So yeah, I didn't make up the whole DUCOMrades thing (another very literary second-year did), I just find it funny. I'm a second-year here at Drexel and I wanted to post some advice.
First of all - the shuttle does not run on weekends. So the last shuttle leaving center city to back to Queen Lane on a weeknight is 9:30pm. If you get a parking pass for Queen Lane, you automatically have free parking at the Hahnemann garage (right where the shuttle drops you off in Center City). You can park anytime, but you have to leave after 4pm on weekdays to avoid paying. Weekends are free.
Living, East Fall is really convenient, but there is quite literally NOTHING TO DO, aside from an okay coffee house and two bars. It's close to school and that's important for some. I, however, found myself driving to far away places to go to the grocery store, Starbucks, do fun things, etc. So I chose to move to just beyond Chestnut Hill for my second year. Don't really cross Wissahickon (to the "non-school" side), it does get kinda shady. And try not to walk down Queen Lane at night (we do have a patrol so that's not really an issue anymore), so I would recommend getting a parking pass for Queen Lane. Manayunk is a parking nightmare, so I would never live there.
Roxborough (sorta next to Manayunk) is safe and convenient and a lot DUCOM students live there. Just outside of Roxborough (20 minute post-exam drive) on Henry Ave/Ridge Pike is a Panera with free wireless internet and the shopping Mecca of Chemical Road. Center City is great if you can afford it (our finaid budgets don't really allow it-unless you know something I don't). Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill have generally affordable options.
Over on City Ave (Route-1 on maps) things can get very expensive (because it's the Main Line!-old homes/old money=sky-high rent!) and it's basically gridlock during rush hour so I would avoid that unless it's around Montgomery Ave or very close to I-76 (the Schukyll Experssway). Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) is right over there too.
Chestnut Hill is always a good option. It's a charming little village/old money neighborhood of Philly. You pay for the charm though. It's about 20 minutes from school during rush hour and less if you know the "back way" to go. I found myself driving up there a lot to unwind (there's two independent coffee houses and a Starbucks, a Borders, also some shops and bakeries, and a Wine and Spirits store with a pretty decent selection of wine for all of you California vinophiles (I know you're out there!). There's also the R8 transit which will take you straight down to Queen Lane Station to school.
Oh yeah, I lived in Alden Park last year (the Kenilworth building). It was a decent size, but the place is really old and kind of deteriorating. I hear the Manor building and Cambridge are a lot nicer but I think the current second-years have beat you to it. The windows are old and so you'll have a very high heating bill. And some people have bug problems. I also had to live in fear of a random water pipe bursting when it's 60 degrees outside. It happened 4 times and affected my apartment once (get renters insurance, it's like a hundred bucks!). So I had to get out, the fact that it was far from everything I did besides school and the age of the place was what forced me out.
Charlwin (directly next to school) has rats/mice/roach problems on the lower floor from what I know. School Lane House (Schoolhouse Rock as we like to call it) is cheap, and small but from what I know, pretty livable.
If you have any questions feel free to email me at
[email protected].
Enjoy what's left of your summer!
Dan