Moving, Grocery Shopping, and Settling In

Moving

Storrowed is a local term for a rental truck driven into an underpass on Storrow or Memorial Drive because the driver relied on GPS and disregarded the low clearance signs.

Many of you will start moving the MIT area soon.  For rental truck movers, please heed the timeless advice given by Cambridge Fire Dept’s Twitter:

"Always watch the height-limit signs, especially for the underpasses on Memorial Drive & Storrow Drive. Don't try to drive a rental moving truck through the underpasses. THE TRUCK WON'T FIT!!

 

Furniture

MIT FX Furniture Exchange

For discount furniture, find unbeatable deals on secondhand and repurposed furniture from MIT's own student furniture exchange, located in Building WW15-182.

Facebook Marketplace and Groups

You can find great deals on Facebook Marketplace for furniture and household supplies, especially as many students move out around September 1! Since the Cambridge area has so many students and postdocs who stay for only a few years, many people try to offer their gently used furniture for free or for a huge discount. In addition, Facebook has many local groups such as Buy Nothing Somerville, Harvard Grad Market, and MIT Free And For Sale in which people can buy or sell items including furniture. There is also a local culture of placing unwanted items and furniture on the curb for others to take when moving out, so keep an eye out while you explore the town (or join a group such as CURB ALERT SOMERVILLE to see what's out there). 

 

Grocery Shopping

Off Campus Grocery Stores

Brother’s Market Kendall Square  
H Mart - Central Square
Market Basket - Union Square
Star Market - Porter Square
Star Market - East Cambridge/Somerville
Target – Everett
Target - Porter Square
Target - Central Square
Trader Joe's - Back Bay
Trader Joe's – Cambridgeport
Trader Joe's - Fresh Pond
Whole Foods - Central /Inman
Whole Foods – Cambridgeport
Stop and Shop - North Cambridge /Somerville
Stop and Shop - East Somerville

 

Costco and Target Shuttle

The Division of Student Life sponsors a shuttle to transport students to and from Costco and Target during the year on Sundays.

Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market Shuttle

The Division of Student Life sponsors a shuttle to transport MIT students to and from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market. The shuttle makes stops at many residences and FSILGs on the Cambridge campus and passes through Kendall Square and Central Square every Sunday during the academic year. An additional shuttle has been added for Wednesday service until further notice.

 

Transportation

Public Transit: the "T" and Buses

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has a network of train routes connecting the Greater Boston Area. MIT is very close to the Kendall Square Red Line Stop. The Red Line goes into downtown Boston (the Ashmont/Braintree direction) as well as Cambridge and Somerville (the Alewife direction) where many students live off-campus. MIT offers discounts for monthly and semester/year-long T-passes for graduate students. Charlie cards can also be purchased at many T stations including Kendall Square. Charlie cards and T-passes also work for using the many bus lines that connect MIT to most of the Boston area. 

MIT Shuttles

Shuttle services are available to North Station, Back Bay, Logan Airport, Cambridgeside Galleria, and more. MIT graduate students ride free with your MIT ID.

Zipcar

MIT provides discounts on Zipcar memberships.

Biking

Biking is a popular method of transportation, and many streets throughout the Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston area have dedicated bike lanes. Bike racks are easily accessible throughout the MIT campus. For students without a bike, the Bluebikes annual membership is subsidized (from $99 to $35). 

See this handy doc on more detailed transportation information!

Cell Phones and Technology

SIM Cards

campusSIMS and Mint Mobile are providing free SIM cards for MIT students. Plans start as low as $15/month and students can choose a variety of talk, text, and data plans. For international students, the SIM card can be sent to your home country so you can have a US phone number immediately ready by the time you arrive in the US. 

Cell Phone Plans

Discounts are available for MIT students on several cellular phone plans, including existing plans. Visit MIT B2P for more information on vendors and pricing on cell plans along with other discounts offered to the MIT community from vendors such as Staples, Lenovo, Apple, and Dell.