Tips for Freshmen: Traveling and Moving In

“Midway upon the journey of our life

I found myself within a forest dark…”

Dante Alighieri, Inferno

By Anton Kalmysh

Map

Though registration is still a few weeks away, now is a good time to begin preparing for your next four years at St. John’s. Prior to your departure please double-check that all of your registration documents are in order. If there is information missing, it may impede your registration. 

Though travelling to and in the US may sometimes be a little tedious, if you keep your itinerary organized, your journey to St. John’s should go smoothly. Before you hit the road, you should probably know what to pack.

All rooms on camps come with a basic set of furniture– you get a bed, a desk, a desk light, a Johnnie chair, a wardrobe, a closet and some storage space. We recommend that you bring some essentials like sheets (extra-long twin sized), towels, pillow, blanket, comforter or spread, small rug (or other comfortable items like floor pillows or backrests), clothing (including winter jacket and formal wear for waltz parties and special occasions), hangers, shoes (including dress shoes and athletic sneakers), raincoat and umbrella, laptop and printer (not required for work at St. John’s, but some students choose to bring their own), Hobby or special interest equipment (camera, musical instruments), sports equipment and apparel, toiletries (and a tote to get them to the shower), eating utensils, laundry detergent, Plasti-tak or other removable adhesive for mounting posters, etc. (tape is not allowed), key-chain for your key card and your room key (for sale in the Bookstore).

Some students like to have a small microwave or refrigerator in their room. Open heating elements such as hot plates, water boilers, and hot-pots are prohibited in dorm rooms and may only be used in designated areas and dorm kitchens. Other prohibited items include: candles, incense, weapons and self-defense devices such as stun guns. Smoking prohibited by state law inside all campus buildings, including the dormitories. 

Once you’ve ensured completion of all your forms and collected all your essentials, it’s time to plan out your travels. 

If you are coming to Annapolis, there are several travel options for you:

1. Flying

If you chose to travel by plane then you’ll want to book a flight to one of these airport near Annapolis: IAD (Dulles International Airport), DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) or BWI (Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport).

It is generally faster, easier and cheaper to get to St. John’s in Annapolis from BWI than the other two airports in Washington, DC.

There is a shuttle either on August 19th ( fill out form, link, you can still sign up) that picks up international students from the airport (Please confirm the specific details with Amanda); however, you are not guaranteed to make it, so I want to give you other options for travel.  

Depending on your preferences, here are some options available to you once you are at one of these airports. 

a. Airport Shuttle Services/Taxi

There are various shuttle services available at either of the airport. Usually the price ranges from $80 to $200 depending on various factors. Refer to info desk at the airport if you have trouble finding it. 

b. Uber

If you have large bags or looking for a more relaxing way to travel, Uber always works. Usually the price ranges from $50 to $80 depending on road conditions and hour of the day.  

c. Public Transportation Services

If you are travelling relatively light and would like to save some money on travelling, I would recommend using either Washington or Baltimore public transportation services.
If travelling from BWI, you will want to take a Light RailLink from the airport to Cromwell Station and from there switch to bus route 70. This bus will take you directly to St. John’s. Make sure with the driver that he is going to stop at St. John’s St/ College Ave so you don’t go driving back to Baltimore.
If travelling from IAD, take an airport shuttle to metro station Wiehle-Reston East (Silver Line). From there, switch to Orange Line and go all the way to the final station (New Carrollton Station). From there take bus route 921 right from the station.

If you decide to travel this way I recommend consulting Google Maps for most up-to-date route. 

2. Driving.

Whether you are renting a car at the airport or driving to St. John’s in Annapolis in your own, when you arrive on campus there should be ample parking space for everyone. When you arrive to campus look out for student volunteers, public safety officers and stevedores welcoming students and parents– they will give you specific directions for parking and instructions for unloading cargo. Students and parents may arrive any time from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the day of registration. Parking lots on campus include Campbell Parking Lot (No. 20 on the map), Mellon Parking Lot (No. 21), Gravel Parking Lot and Lower Fields (behind Building 17). All of these parking lots may be accessed through St. John’s St.

Santa Fe: 

Flying into ABQ, you should have the option to take the Sandia Shuttle (a shuttle that operates between the airport and Santa Fe),  or rent a car and drive yourself. The trip should take about an hour. If you take I-25 North, the driving is fairly straightforward, but if you are up for a bit more of a scenic adventure on the way to campus, take the Turquoise Trail.

There will be taxi and Uber options available as well from the airport.

Be sure to get in contact with somebody at the college if you have any questions, and most importantly, get excited about starting your adventure at St. John’s!