Posted on by sen6

To-do List

I’m controlling, and I want everything orderly, and I need lists. My mind goes a mile a minute. I’m difficult on every single level.

~ Sandra Bullock

Here’s a quick and easy to-do list for your first days here:

  • Registration: Visit the Illini Bookstore at 809 S. Wright Street to get your I-Card made for which you will need your I-20 and your Letter of Acceptance along with your passport. This will get you free bus access and your University Identity Number (UIN) too. If you already have an on-campus job, please collect a Temporary Control Number (TCN) as it takes some time to get Social Security Number (SSN).
  • Next, go to the International Students and Scholar Services building(ISSS) on Sixth and John St. and check yourself in as an International student. You will get maps of the campus there. For one week, this process is moved to the Illini Union. Please check the website to know where you need to go.
  • Go to any of the Banks on campus. Chase, Busey, PNC, and UICCU are some of the widely used ones and set up student checking accounts. This should get you an account to transfer your money into a debit card for your expenses.
  • Vaccination at McKinley – Take the health form you got with your I-20 (or will recieve at the ISSS) and report to the McKinley Health Center. They might require your I-20 and your passport for verification. The staff there will take your TB test, check your form and will brief about your next steps. Carry your I Card with you and some cash (~$30). You also need to have a doctor’s prescription for all the medicines that you are carrying from home.
  • Getting a Social Security Number (SSN): For all the students who are getting assistantship, it is mandatory to get a SSN. It helps to get Credit Card and necessary to build Credit History in USA.
  • Do go to your departments, talk with your adviser, fix up your class schedule. Submit your transcripts at Coble Hall (home of the Graduate College).
  • Familiarize yourself with the campus:
    • Walk around, go to the different labs, explore the Union, talk to your seniors/accommodating hosts about the campus, visit the different sites around campus.
    • Check out the bookstores, you will get a lot of free stuff from them and instructions too.
    • Pick up Bus schedules from any bus that you take.
    • Take buses to Market Place Mall, Walmart, Meijers and explore downtown too!

This time is precious and you will not get it again! Maximize it!

Campus map: