Stuff I wish I was Told

Today I feel like compiling a cumulative list of facts that would have made my Edinburgh experience easier.
If you are a UT Chemical Engineering Student going to Edinburgh, this the post for you! Otherwise, I would ignore it.

Getting In

1) Regular stuff to Bring
-jacket
-rain jacket
-thermal underwear
-regular underwear
-socks
-pants
-t-shirt
-other shirts
-scissors
-tooth brush
-floss
-nail clippers
-tooth paste
-retainer
-laptop
-laptop charger
-wires

2) Special Stuff to bring
-Plug converter
-Entertainment
-A European wallet (pound bills are taller than american bills)
-Acceptance letter mailed during winter break
-Bank statement showing you have funds
-"Intent to return". This DOES NOT need to be a return ticket. Just let your officer know that you know you
are only staying six months.
-Maps of Edinburgh

3) Stuff I wish I brought
-Phone (sim cards are cheap, phones are not)
-water bottle
-plate, bowl, spoon, pocket knife, cup
-Even more maps

4)About the trip
-Don't fly through Dublin, they won't let you in
-Don't be me. Sleep during flights, it'll make life easier
-Headphones are good for the long flight across the ocean

About the Dorms

I lived in Turner  House in Pollack Halls, here's what I wanted to know earlier when I was applying.

-Most dorms in Pollack halls are singles. No roommates.
-Most flats (read: apartments) are shared between students, but there is still private bedrooms
-The laundry room is located someplace weird. For me, it was not connected to the ground floor. Instead, you had to go outside and go through a door to access it.
-Photocopies/scans can be made at the reception center for cheap.
-When you arrive, get that meal card. But beware, you can't use it until dinner Sunday
-You can't get your official ID card until the first day of classes. I got my first ID card at the main library on George Square.
-On that note, ID card does not get you free bus rides like in UT.
-Cafeterias are called Refactories. The one a t Pollack Halls is the JMCC (John McIntyre Conference Centre).

About Living Here

Scotland is usually

1) Cold

2) Windy

3) Sprinkling

4) Rainy

5) Snowy

6) Sunny for one hour

7) Any combination of the above

So dress accordingly.

I've got a riddle, here it goes.

Riddle: How do you change streets in Scotland?

Answer: You stay on the same street and walk for two minutes.

Seriously, what a dumb road system. In the States one road=one street name. But here in Scotland roads change names every block or so. Makes directions very difficult.

-Scotland does drive on the wrong side of the road. It's weird. Just remember that cars make easy left turns in Scotland.
-Edinburgh Bargain store and Poundsaver stores are great for everything but food
-Tesco is the HEB of Scotland, and is great for food
-Bakeries are fairly cheap and filling
-Any food that begin's with the word "Scottish" is going to be full of meat and butter and happiness
-Buy some non-perishable items for the dorm room
-Don't buy a mobile (read: cell phone) at the "Mobile Repair Shop and Store" (this bullet will probably be useless since they're probably going to get shut down soon). I got a cheap phone at Radio Shack
-The only songs played are American pop songs that were popular six months ago
-Scotland has a  lot of coins. I wrote an earlier post about their order

About the Students

Students usually hang out at the: 

-Teviot Row House

-Edinburgh University Students Association

-International Students Center

-Pubs

-Clubs

-Just with each other

-Dorm common room

The International Students Center has great deals for exploring town. 

Here's the link

http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/international/student-life/isc

Also good place to meet students

Clubs can be found here
http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies/listings/
Find some that you like. It will get you out there.
Most Clubs Meet at the Teviot Row House, the Pleasence Theatre, or on other local places.
I joined the Bridge Club and Film Club. Only 10 pounds for a free semester's worth of movies.


Spring break is three weeks here, perfect for traveling! Cheap flights can be found at
http://www.lastminute.com/
and
http://www.easyjet.com/asp/en/book/index.asp?lang=en

About Classes
As an engineering student, you are strongly recommended (read: required) to have 60 credits. If you want less, beg to your Director of Studies.
If you have math/science/engineering classes, you'll have to go to King's Buildings. This is about a 25 minute walk from Pollack Halls. The 42 bus will take you there from Causewayside. I'd just walk to King's buildings If I were you.


You are going to LOVE this link
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery/exam-papers
This is an archive of all final exams for all classes over many years. Considering at least 80% of your grade is going to be from your final exams, it's important to prepare.


Find classes here
https://www.star.euclid.ed.ac.uk/ipp/cx_subindex.htm
or
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/

This will NOT tell you where to find your class rooms. To do that, you have to look at your time table. Why they designed it like this is beyond me. Timetable link below.
http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/teaching/teaching_2/chem/
You can also get there through the "Engineering Teaching Organization"
For the first week, study your time tables. Or else you will get lost.

Get your university e-mail to auto-forward to your most used e-mail.

If you want to get your laptop to use the university's wireless network, you'll need to register it.
Here's the link
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/computing/connecting

EDIT


Link to find out final exams schedule
http://www.scripts.sasg.ed.ac.uk/registry/examinations/index.cfm
So that you can buy cheap flights early at
www.lastminute.com
or
www.easyjet.com

Also, there is one bus from George Square to King's buildings that is free with Student ID. Too bad Pollack isn't close to either.