Survival Guide 2005: B

BANKING – On campus, Teachers’ Federal Credit Union has a full-service branch in the basement of the SAC and another branch in the hospital, offering the typical services you would expect to find at a credit union, including checking, savings and money market accounts. It is very easy for students to open an account here, and TFCU has other branches across Long Island and online banking (http://www.teachersfcu.org). Student clubs and organizations can also open accounts here, and ATMs are located outside the branch in the SAC basement, and outside the Seawolves Market. There are also Bank of America ATMs outside the Stony Brook Union, by the entrance facing the library. Most major branches can be found in the surrounding region, especially on Route 347 and some on Route 25A. Both campus branches are open until 4:30 p.m. Mon-Thu and until 6 on Fridays.

BOOKS – Locally, the options are fairly limited. The campus bookstore, operated by Barnes & Noble but lacking the variety and ambiance of most such stores, is known for its sky-high prices, low buyback rates, and very long lines during the first few days of each semester. Why long lines at a place so expensive? It’s simple: convenience. Located on the lower level of the Melville Library, with an entrance directly across from the Union, it’s the easy way out for many students, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

However, the closest option outside of the campus, Stony Books (Route 25A across from the train station), isn’t terribly better, featuring long lines and quite often, rude service. The prices are slightly better though, and there tends to be a larger selection of used books, which are always less expensive. On Route 347 across from the Smithhaven Mall, you can find a Borders, with the typical selection one would expect from a large chain bookstore, and some students find some of their textbooks here, for less. Finally, an excellent option is ordering online. Half.com and sunyexchange.com are popular sites for buying and selling textbooks, and the prices are often much lower than at any of the local bookstores. If you have the patience to await your books to arrive by mail, this is definitely a great option.

As far as the campus bookstore goes, it is also a quick fix if you are looking for university souvenirs (sweatshirts, etc.), magazines, newspapers, and office supplies, which Stony Books also sells. The staff at the bookstore is also friendlier than that at Stony Books. Both establishments also buy back books, but beware of books which have changed editions, which in many cases means that neither store will buy them back any longer. Another word of advice would be to attempt to get in touch with your professors before the start of each semester, to find out which books will be used in the class. The difference? No lines at either bookstore if you buy your books at least a couple of weeks in advance. The campus bookstore also accepts book reservations, at least a month in advance of the start of each semester—a convenient service, but be prepared to pay the establishment’s inflated prices.

Finally, some classes offer “course packs” which are available through the respective department’s main office, while others sell them through an establishment known as Budget Print (next door to Stony Books, across from the LIRR station).

University Bookstore: Melville Library – Tel. 632-6551 – http://www.sunysb.edu/bookstore. Typically open until 8 p.m. on weekdays during the fall semester.

Stony Books: Tel. 689-9010.

BUSES – There is an on-campus bus network which links most major buildings. Once upon a time, students actually had to pay 50 cents a ride to go from building to building, but that’s been replaced by the much wiser (as far as the administration is concerned) “transportation fee” which mysteriously appears on your tuition bill—whether you ride the buses or not. Nevertheless, the North and South local link buildings like the SAC, Union, most of the residential quads, hospital, South-P lot and railroad station. There is also an express bus which runs from the SAC loop to the South-P lot, but be prepared for long waits in the cold for most of these buses. The difference between the North and South local is the direction they run in, but they make the same stops. Yeah, we haven’t figured it out either.  Bus maps are available by the campus information desk in the Stony Brook Union lobby.

Additionally, there is a weekend campus bus which leaves every hour from the SAC loop and outside the Union, and travels to the Smithhaven Mall, and the shopping center across from the mall which contains a Border’s, Waldbaum’s and Sports Authority. Buses also leave from those locations to return to campus each hour.

Finally, there is Suffolk County Bus Service on campus, making stops outside the Union. The routes that service campus are the S60 (Gordon Heights-Smithhaven Mall), S69 (Port Jefferson), S71 (Brookhaven-Shirley), and 3D (Brentwood-Central Islip-Ronkonkoma).

Stony Brook Transportation Services: Tel. 632-6423 - www.sunysb.edu/facilities/tps/transportation

Suffolk County Transit: 852-2500 – www.sct-bus.org. Fare: $1.00 w/ student ID.