things I wish someone had told me, part 1

ATTENTION PERSPECTIVE ABROAD STUDENTS AND/OR VISITORS. These are important things to know, which I wish I'd known earlier.

1. The donut cafe on Большая Конюшенная is the best thing ever. Buy yourself three donuts and a cherry juicebox, and your life will be happier.
2. If you are a girl, bring lots of pairs of tights with you. It will save you headache and your babushka a heart attack.
3. The Russian Museum is better than the Hermitage, but the Hermitage is free for you with Student ID.
4. There is absolutely no need to pay 250 rubles for a cup of coffee, ever. Unless you're really attached to Starbucks-the-name-brand. Check Буше or Пироговой Дворик for good coffee/hot chocolate with more reasonable prices and better accompanying foodstuff.
5. You cannot wait to see things until the weather is good. The weather might never be good. Suck it up and get outside.
6. That said, count on it being colder in Peterhoff or Pavlovsk than in the city. Go on a really warm day, or wear your parka.
7. Wear a sleep mask from day 1. It will protect you from some of the weirdness of the WILDLY VARYING daylight-hours in this city (perspective: when I got here, daylight was about 9:45a-5:30p. Now, it's about 5:30a-10:30p.)
8. Speaking of hours, start thinking in military time now.
9. Carrying a wallet is unnecessary. Pockets are sufficient for the small change you'll need on an average day, and money there is less likely to get lost (especially if you're wearing women's jeans, because I can barely fit my hand into the pockets).
10. The best souvenirs are sold at monasteries and underground crosswalks.

More advice coming up soon.

Also, prepare yourselves: I will not be posting between May 9-16, because I will be on a long and treacherous regional field study through the provinces of Russia (read: river cruise without wifi). I may or may not post between the 16^th and when I leave, but when I get to the States I'll come back and upload lots of pictures for your viewing pleasure.