What's there to love in Boston?

[Tristan Lall]

It has come to pass that I'm being considered for a co-op* position in the Boston area, (Woburn, MA, to be exact). Though I won't get notice of approval or rejection for several days, (the 28th at the latest), I thought it might be prudent to do a little research on what that area of the world is like. The company involved is Azure Dynamics, a firm which supplies hybrid vehicles and powertrains to (principally) commercial/fleet users.

I've never visited the Boston area, much less lived there for a while, so I'm curious about all of the logistical issues related to cost of living (or, before I get ahead of myself, places in which to live). On a less practical note, I'm equally curious as to what I could do in my spare time; tourist things, recreational things, etc.. Of course, with the FIRST season approaching, I also wonder if there's a team (or teams?) out there that could use some extra freelance help.

So in short, tell me something about Boston.

*A paid internship for academic credit, lasting 4 months, starting in January 2006.

[Karthik]

It has come to pass that I'm being considered for a co-op* position in the Boston area, (Woburn, MA, to be exact).

I find it pretty ironic that the gradute of Woburn Robotics and Woburn C.I. is possibly taking a job in Woburn, MA. Congrats.

[Tristan Lall]

I find it pretty ironic that the gradute of Woburn Robotics and Woburn C.I. is possibly taking a job in Woburn, MA. Congrats.You know, my potential boss is a graduate of both Woburn C.I. (1991, he said) and Waterloo Engineering....

[slickguy2007]

Perfect time to move out there, their is a Boston Regional now. :p Its a city, so their is plenty to do. From what my sister tells me, it could get expensive depending on where you live in the city but that is just how cities are. The Charles River is right there, so it opens up some possibilities. I heard that going to sporting events and going to the clubs are the hot things to do. Its an awesome city with plenty to do, you won't have a hard time finding anything to do. As for robotics teams in the city, I think there are some(125, 246 etc.). Hope this helps.


GO 1403!!!

[RoboMadi]

in my opinion ownign a car in BOSTON is just simply insane, as traffic is too bad. Although its a great city to live in, cause you are technically surrounded by genious minds from MIT and Boston University. also BOSTON regional is really competitive and incredible.

[Cory]

in my opinion ownign a car in BOSTON is just simply insane, as traffic is too bad. Although its a great city to live in, cause you are technically surrounded by genious minds from MIT and Boston University. also BOSTON regional is really competitive and incredible.

You don't really need a car, if you're actually living in Boston. You can pretty much get wherever you need to go with the T.

I know it's cheaper to live in MA than it is out here in CA, but I have no idea how the cost of living around your neck of the woods compared to MA is.

[tiffany34990]

it's a great city... my bro is up there..

you can take the T pretty much everywhere truthfully or just walk...

the food and people are great... if you love history well a really great place to be at.. into ships and well there is the harbor... a pretty good aquarium...baseball.. be a fan of the red socks if you want...

there is of course a few FIRST teams in the area...

it is like large college town b/c of the many schools in the Boston area and Cambridge area...

i wish you luck with your co-op... and enjoy Boston

[Pat Chen]

[QUOTE=Tristan Lall]It has come to pass that I'm being considered for a co-op* position in the Boston area, (Woburn, MA, to be exact).
QUOTE]
Tristan: There are two teams that I know of ...right inside Boston...one team is mentored by Northeastern University...the other one is Boston University..the site of Boston Regional....I believe that you can take the suburban train into the city of Boston...check on this...because you do not want to take a car into Boston....parking is atrocious....to park on the street ..you need a resident sticker...parking garages are costly....but transportation is very easy and accessible.....Boston is a wonderful place....it is a big city but has the feel of a small place....not like any other big cities...I am from NYC...and that looks and feel like a big city...Boston is not like that.....lots to do...great restaurants....good luck...I hope you get the position! You will love Boston. :)

[Rosiebotboss]

I fiond it kind of funny.........all the replies so far to your request are from folks NOT from Boston. It may appear that neither am I, but I will tell you Iwas born just norht of the city, lived there and left. So, that said, here is my $.02...

Woburn is 20 miles outside the City of Boston. Rte 128, "America's Technology Highway" runs through it. There are many high tech firms in Woburn and surrounding cities. I cannot give you apt prices, contact a real estate company for that. Gas prices are 2.70+ gal, you will need a car if you want to go anywhere on your own schedule. There is mass transit, but not to everywhere. If you want to travel into Boston proper, take the T.

There are many recreational things to do from large shopping malls and movies to coffe house and libraries, top museums and loud nightclubs.

Oh, and the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins.

Good luck.

[Petey]

It has come to pass that I'm being considered for a co-op* position in the Boston area, (Woburn, MA, to be exact). Though I won't get notice of approval or rejection for several days, (the 28th at the latest), I thought it might be prudent to do a little research on what that area of the world is like. The company involved is Azure Dynamics, a firm which supplies hybrid vehicles and powertrains to (principally) commercial/fleet users.

I've never visited the Boston area, much less lived there for a while, so I'm curious about all of the logistical issues related to cost of living (or, before I get ahead of myself, places in which to live). On a less practical note, I'm equally curious as to what I could do in my spare time; tourist things, recreational things, etc.. Of course, with the FIRST season approaching, I also wonder if there's a team (or teams?) out there that could use some extra freelance help.

So in short, tell me something about Boston.

*A paid internship for academic credit, lasting 4 months, starting in January 2006.

Boston is a beautiful city that carries its age well. Its high culture--plays, museums, and colleges--are counterbalanced by a love of sports and bars.

Fenway Park and the Boston Garden are must-sees. The Blue Man Group is always fun. The Duck Tours and Museum of Science are fantastic.

But you can just walk around and have a good time too.

It's my favorite city in the world. It's really a very good area--I've got family in Woburn.

You got any specific questions, PM me. I grew up in Reading, MA, and have lived for the last four years barely an hour north of Boston, right across the N.H. border.

--Petey

[Jessica Boucher]

I also find it funny that noone's stated that though there is tons to love about Boston, you're going to be working more near Burlington than Boston.

Burlington will be your closest mall/shopping area: movie theatre, great restaurants (I suggest Rainforest Cafe and the Cheesecake Factory). It's a fabulous area. Close by is Lexington, which is fun to visit on a day trip, since it's got a lot of history about the American Revolution. I don't remember exactly when it is, but they do recreate Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (and yes, in the middle of the night).

As for the MBTA, you'll be able to get on the commuter rail in Woburn at the Anderson RTC stop on the Lowell line. Please keep in mind that the Commuter Rail is not the T and runs much less frequently than the T itself. Your best bet to jump on the T will be Alewife station in Cambridge, on the Red Line (though you can jump on the Orange and the Green lines....the Lechmere/Science Park end of the Green line has been in the throes of construction for quite some time, and thus I don't really know the status of it, and I much prefer my time on the Red Line than any time spent on the Orange Line ;)) Alewife will be about 20 minutes south from you.

I lived in Wellesley for 4 years while I was at Babson, and worked over the breaks...I had a blast. I'm sure you will too :) Feel free to PM me with more questions you may have.

[Petey]

Jessica is right. The Burlington mall is great.

But the MBTA is a fantastic system.

--Petey

[MikeDubreuil]

Congratulations on coming to Boston. I have spent the last four years in Boston and can tell you that it is a marvelous place to live.

Boston is divided into many "neighborhoods" collectively known as Boston proper. While in college I lived in a studio/efficiency apartment in the Fenway area. The apartment cost me $1050/month, heat was included. Parking was available on the street but I chose to buy a spot from my landlord for $120/month.

Today I have a life not unlike yourself if you choose to live in Boston. I currently live in Allston in a 3 floor house with 2 friends. The rent is $2400/month. I commute to Wilmington (about 5 miles from Woburn) to work everyday. The commute is about 30 minutes long and against the traffic; most traffic is going into Boston, not out. We actually found this house on Craigslist but also used a real estate agent to look for apartments...

Never trust a real estate agent. Real estate agents in Boston are literally snakes. Unfortunately, often times they are the easiest way to find a place to live so here are some tips.
1.) Real estate agents make their money by commissions made from the signing of leases. The commission is usually 1 months rent. Sometimes the landlord will pay half the commission. Rarely is there no fee associated with a good apartment.
2.) A real estate agent will take you out to see apartments around the city. They will show you their worst apartments first and will show their best apartments at the end.
3.) Real estate agents are used to screen prospective tenants for landlords. If you tell a real estate agent that you are a college student you will be shown a different set of apartments than if you told them you are a "working professional." Therefore, it would be wise to say you were a working professional. (A landlord can not legally discriminate against you because you are a college student but a real estate agent can)

Landlords can also be a problem. With a lot of college students landlords don't always follow the tenants right set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For instance, the following happened to me in Fenway:
1.) The landlord would show up unexpectedly without notice to look at the apartment.
2.) Windows in common areas were broken and not replaced.
3.) The heat was not turned on when it became cold.
4.) After moving out I have not gotten my security deposit back. It is now 24 days late.

When signing a lease for a house or apartment be prepared to spend ALOT of money. Upon signing the lease the following are usually due:
a.) First month's rent
b.) Last Months rent
c.) Real Estate agent commissions
d.) A security deposit (sometimes half, usually a full month's rent)

Nightlife in Boston? You bet'ya. Here's a list of some good nightspots:
a.) Faneuil Hall
b.) Lansdowne St near Fenway Park
c.) Boylston area
d.) Around the intersection of Harvard Ave and Brighton Ave in Allston.
e.) Many other local favorites.

If you have any questions about Boston feel free to post or PM me. Good Luck.

FYI Everyone: The Boston Regional will be held in Allston.

[Erin Rapacki]

OK, you might as well hear it from another local:

You'll need a car to commute to and from work (if you're work is in Woburn). If you live out near work, a bedroom in an apartment should cost less than $500 a month. For $$ sake I highly recommend living as close to where you work as possible, unless you want the TRUE experience of living in the city. It just gets more expensive as you get closer to the city. Search roommates.com' or 'boston.craigslist.org' to find roommates who are looking to sublet for the time period you're in Woburn. Parking in Boston is free on weekends in many places and driving into the city to park, and then T'ing around during the day, works out really well (well, NU lots are free anyway). I love Boston and I plan on staying here a few years after I graduate. These are the things I do during my free time:

City Life:

-clubbing
-restaurants/bars with friends
-lots of live music
-spend money
-shopping
-museums
-shows/theater
-public events (like the Pumpkin Festival)
-wander around Newberry Street
-Monopoly at Starbucks

Robotics/Science Life:

-Have dinner with Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple) at Applebees in the Prudential Center during a FIRST Boston Regional volunteer coordination meeting (not kidding :rolleyes: ).
-Meetings at a law firm downtown to organize an event for WEST (women entrepreneurs in science and technology)
-Networking meetings at Museum of Science with WEST
-Help a rookie robotics team in the area (I haven't decided which one yet, but there are many around).
-RoboBusiness conference at the Cambridge Hyatt.
-Attend museums/meetings to listen to speakers/lectures.

Outdoor Life:

-"It's Friday night, drive north!!!"
-www.viewsfromthetop.org has a lot of Boston people who go hiking on the weekends connected to it, so its easy to find rides
-SCUBA dive
-Hang Glide
-Lots of hiking (winter hiking, woohooo!)

Transportation:

-easy
-public transportation is great
-easy access to airport, trains, & bus
-zipcar is my very best friend

Sports:

-Red Sox riot in October
-Patriots riot in January
-the riots are getting a little routine


Ummmm, any more questions about Boston? The city is awesome one you find the people around to enjoy it with.

[Tristan Lall]

I'll resurrect this thread in order to convey my disappointment that, no, I didn't get the job that I sought in Boston. (And that's unfortunate, because it would've been rather nice, judging by the descriptions and discussions that I've had.) As is pretty much standard procedure in the University of Waterloo co-op job matching process, no particular reason was given for condemning me to yet another semester in the cold, white North.*

I did, however, land a job with another one of the companies that interviewed me; Solectron Invotronics (makers, primarily, of automotive electronics), which, convieniently enough, is about 8 km from my house, as opposed to 918 km away for Azure Dynamics. I guess that this means the Toronto-area teams will be recieving the bulk of my services (whether they want them or not).

*Actually, I'm well aware that Boston is a bit colder than Toronto in the winter. That was merely for imagery's sake.

[Pat Chen]

I'll resurrect this thread in order to convey my disappointment that, no, I didn't get the job that I sought in Boston.......... for condemning me to yet another semester in the cold, white North.*

Isize]


I am sorry to learn that you didn't get the job in Boston. :( ....it is a fun place to be.....next time...apply to a few companies in Florida....if you want to get out of the cold. Good luck with the job at Solectron.

Pat Chen :]