Embrace all the opportunities Ann Arbor offers
Wander into the city. Up in the north side of town, the crayola-haired Community High Schoolers hang out around Kerrytown. Go west, young man, to Main Street, and taste world-class cuisine while watching yuppie Ann Arborites roam from boutique to boutique. Head down south, to tree-lined, bourgeois residential areas that adjoin the student ghetto. East, in the Hill area, listen to the different accents representing scores of states, countries and cities voiced by passing students as they too wander into town. And in the center, in the middle of the Diag, stand and watch the city revolve around you.
Unique traits give flair to A2
Within a week of living on campus almost every new student learns about local rites like Hash Bash, the
Naked Mile and the University's teach-in protests of the 1960s.
But behind these rituals and thousands of students lost in their own world exists a town of 110,000 residents,
who don't necessarily think of the maize and blue when someone mentions Ann Arbor.
City's many restaurants tantalize the tastebuds: Good restaurants are an Ann Arbor tradition, from Angelo's to Zingerman's Deli
Although the buffet line in the Markley cafeteria may seem to offer endless culinary combinations,
the thrill of dorm food wears off quickly, leaving many first-year students in search of other ways
to please their palates. Luckily, Ann Arbor has a rainbow of restaurants to compensate for the blandness of residence hall
cuisine.
Homelessness marks city streets
Nestled between a U-haul storage office and the Fireside Deli, the Washtenaw County men's Night Shelter is easily overlooked. In the dark, the old, deteriorating facility becomes recognizable only when two shadowy figures linger at the yellow glare of the single light at the shelter's entrance on West Huron Avenue. The smoke from their cigarettes hangs in the air. Their silhouettes are reminiscent of an Impressionist painting -- except they are real.
Coffee shops add pep to Ann Arbor's social scene
University students and Ann Arborites alike endure early morning hours and chat late into the night with steaming mugs of coffee.
Bold or subtle. Mild or robust. Black, with sugar, decaffeinated, or with soy milk, most University students quickly learn to order up the blend of brew that best helps them jumpstart their days.
Campus-area shops cater to every interest
The University may be a great institution of higher learning. But aside from studies, other
pertinent questions linger at the back of an incoming student's mind.
One question might sound like this: "Where will I find the right clothes, shoes and
dorm-room decorations?"
Politicians fight for 'U' interests in D.C., Lansing
Four women -- powerful, competent and highly successful.
Ann Arbor's representatives, by bringing diverse backgrounds to the table, seek to powerfully represent University and student interests.
'U' lends unique political flavor to municipal politics
Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon knows that being leader of a city that's home to more than 38,000 students makes her job more interesting than that of most mayors.
Student launches council bid
In the competitive world of politics, it's never too early to start.
This is the case for LSA first-year student Michael Enright, who last April became the first candidate to announce his intention of running for a spot on Ann Arbor's
city council.
Eat, drink and be merry: Bars serve up good times
So what if Ann Arbor doesn't have the same bar-town reputation as some of its Big Ten
brethren like East Lansing or Madison? That's not to say one can't find somewhere to
be merry, eat, and particularly drink, on any day of the week.
Bagel shops locked in competition for student customers
Picture an ordinary Ann Arbor morning. It's 8 a.m. and, for a change, the sun is shining. You're standing on the corner of State Street and North University, planning to grab a bagel and coffee before your first class.
Vintage clothes a fashion hit in A2
Okay, quick quiz: $20 can buy you a) one shoe, b) a T-shirt or c) two pairs of pants, three shirts, a coat, some bellbottoms, a hat and five necklaces. If you chose c, chances are pretty good that you're a sucker for used clothing. Not to worry, vintage shopper, you aren't alone.
Local party stores show off distinct ambience
With major grocery stores a car ride away, many first-year students turn to convenience stores as a nearby alternative to purchase much-needed supplies.
Fortunately, the campus is littered with places to pick up kegs, condoms, Fritos and Pantene. Choosing a store is just a matter of deciding which one is best suited to the goods and atmosphere desired.
A2 is home to distinct history
What's in a name?
For two early settlers, the answer was clear. In fact, the hometown of the University is
named after their wives, both of whom went by the name Ann. And after observing the
plentiful population of trees, the name Ann Arbor seemed a natural to two of the city's
early settlers, John Allen and Elisha Walker Rumsey.
Crime figures low for city, campus areas: Recent years have seen decreases in several major categories
T-shirts sold by local Ann Arbor vendors have affectionately dubbed the city "three square miles surrounded by reality."
But crime is one aspect of "reality" that even Ann Arbor residents cannot escape. Especially with the size of the area's population totaling more than 110,000 people.
City council hopes to lighten parking crunches
The Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution February 3 in hopes of clearing up downtown parking crunches.
The resolution encouraged "creative alternatives" to costly parking-structure repairs in the downtown area.
Parking spots hard to find on campus
If advanced placement calculus gave you headaches, wait until your first parking adventure in Ann Arbor.
Many students arrive at the University having survived a battery of entrance tests -- the ACT, SAT and so on.
Not to mention the rigors of applying to college, making good grades and, of course, passing driver's education
somewhere around their 16th year.
Now comes college, and their reward: parking hell.
Religious groups, worship promote spiritual interests
This month, parents will send incoming University students away to face wild parties, stressful all-nighters and the
challenge of finding a new circle of friends.
Gary Hardin, pastor of Packard Road Baptist Church, emphasized that religion can help to ease this difficult transitional
period.
Hands-On Museum offers fun, education to all ages
That old saying "seeing is believing" may be true, but at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, maybe the proper motto should be "doing is believing."
At the Hands-On Musuem, one won't find signs that say, "please do not touch the display," as visitors are encouraged to use their hands to engage in the different activities available.
Region's weather strikes at extremes
To get to classes, to work or to the night's biggest keg party, University students trudge through Ann Arbor's
tempestuous weather every day, experiencing everything from scalding heat and inescapable sun to near-torrential rain
or heavy snowstorms. The city has a reputation for having weather that is both unpredictable and unpleasant.
Banks pledge convenience, woo students
Most new students quickly discover that financial concerns often extend to more than making
the next tuition payment.
Upon arriving at school, most students will have to set up new accounts -- or at least
transfer old ones to their new city. The options for setting up a new account are nearly as
copious as the number of bookstores and grey squirrels in Ann Arbor.
A2 to get new area code: Change will shift phone numbers from 313 to 734 prefix
The 313 area code in part of Ann Arbor will go the way of the rotary telephone, starting this September.
Effective Dec. 13, 1997, the 313 area code used with most local phone numbers will change to 734.
09-03-97
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