Before coming to college and when first arriving, freshmen are bombarded with advice from upperclassmen and administrators. Just in case you want some more advice, we compiled a simple list of things we wish we had known before coming to AU. You don’t have to listen to us, but hey, we’ve been here longer than you, and we might just be on to something.

The Princeton Review released rankings last August showing that AU was the most politically active school in the nation. After the rankings were released, students and professors claimed it was evidence the university was making good use of D.C.‘s resources, The Eagle previously reported.

After you have explored all of D.C.‘s different neighborhoods, seen your favorite band at the 9:30 club and eaten more Chipotle than you ever though humanly possible, at some point you will have to pull a book off your bookshelf and read it. You might even have to write a paper.

While the National Mall is a tourist hot spot, the monuments and museums are still worth visiting. There are ways to tour the high tourist areas without sticking out like one. Here are some tips.

-Go early. According to the Smithsonian’s Web site, museums are less crowded right after they open at 10 a.

Visiting and living in Washington are two totally different experiences. Now that you live here, you’ll need to know where basic necessities are, instead of just tourist areas. Here’s a quick rundown of practical stores in Tenleytown.

7-Eleven
4319 Wisconsin Ave.

Despite the allure of a good education and endless career opportunities, the District of Columbia also brings peril and hardship. Here are 10 tips to help AU students get around and survive in Washington without looking too much like a tourist.

1. Don’t Drive Yourself Insane

Driving in the District is a maddening task best left to the experienced D.

After having a late night out with friends or a long night in the library, there is nothing worse than coming back to your dorm room with an empty stomach. Luckily for AU students, the area around campus contains many appetizing options for late-night dining.

Washington has an outstanding public transportation system. Buses run all throughout the city and surrounding areas of Virginia and Maryland, and the Metro system is one of the cleanest in the country. It’s not a difficult system to master, but it does take a few tries until new riders completely get into the swing of things.

Linking the suburban to the cosmopolitan, the Metro’s red line offers AU students easy access to many of the city’s riches. The red line begins and ends in suburban Maryland. Pick the line up at Tenleytown and explore the District’s myriad and diverse neighborhoods.