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Life Tips

Here are some practical tips for you to manage a successful life at BGSU. Simple as they are, they can make your life much easier and much more fruitful.

Please note that all the information provided here is only for your reference. CSSA is not responsible for the reliability of any of the products or services listed here.

A List of the Life Tips:

1. What to Do Before Leaving China

2. How to Get Airport Pickup

3. What is Orientation and Grad-step

4. How to Find Temporary Housing

5. How to Find a Place to Live

6.How to Open a Bank Account

7.How to Call Back to China

8.How to Buy Health Insurance

9. Where to Buy Textbooks

10. How to Book Flight Tickets

11. How to Obtain an American Driver's License

12. How to Buy Cell Phones

13. Where to Seek Computer Tech Support

　

1. What to do Before Leaving China

  • Reserve your flight ticket as early as possible.

    Check travel agencies for flight tickets to US. Compare their offers and get the best deal. It can save you lots of money.

  • Do some shopping.

    Though most daily necessities can be purchased from the local stores here, it could be more convenient if you take some with you.

    If you want to bring some Chinese spices for cooking, be sure to use the original containers or packages, or you will have trouble at customs.

  • Bring some US currency.

    At least $1000 is needed to cover the first month expenses.Besides living expenses, you need to pay safety deposit for housing (usually the rent for a month) and the first month's rent before you move into your apartment, as you can only get your first assistantship paycheck from BGSU in about one month after you have registered for classes during the orientation.

  • Bring some small gifts.

    It is the western tradition to give small gifts to people for appreciation of help or for friendship. So it might be a good idea to prepare some small gifts like Chinese knots, papercutting, calligraphy, or some other handcrafts in advance.

  • Learn to cook.

    Most Chinese students cook by themselves here. You might find it difficult to get used to the Western food. Moreover, it is very expensive to dine out.

  • Learn to drive.

    There is no public transportation at Bowling Green. So driving is essential. If possible, get your driver's license before you come. Of course, you still need to take the related test to get an American driver's license if you want to drive.

  • Contact for more information.

    For further information, you can contact CSSA or your friends here. There is a time difference of 12 hours in summer and 13 hours in winter. Emails are always preferred. Please check CSSA web site for email address if necessary.


2. How to Get Airport Transportation

  • Arrive at Toledo Express Airport, with pickup

    The nearest airport to Bowling Green, Ohio, is Toledo Express Airport. It is about 30-minute drive from Bowling Green. Among the material sent to you by the Center for International Programs (CIP), there is a form on airport pickup. If you do need this service, remember to fill in the form with the exact information of your flight and fax the form back according to the directions on the form. This should be done at least one week ahead of your arrival. Usually, CIP cooperates with Global Connections, a non-profit organization, for airport pickups.

  • Arrive at Detroit Metro Airport, without pickup

    You can also use Detroit Metro Airport as the terminal airport, which is approximately 75 miles, that is, about one hour and 15 minute drive to Bowling Green. However, pickup is usually not availabe at this airport. Taxi is available, but it takes about $100.

　

3. What is Orientation and Grad-step

  • Orientation is a one-week program organized by CIP to help internaitonal students settle down at BG, to inform them of everything they need to know, and to walk them through all the essential procedures to be officially registered at the university, like getting their photo student ID, and social security cards. It's very useful, so new comers should not miss this good opportunity.

  • Grad-step is another one-week program organized by BGSU Graduate School immediately after the international students orientation for all new graduate assistants, both national and international. It is required for every graduate assistant, as it prepares them for their new assistant positions. Those who do not have assistantships at BGSU do not need to take part in this program.

    Different sessions are offered simultaneously each day and each person can choose the one that is helpful to his or her assistant job.

    If you miss Grad-step for certain reasons, you have to make it up during the semester.

　

4. How to Find Temporary Housing

New comers may need temporary housing right after their arrival. There are two choices to consider:

  • Talk to CIP

    CIP offers on-campus temporary housing to new international students (with an approximate $15 fee per night). You have to move out before the beginning of the semester.

  • Contact Global Connections

    Global Connections, a non-profit organization at BG community, may help new international students find temporary housing free of charge. But as there are so many international students coming to BGSU each year, this can only be your last choice, especially if you arrive when the semester has already started and on-campus temporary housing is not available.

　

5. How to Find a Place to Live

BGSU only provides on-campus housing for undergraduate students, but not for graduate students. So if you are a graduate student, you need to find a place to live as soon as possible after your arrival. Here are some tips.

  • Attend the orientation session on off-campus housing

    During orientation, there is a speicial session on off-campus housing.The speaker will tell you how to find a place to live in and what to pay attention to when you sign a lease. You can surely get some rough ideas here.

    After this session, CIP usually offers free rides for students to visit some of the big real-estate offices and their apartments. Don't miss it.

  • Do some research

    You can find lots of flyers on off-campus housing at CIP offices. Also on BG news, a free local newspaper which is available in the hallway of each building, there is the column called "For Rent".     You can almost find all big real-estates there, with their available housing, conditions, prices and contact information. Check through them and compare their offers.

    The Off-Campus Student Services office of BGSU also offers a clearinghouse for off-campus housing information supplied by renters/landlords from the Bowling Green community. They provide up-to-date listings of available houses, apartments, rooms in private homes, roommates, and subleases, including their prices.You can check out by dialing this phone number: 419.372.2951

  • Consider your preference and budget

    There are mainly four types of off-campus housing: studios or efficiencies, apartments with one, two, three or four bedrooms, and seperate houses.

    Seperate houses are usually quiet and beautiful with lots of space around, but they can be more expensive.     Sometimes you need to take care of lawn mowing in summer and snow removal in winter.

    Studios and one-bedroom apartments are comparatively speaking more expensive, but it is good if you prefer to live alone. To save money and to live with a roommate, a two-bedroom apartment can be your first choice.

  • Look for a roommate

    If you need a roommate, orientation is the best time for you to find one. Here you will meet all the new comers. Just chat with each other, and you'll find your satisfactory roommate.

    You can also send an email on China Listproc if you prefer a Chinese roommate. Click here to see how to sign in for China listproc. Do not forget to put your preferences and specific requirement there if you have any.

    Or you can leave a message on the discussion board of Mybgsu. Click here.

  • Consider transportation

    If the building is not within walking distance, see if it is near BGSU shuttle stops. BGSU shuttle is very convenient for you to commute, even if you have a car as campus partking can be a big problem .

    For BGSU shuttle schedules and stops, please click here. For shuttle routes, click here.

  • Get some idea on rent

    The monthly rent for an apartment ranges from $300 to $ 600. Most of the time, you need to pay utilities as well, such as gas and electricity    .

　


6. How to Open a Bank Account

It is necessary to have a checking account here because you need to keep your cash safe, to pay various bills, and moreover, for the university payroll office to deposit your bi-weekly salary.

If you don't have a large amount of cash with you, just open a checking account. Otherwise, you had better open a savings account as well to keep your extra money.

Several banks are available at Bowling Green. They are all along the main street. You can choose one according to your preference. Just walk into your preferred bank, and you will know what to do next.

For information on banks in town, click here.

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7. How to Call Back to China

To call back to China, you can save lots of money by purchasing IP cards online. If you use a cell phone, it costs less than 2 cents per minute; if you use a local home phone, it may cost you a little more than 3 cents per minute.

Some IP cards have a local access number for Bowling Green, while some just have a toll-free (1-888 or 1-800) access number. The one with local access number could be much cheaper.

Whatever kind of cards you buy and wherever you buy them, remember to check their calling rates and details very carefully first, compare them with each other and choose the one that is both cheap and easy to use.

Here is a list of websites for IP cards. Do check before you shop. The CSSA is not responsible for the reliability of any information on any commercial websites.

　

8. How to Buy Health Insurance

All international students, whatever their status, are required to purchase health insurance. You can get more information regarding health insurance during orientation.

The cost of health insurance here is usually around $1,000 per year. The price varies from company to company and from plan to plan.

The university usually offers a health insurance plan for students. You can accept it or you can buy health insurance of your own choice.

If you accept the university health insurance plan, you don't need to pay for it all at once. The cost is usually directly deducted from your assistantship paychecks throughout the year.

If you choose to buy health insurance from other insurance companies, you need to pay all the cost at the time of purchase, but possibly it could be much cheaper. If you do buy it yourself, make sure that the plan you choose meets the preconditions required by the university, and has been approved by the CIP insurance staff.

Talk with your peers, exchange information, and compare the rates before you make the final decision.

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9.Where to Get Textbooks

Textbooks are very expensive in the US. The BGSU bookstore offers a 10% discount to all graduate students at BGSU.

To save money, you can borrow textbooks from the university libray. Some of the textbooks are available from the university library or from Ohiolinks. But act early, as the available copies, especially the latest edition, can be limited.

You can also buy used books. Though used, most of the books are actually in very good condition.

Finally, you can buy textbooks online. The price there can be much cheaper than the offer of the university bookstore. But it takes one to two weeks to get the books from the time you put the order .

Here is a list of websites selling textbooks. Check before you shop. The CSSA is not responsible for the reliability of any information on any commercial website.

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10. How to Book Flight Tickets?

If you want to travel in the US, visit these websites and book flight tickets. Usually it is much cheaper to book round-trip tickets than one way tickets. Also you can save money by booking flights and hotels together. If you travel economy class, one round-trip ticket within the US usually costs around $250.

Here is a list of websites selling flight tickets. Please check before you shop. The CSSA is not responsible for the reliability of any information on any commercial website.


If you travel back to China, you have to book tickets through a travel agency. Book your tickets as early as possible. Call different agencies, compare their offers and get the best deal. Please click here for the agencies.

Please check before you buy. The CSSA is not responsible for the reliability of any information on any commercial website.

　

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11.How to Obtain an American Driver's License

In the US, a driver's licence functions not only as a driving permit, but also a necessary form of identificatioin. You may need it in many other occasions like shopping and travelling as well.

To obtain an American driver's license, you will need to follow these steps:

  1. Visit the Bureau of Motor Vehicle Office (BMV) at 1616 Wooster Street, Bowling Green. Remember to bring with you your passport, form I-20 or DS-2019, and your social security card (if you have one).

  2. Ask for a temporary permit application packet. The cost for this packet is $21.

  3. Come home and study the packet very carefully. When you are sure of yourself, make an appointment with the Bureau of Motor Vehicle Office for both written and vision tests.

  4. Pass the written and vision tests at the examination station of the BMV offcie. You must correctly answer 75% of the questions on the written test. If you fail the test, you must wait 24 hours before retaking it.

  5. Receive your temporary permit and a photo temporary permit ID. Your temporary permit will expire one year from the date of purchase.

  6. Practice driving with a licensed driver (21 years of age or older) in the passenger seat. You should feel quite comfortable with driving before taking the driving skills test.

  7. Return to the examination station of the Bureau of Motor Vehicle Office to take the driving skills test. Be sure to make an appointment in advance, bring your valid temporary permit, photo temporary permit ID, and all the remaining forms in your temporary permit application packet.You must also furnish a car for the driving skills test. This car must be in safe operating condition and must pass safety inspection for the test.

  8. Pass the driving skills test. The purpose of this test is to determine whether you have successfully developed the ability required to safely operate and drive a car.

    This test has two parts: a maneuverability test and a driving test. The maneuverability part must be completed successfully before the examiner will take you on the driving part of the test. During the driving part, the examiner might ask you to perform a number of tasks including stopping and starting, turning around, backing up, making proper left and right turns, using turn signals, driving in the proper lane and maintaining a safe following distance.

    If you fail either part of the driving skills test, you must wait 7 days before taking it again. Only the section you failed must be retaken. If the driving skills test is failed 4 times, you must wait 6 months before applying for a new application packet and retesting.

  9. Receive an "examination passed" form. Take this form and your temporary permit to the Bureau of Motor Vehicle Office.

  10. Pay $23.

  11. Congratualtions!!! You have just received your American driver's license.

---Adapted from Global Connection's

Driving School Driver Information

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12. How to Buy Cell Phones

The three most popular cell phone services available are Verizon, T-mobile, and Sprint. Their prices and services are similar. Comparatively speaking, Verizon is a little bit more expensive, but its coverage is larger.

You can save money if you choose family plan. It is cheaper and possibly you can get free cell phones. Check the details of family plans offered by different companies either from their official websites or from some commercial websites like amazon.com.

When you buy, usually you need to sign a one-year or two-year contract. Of course, the offer for the two-year contract could be more economical.

You can buy from local offices of the companies, or you can shop online, either from their official websites or from commercial websites. Shopping online could be cheaper sometimes.

　

　

13. Where to Seek Computer Tech Support

If you have questions or problems with your own computer, BGSU Tech Support Center could be of great help.

How to Contact:

  • Walk in support is available at 110 Hayes Hall.
  • Telephone support is available at 419-372-0999 and 419-372-9499 (fax).
  • Email support is available by sending a mail to tsc@bgsu.edu.
Current Hours
Monday - Thursday 7:30 am - Midnight
Friday 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday Closed
for exceptions due to holidays please check the BGSU academic calendar

　

　

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