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ABC's of Life in the United States
Alcohol
You must be 21 to drink alcohol in the United States. Bars and clubs will ask you to show ID
proving your age before they will let you in. At parties you will often find beer, wine, or
liquor, and underage students do drink, although they are not supposed to do so.
You should never feel pressured to drink. Always use your good judgment.
Never drink and drive, and do not accept a ride from anyone who is under the influence
of alcohol. U.S. laws about drinking and driving are very strict and getting caught will
not only affect your future, but will be very embarrassing.
Banking
 It is important to open a bank account as soon as possible to enable you to use the money you
have brought with you in a more convenient and secure manner. A checking account will allow
you to withdraw money when you need it at ATM's (Automated Teller Machines), and to use checks
or a debit card to pay for goods and services. When you open a checking account you will be
able to order checks and apply for an ATM/debit card. In addition, you can also maintain a
savings account that will accrue some interest. Travelers' checks in U.S. dollars can be used
temporarily until you have opened a bank account. There are many banks in the area. It is
a good idea to look for one that offers checking accounts with no fee, and to choose a bank
that has ATM machines near GMU and/or your home. United Bank has a branch office on campus,
and many students find it convenient to open an account there. Apple Credit Union is
another institution on campus that provides banking services on campus. Many banks do not
require a Social Security number to open an account.
Center for the Arts (CFA)
Mason's renowned concert hall. Take advantage of the free student tickets and see world-class
performances! Go to the Center for the Arts box office for information.
CUE Bus
Students who present a valid GMU ID card can ride the CUE bus for free. Bus transfers can be
obtained to transfer to other buses. The CUE bus takes you around the city of Fairfax, and
connects the Fairfax campus with the Vienna Metro station. For students who do not drive, it
is a good idea to live somewhere along the CUE bus line to keep commuting time and cost down.
Driving
To drive legally, one must have a U.S. driver's license or an international driver's license,
carry auto insurance, and the car must be registered in the state in which you live (Virginia,
Maryland, etc.). Go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in the state in which you live
to take an exam and a driver's test to obtain a license.
Virginia: http://www.dmv.state.va.us/
Maryland: http://mva.state.md.us/
Washington DC: http://dmv.dc.gov/main.shtm
Pay attention to traffic rules (including traffic lights and speed limits), or else the police
might pull you over and write you a ticket. Watch out for traffic cameras, both for running
red lights and speeding, that give out $50-$75 tickets, as well!
What is HOV?
On some highways in the Washington Metro area, HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes are enforced.
In order to use the HOV lanes, each vehicle must have at least two (if the sign says HOV-2)
or three (if the sign says HOV-3) persons in it. This is to encourage people to drive together
("carpool") to reduce traffic. For example, HOV is enforced on all lanes on Route 66 in the
morning rush hour when driving towards D.C. (eastbound), and in the afternoon when driving
from D.C. (westbound). Single drivers who violate the HOV rule may be pulled over and given
a very expensive ticket.
If you are pulled over (stopped) by the police . . .
Drive to the right side of the road. Stay in your car and wait for the police officer to come
to you. Roll down your window, but do not open your door to go outside. If it is dark, turn
on the light inside the car. The officer will ask for your driver's license and registration
of the car, so make sure to always carry those documents in your car.
Drugs
The use and possession of drugs is illegal. You could get into serious trouble just by being
associated with others who are using or selling drugs. Do not stay at a party where drugs are
being used. Contact OIPS immediately if you find that someone you are living with is using,
growing, or selling drugs. International students have been arrested and put in jail for
storing drug paraphernalia of "friends" during school vacation and for a roommate in possession
of drugs.
Email
All students and staff have a GMU email account. Activate your account in one of the computer
labs (there are labs in the Johnson Center, Science and Tech, and Robinson A buildings).
Some classes require the use of email for communication within the class. OIPS sends out
a newsletter (OIPS NEWS) to the international population via email to your GMU student account,
and we send out essential information in some of our messages. You will be held responsible for reading important information in OIPS-NEWS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU CHECK YOUR GMU EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY OR HAVE YOUR GMU EMAIL ACCOUNT
FOWARDED TO YOUR PREFERRED EMAIL ADDRESS. If you have a personal email account
(Hotmail, Yahoo!, etc.), you can forward mail from that account into your GMU account or
forward your GMU account into your personal account.
Emergency
Call 911 in case you need an ambulance or assistance from police or the fire department.
If you have a non-life-threatening emergency over a holiday or weekend when OIPS is closed,
please contact the GMU Police Department at (703) 993-2810 and the GMU police will contact
an OIPS advisor at home.
Financial Aid
Many colleges offer both need-based and merit-based financial aid. Unfortunately, many forms of financial aid - primarily aid that come from the federal government - are not available to international students on nonimmigrant visas. For more information read the Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid.
George Mason Express
There is a free shuttle service connecting the Fairfax and Prince William Campuses.
For more information about the shuttle schedule and bus stops,
please visit: http://shuttle.gmu.edu/.
Grocery Stores
The closest grocery stores to the Fairfax campus are "Giant," located at University Mall,
within walking distance from campus at the corner of Braddock Road and Route 123 and "Safeway,"
located at Courthouse Plaza by the intersection of University Drive and Willard Way. Several other ethnic
grocery stores are located in Fairfax:
Asian groceries:
Lotte Plaza: 3250 Old Lee Hwy (Q)
Super H Mart: 10780 Lee Hwy (Q)
Largest selection of fruits, vegetables, and Asian food at the most economical price.
Kam Sam: 4316 Markham St. (M)
Indian Groceries:
Bombay Foods: 11213-D Lee Hwy (Q)
Patel Brothers: 11116 Lee Hwy (Q)
Shivam:11139 Lee Hwy (Q)
Islamic Grocer
Halal Meat and Grocer: 4072 Jermantown Rd (Q)
Holidays
Generally, George Mason University is closed between Christmas Eve (December 24th) and New Year's
Day (January 1st). GMU also closes for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (third Monday in January),
Memorial Day (last Monday in May), July fourth, Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
and the day after Thanksgiving. Other U.S. holidays when some businesses and public schools
may close include President's Day (third Monday in February), Easter (March or April),
Columbus Day, and Veteran's Day. For specific dates of holidays observed at GMU,
see the Academic Calendar at: http://registrar.gmu.edu/calendars/index.html.
Income tax is a tax paid on income you receive from U.S. sources (i.e. wages, scholarship, or
fellowship grants, etc.). There are two types of income tax: federal and state.
Some states have an additional local income tax. If you earn income from U.S. sources,
you will need to complete federal and state income tax returns the following year.
An income tax return shows the total amount of your income, any allowable deductions,
exemptions or exclusions you may claim, and your ultimate tax liability.
If you worked, your employer should have withheld income taxes from each paycheck.
If you received a scholarship, taxes should have been withheld from those payments,
as well. If too much tax was withheld, your tax return will show a refund is due to you.
If not enough was withheld, you will need to pay the difference.
Tax workshops are given by OIPS each year to guide you through this process.
Measurement Conversions
U.S. Customary/British Imperial System and the Metric System
| Temperature |
Freezing point: 0º C = 32º F
Normal body temperature: 37º C, or 98.6º F |
To convert . . .
Fahrenheit to Celsius: C = 5/9 (F-32)
Celsius to Fahrenheit: F = 9/5 (C + 32) |
| Length |
Inch = 2.54 cm
Foot = 30 cm
Yard = 0.91 m
Mile = 1.61 km |
To convert . . .
Inches to centimeters: in x 2.54 = cm
Feet to centimeters: ft x 30 = cm
Centimeters to inches: cm x 0.39 = in |
| Weight |
Ounce = 28.35 grams
Pound = 453.6 grams
Ton = ("short ton" = 2,000 pounds) = 0.91 metric ton |
To convert . . .
Ounces to grams: oz x 28.3 = g
Pounds to grams: lb x 453.6 = g
Pounds to kilograms: lb x 0.45 = kg
Grams to ounces: g x 0.035 = oz
Kilograms to pounds: kg x 2.2 = lb |
| Volume |
Fluid ounce = 0.03 liter
Pint = 0.47 liter
Quart = 0.95 liter
Gallon = 3.79 liters |
To convert . . .
Fluid ounce to milliliter: fl oz x 30 = ml
Quart to liter: qt x 0.95 = L
Milliliter to fluid ounce: ml x 0.03 = fl oz
Liter to quart: L x 1.06 = quart |
The closest Metro stop to GMU's Fairfax campus is Vienna, at the end of the Orange Line.
You will need to purchase a fare card at the station. Rates vary depending on when and
where you travel. A chart at the station will tell you the cost to get to your destination.
You can buy a fare card for the exact amount, or add more money on the card to use several
times. "SmarTrip" cards are permanent, rechargeable fare cards useable on the Metro
and bus lines. From Thursday until Sunday, the Metro trains run until midnight,
and Friday and Saturday nights they run until 3:00 am. For a schedule and the best
routes to get where you want to go, visit: http://www.wmata.com/, or call (202) 637-7000.
Movie Theaters
The Film Club shows new releases in the Johnson Center Cinema. Free admission for
students! There are plenty of theaters off campus. The University Mall Theater is
within walking distance from campus, and the Cinema Arts Theater is in Fair City Mall,
on the CUE bus line. To find out what's showing in a nearby theater, check out: www.moviefone.com.
Parking
You must have a parking sticker to park on campus. Buy one for each semester or for the entire
year at Parking Services, SUB II, ground floor. Off campus, you may park on the street, but pay
attention to signs that restrict when and where you can park.
http://www.gmu.edu/univserv/parking/index.html.
Sales Tax
Sales tax is added to the price of most goods sold and collected by the state and/or local
governments. The advertised price on the shelf is without tax. Sales tax in Virginia is 5%,
in Washington, DC it is 5.75%, and in Maryland it is 5%.
Shopping
There are malls all over Fairfax. At Fair Oaks Mall (at the intersection of Routes 50 and 66)
you will find many large department stores, specialty stores, and restaurants. Fair City Mall
is on the CUE bus line at the intersection of Main Street and Picket Road, and has many different
stores, restaurants/fast food, and movie theaters. Save your receipts in case you need to
exchange or return an item you have purchased.
Sports
To watch:
 Support the Patriots! Mason competes in many sports, and all events are free for students
with a valid ID. The most famous of our teams is the men's basketball, after they went to
the Final Four of all U.S. teams in March 2006. Catch a basketball game in the Patriot Center,
and see track and field events, baseball, soccer, volleyball, softball, tennis, golf, crew,
and lacrosse. Washington is home to many professional teams: the Redskins (football),
the Wizards (basketball), the Mystics (women's basketball), the Capitals (ice hockey),
D.C. United (soccer), and the Nationals (baseball).
To exercise:
GMU offers plenty of opportunities for those who like to exercise and play sports.
Just bring your Mason ID for free access to the Aquatic and Fitness Center (swimming pool,
exercise equipment, and weight room), (703) 993-3939.
The Prince William campus of George Mason University has state-of-the-art, 110,000 square foot facility - Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center that offers two pools; a whirlpool; family locker rooms; a full gymnasium; cardio, aerobic and strength studios; over 140 weekly fitness classes; racquetball courts; drop-in child care service and a full range of adult and youth programming.
Telephone
The Washington Metropolitan area includes three area codes. Calls within the near metro area
are considered local calls. Area codes: Virginia (703), Maryland (301), Washington, DC (202).
When calling within Virginia, you must still dial (703) first.
For long-distance calls, dial first "1" then the area code and the phone number. For calls
overseas, dial "011" followed by the country code and the phone number. The number for
information and directory assistance is 411 (free from a payphone, $1.49 from home).
Numbers that start with (800) and (888) are free, but watch out for numbers that start with
(700) or (900), as they can cost several dollars per minute.
Collect call means that the person you are calling will pay for the call (if they agree to do so).
Dial 00 for an international operator, and ask to place a collect call to your country. Some
countries do not accept collect calls from overseas. The cheapest way to call overseas is to
use pre-paid calling cards, which can be purchased at gas stations, convenience stores, or on
the web. Collect calls are extremely expensive and not recommended except in emergencies.
All GMU telephone numbers on-campus start with "993." When calling within campus, use only the
last five digits in the number (3-xxxx). To get an outside line from on-campus, dial "9."
To obtain a phone line where you live, contact Verizon at (703) 954-6222. Keep in mind that
many services offered have additional charges (e.g. call waiting, return call, number information,
and caller ID). To have access to long-distance calling, you will need to sign up with a
long-distance carrier (such as AT&T, MCI, Sprint, etc.). There is a constant battle over
customers between these carriers, so it pays off to find out what their rates are before
signing up. Do not be surprised if other companies call you to offer other deals after you
signed up with their competitor. Many people switch long distance carriers several times,
depending on who gives the best deal at the moment. Calling cards purchased at gas stations
or various internet rates can be the best bets for calling overseas. Generally the most
efficient way to call overseas with the best rates are with special calling cards for
international calls or through internet-based phone companies. Please come to OIPS
for more information.
If you share a phone with other people, make sure they are responsible and pay for their
share when it is time to pay the bill each month. Calling overseas frequently can make
your phone bill very high and you don't want to be stuck with somebody else's bill.
Time
The American continent has four time zones. The East Coast is three hours ahead of
the West Coast (Pacific Time Zone). The Central Time Zone is one hour behind the
Eastern time and Mountain time is two hours behind. In the summer, we have
"daylight savings time." In early April, the clocks are turned one hour forward.
The clocks are turned back one hour in late October.
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