1. Defend Yourself.
Self-defense skills are kinda like cooking skills—a lot of us have put off, um, actually learning them. So when better to pick up some life-protecting tricks than when they’re FREE? At the Self Defense Class, offered by the Temple Women’s Network and ROAR for Good (founded by a Temple alumna!), you’ll learn basic self-defense moves and have the chance to win an “Athena” safety device. Why you should come: for your safety, and ’cause what else is going up down on a  Tuesday? Register before.

Tuesday, Aug. 30, 6:30–8:30 p.m., 200A, Howard Gittis Student Center

2. Cherry on.
To say we’re extremely excited for the impending football season would be a HUGE understatement. After finishing 10-4 last year, school spirit was at an all-time high—it’s not every year a team ends a 39-game winless streak against a rival. The first chance you’ll get to cheer on our Owls is at this Thursday’s Cherry On Pep Rally (you’ll also be cheering for the free food and T-shirts). Then cheer them on again under the Friday night lights during the home opener against Army Knights.

Pep Rally: Thursday, Sept. 1, 3:30 p.m., Bell Tower, 1210 Polett Walk
Game: Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field

3. Dine with Ryan Gosling.
Hey girl, Noah—um, Ryan Gosling, will be on campus soon. OK, Ryan Gosling’s *movie* will be on campus soon. For just $5, you can eat a meal and watch Ry Gos in The Nice Guys at The Reel during the second annual Dinner and a Movie Night. With or without the real-life Gos, it’s bound to be a night of nice food, nice friends and Nice Guys. Tickets go on sale Thursday, Sept. 1, in The Reel Box Office.

Thursday, Sept. 8, 6 p.m. (movie begins at 7 p.m.), The Reel Cinema, Howard Gittis Student Center

4. Travel to Roma.
Ask any student about their time spent studying abroad (ifffffff you’ve got a few hours to spare, that is), and they’ll tell you ALL about the most amazing experience of their life. And in addition to the lasting memories, art students from Temple Rome also bring their work back stateside and exhibit it at Tyler’s annual Festa Di Roma. Tyler student or not, check out some awesome artwork and support your fellow Owls—and plan to make an afternoon of it since there’s a good chance you’ll be hightailing it to the study abroad office afterward.

Wednesday, Sept. 14, 4–5:30 p.m., Lobby, Tyler School of Art

5. Travel to the future.
Remember when we said to support your fellow Owls? Good, cause we’re saying it again. Also happening this week is VentureFest, a showcase where you can check out some really cool student-run businesses on campus. Our entrepreneurial Owls are making custom nail polishes, serving up on-demand food truck delivery and doing so much more innovative stuff. Hear from the students behind the startups about what it takes to turn an idea into a business, network with like-minded collaborators and, as always, partake in some snacking.

Thursday, Sept. 15, 3 p.m.–5 p.m., Blackstone LaunchPad, Howard Gittis Student Center

6. Travel to the past.
Ok, ONE more chance to support your fellow Owls. The latest show from Temple Theaters is Crumbs from the Table of Joy, a smart, funny play set in the 1950s. If you’re not all caught up on the ’50s, why not learn a bit through a highly-praised, highly-entertaining performance? For $10 with your TUID, you can watch a tremendously talented cast (plus, you’ll appear look like such a super smartie in your history class).

Wednesday, Sept. 21–Oct. 2, Randall Theater, 2020 N. 13th St., $10 with TUID

7. Cherry on again. (Part Deux)
Call us Kanye because we’re comin’ home again—well, our alumni are comin’ home again. Homecoming 2016 is going to be loaded with tailgating, pep rallies and gathering with Owls of all ages. You’re gonna wanna be in on all of the excitement as we prepare to take on the Charlotte 49ers, so check out the full schedule of events. Also, CAKE. As in, another TU Big Cake from Baker Dave.

Friday, Sept. 23–Sunday, Sept. 25

OFF CAMPUS

8. Get your free on.
Whether you’re an incoming freshman, a transfer student or just a lover of freebies, be sure to check out Campus Philly’s CollegeFest 2016 at Dilworth Park. Just a subway ride away, there will be live music, giveaways, games, and you can get a wristband that grants you FREE access to numerous museums and the Philly PHLASH Downtown Bus Loop for the day. That would mean meandering through exhibits at the Franklin Institute, getting spooked at Eastern State Penitentiary or, if your freebie-loving heart desires, both.

Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Dilworth Park, free admission

9. Connect with Philly.
Ever wonder what the Nutcracker, the Tin Man and Ryan Howard have in common? Wait, you haven’t? Well we have—and we’ve figured it out! You can see all of them with the help of Philly Connections, which provides discounted tickets to awesome events around town. Going on sale this week: $10 tickets to the Sept. 15 Phillies v. Pirates game, available at The Reel’s Box Office with your TUID. Also available are $10 tickets to the Philadelphia Zoo and the Camden Aquarium and more.

Phillies v. Pirates: Thursday, Sept. 15, 7:05 p.m., Citizens Bank Park
Tickets Available: Beginning Thursday, Sept. 1, Reel Box Office (Wed.–Fri., 12 p.m.–6 p.m.), $10 with TUID

Sleeping bag? Check. Bug spray? Check. Marshmall—hold on, wrong checklist. This isn’t camp. This is the next chapter of *your life* and if you want to survive the zombie apocalypse your college career, there are some essential things you need to know. Like how to talk like an Owl, where to find every type of food on campus and where to get your free tix for the first football game.

And who are we? We’re Nutshell, your weekly student newsletter. Nutshell, as in the nourishment source for those unruly campus squirrels. Yes, the squirrels. That brings us to the No. 1 rule of survival: Don’t trust the beady-eyed creatures that ascend from the trash cans. (True story.)

Welcome to college, Owls!

• Know how to get around Philly

• Get a taste of the food truck scene

• Learn Temple's lingo

• Use your acres of Diamond Dollars at all of the places

• Save money with these 11 practical ideas (no ramen necessary)

• Read the do's and don’ts of being a good roommate

• Kick off the football season

• Finish this Temple bucket list before you graduate

SEPTA

Wait...SEPTA?
It’s not contagious. SEPTA’s the public transportation system in Philadelphia (it stands for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority). There are buses, two subway lines, and a slew of trolleys and regional trains.

Let’s focus on the subway first.

Where do you get on the subway?
The Broad Street Line, or the orange line, has a stop right on Main Campus. It’s on, you guessed it, Broad Street, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue. It’s pretty hard to miss the gigantic stairwells going into the subterranean, but check out the signs above each entrance so you know in which direction you’re going. The Barnes & Noble side of Broad Street will take you south, toward Center City; the Morgan Hall side will take you north, toward the Health Sciences Center. All you need is a token and a dream.

A token? Is it 1999?
For at least a little while longer, SEPTA will continue to embrace the ancient tokens as one-way fare. So let’s party like it’s ’99 and, um, use a token. If you’re paying cash at the teller window (near the turnstile), a one-way trip is $2.25 and to buy two tokens—you gotta buy at least two—it’s $3.60.

So if I don’t have a token, I can pay cash. Got it. But what about a credit or debit card?
No one carries cash these days, besides those nickels rumbling around with your pocket lint. Buuuutttt… SEPTA will accept credit and debit cards as payment at the entry turnstiles *in the near future.* Those payment boxes flashing their credit card logos aren’t meant to tease us: The new system is on its way but hasn’t fully launched yet.

If you’re an avid rider—internship in Center City, what what!—consider investing in a SEPTA key card.

Where can you buy tokens or a SEPTA pass near Temple?
You can buy tokens and passes at the Cecil B. Moore Station, and at Fresh Grocer at Broad and Oxford streets. If you only need a pack of tokens, stop by one of the 7-Elevens on or near campus. Either way, you’ll need cash.
 

ALTERNATE OPTIONS

Bus
Sometimes the bus is the cheapest and most convenient way to get around the city. There are several buses that pass through campus, and you can check out the routes and schedules here. It costs the same as the subway, but doesn’t automatically stop at designated places. So put Pokémon Go on hold and pay attention to the street signs. When you want to get off, just pull the cord that lines the windows and the bus will pull over at the next stop.

Bikes
Get transportation freedom with Indego Bikes, Philadelphia’s bike share. For a student-friendly fee—$4 per half hour and cheaper if you buy a monthly membership—you can grab a bike at one of the stations, do your thing, and drop it at any station you want in the city. There are three bike stations on campus (just look for the seas of blue bikes), but be sure to get a helmet first because we said so. No, really. Get a helmet.

Where to get your wheels:

• 13th Street and Montgomery Ave., outside Tuttleman Learning Center

• Broad and Oxford streets, near Fresh Grocer

• Berks Street, between 9th and 10th streets, near the Temple SEPTA Regional Rail station

Cars
If you’re a baller, or you know, running late, cabs and Ubers are plentiful. Download the 215 Get a Cab app to request a cab ahead of time—they don’t cruise campus too often.

Related stories:
Temple Survival Guide
Temple Survival Guide: Getting a Taste of the food truck scene
Temple Survival Guide: Learning Temple's lingo
Temple Survival Guide: Where to use your Acres of Diamond Dollars
Temple Survival Guide: 11 ways to save money that don't include ramen
Temple Survival Guide: The do's and don'ts of being a good roommate
Temple Survival Guide: What you need to kick off the football season
Temple Survival Guide: Your College Bucket List