In your first few days on campus, you’ll get to know the campus well. Maps plastered around the quad can guide you to the dining halls, your O-Week meetings, and safely back to the dorms. But when you realize you forgot to buy toothpaste, or you inevitably catch whatever O-Week bug is going around, you might have to—gasp!—venture off campus. 

First, download the TransLoc Rider app. Campus is served by a shuttle system and CTA buses, and the Rider app tracks both. You can see full routes and where the bus is in real time, so you won’t have to wait in the cold to catch it. 

Here are some of the most essential Hyde Park destinations and how to get there: 

CVS and Target: Take the #172 bus, or the Central, East, or 53rd Street Express shuttle. CVS is in Kimbark Plaza, and Target is just down the street. Both stores will be much cheaper than buying your essentials at Midway Mart, so stock up on toiletries, meds, and snacks. 

Treasure Island. If you’re looking for groceries, Treasure Island is the place to go. It’s not always the cheapest—Hyde Park Produce on 53rd Street usually has less expensive fruits and vegetables—but it allows you to do all your shopping in one fell swoop. Take the #171 or #55 bus, or the Central or East shuttle. The shopping plaza also has a Walgreens, Office Depot, and a post office. 

Student Health. The Student Health office is technically on campus but it can be hard to find, especially if you feel awful. Walk west along 59th Street until you see an entrance labeled “860 E. 59th Street.” The wall of the building has a sign that says “Comprehensive Cancer Center”—don’t let that scare you. When you go in, go to the hallway on the left side of the lobby, and then immediately turn left again. There will be signs leading you to the clinic from there. 

53rd Street Shopping Corridor. 53rd is full of restaurants, cafés, and shops to explore. To get to the east end of the street, where you can find Chipotle, Starbucks, and Obama’s favorite breakfast place, Valois, take the Central or 53rd Express shuttle. 

This article is part of The Maroon’​s 2018 Orientation Issue, which appears in print during O-Week. You can view all of our Orientation Issue coverage here. If you are interested in joining The Maroon this fall, please find information here.