Congratulations!  you have been accepted and are planning on arriving soon!  please read ahead on how to make the transition easier.  we sure wish we knew these things before we came :)

*other housing options

on-campus housing http://orlh.nd.edu/housing/graduate/index.htm

single students: Fischer (2 person), O-Hara-Grace (4 person)

married students: University Village (w/children), Crepe St (w/out children)

cost of rent (monthly/semester)

*off-campus apartments http://orlh.nd.edu/housing/offcampus/index.htm

*buying a house www.realtor.com (close zip codes - 46617, 46556, 46615)

surprisingly affordable in South Bend!  compare mortgages (~500-600/mo.) with apartment rental prices to see if this is an option for you.

*bank accounts ~ Notre Dame Federal Credit Union

We think that NDFCU is great because the main office is conveniently located right next to campus, there is another office in the student center, and using their many ATMs on campus is free!! 

health care and insurance: MEGA Life - download brochure

*Gyms: 2 on campus (free to grads and spouses!) http://recsports.nd.edu/

Rolfs *right across the street from our dept!! ~

Rockne *across campus ~

*sports & recreation: http://southbend.com/SportsRecreation.shtml

ND football tickets: grad students ALWAYS get the option to buy season tickets!

University events calendar: http://agenda.nd.edu/cgi-bin/view/webevent.cgi

*opportunities to play intramural sports!  no skills required ~

inner tube water polo: Matt

bowling: every Wednesday night ($1 per game)!  Konrad

'Bookstore Basketball' (the world's largest five-on-five tournament)

*transportation

South Bend public bus system is free  with your student ID! - see TRANSPO to download your 'Rider's Guide'

South Shore Line offers commuter train transportation to and from Chicago

Shuttle buses run daily between the Notre Dame bookstore and Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports

*religion, church services

grad students come from all over!  Campus Ministries offers a directory of local churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship on their website at http://campusministry.nd.edu/faithformation/protestant_students.html

*some of our favorite restaurants by type:

THAI ~ Cambodian Egg Role (e.g., Cambodian Thai)                                                          

IRISH~ Fiddler’s Hearth (25% discount with student ID)

MEXICAN ~ Nuevo Tiajuana, Hacienda, Borracho Burrito ($4 burritos every wed.)     

ITALIAN ~ The Vine, Sunny Italy                               

MEDITERRANEAN ~ Elia's                                        

PIZZA ~ Rocco's, Bruno's                                        

VIETNAMESE ~ New Saigon                                                                        

INDIAN ~ Star of India, Shalimar                                                

KOREAN ~ Sunny's, Sony's                                                         

JAPANESE ~ Matuba, Toyo Grill                                                  

CHINESE ~ Mandarin House                                                        

FANCY ~ Tippacanoe, Yesterday's

COFFEE SHOPS ~ Lula's, The Chocolate Cafe

Places to Eat On-Campus ~ Lafortune (student center/quick lunches!)

http://www.nd.edu/%7Esao/venues/lafortune/index.shtml, Legends (on-campus bar & restaurant) http://legendsofnotredame.org/

things to do in and around South Bend!

East Race Waterway (first artificial whitewater course in the nation)

Potato Creek State Park (great camping)

Lake Michigan sand dunes (beach and camping, just 45 min. away)

Potawatomi Zoo

College Football Hall of Fame

Coveleski Stadium, South Bend Silverhawk's

St. Mary’s College Nature Trail

Amish Country

DeBartalo Performing Art's Center (on campus)

Morris Performing Art's Center (downtown)

South Bend Chocolate Factory, museum and tours

other links you should check out!

The Observer (our campus newspaper) http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/home/

South Bend Tribune (the major local newspaper) http://www.southbendtribune.com

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