A few things I've learned:

Here's a short list of things that I have learned over my first week here in Minneapolis. Some may be common knowledge to many of you whereas others may be new, hopefully you will be able to laugh a little either way.

1. The strange people ride at the front of the bus. I'm not sure why this is, but not having taken public transit much in many, many years this was new to me. The fun one was the guy muttering to himself next to me in another language. When I asked what he was saying (assuming it was directed at me) he said he was talking to himself, and then just kept right on going.
2. University classes run for 15 weeks. Down here they still have yet to write their final exams, and labs are just ending this week.
3. Half the time you have to show picture ID for a credit card purchase, the other half you sign an electronic pad that messes up your signature completely, which nobody checks anyway. But I guess this is the binary logic of the US system, either they don't trust you at all, or they trust you completely.
4. If you want to listen to/partake in a religious debate, sit out front of the chem building on a Wednesday. Nobody here is quite sure why, but there are these preacher types that show up most Wednesdays and will preach/argue for hours on end, right in front of the chem building.
5. If you are in a basement lab/office with locked doors you don't meet many other grad students. Unlike the U of A it seems that theft is more or a concern here and most of the labs are locked so people don't really drop by that often.
6. Minneapolis drivers may be worse then Edmonton drivers. Scary as that may seem it is likely true. I have seen less cracked windshields but a lot more cars with massive dents, panels almost missing, or parts held on with bungee cords then ever before. Now when I bike not only do I need to watch for the cars but parts falling off of them.
7. Letters mailed that are destined outside of the US need to be addressed in capital letters, with a return address and with a person's name as the destination (cannot address it to Grandpa). Any bets that this is to make it easier for the government to scan letters and record who is sending what to whom. I feel so safe knowing that Big Brother is watching out for me, no as long as I can keep my books away from the Ministry of Truth...
   

So that's some of what I've learned so far, I'll impart more advice/wisdom onto you as soon as I learn about it the hard way.