
<p>Totally weird. </p>
<p>K1s futon was nice-- sigh – I wouldn’t want someone else’s upholstered loveseat in my room. yuck!</p>
<p>DH said he wouldn’t be surprised if somebody is looking for their stuff… </p>
<p>I think K1 should ask the deans office where the nice futon went and why there is other stuff in the room.</p>