1

Hanover College

Resource Book

 

Hanover College

Louisville

Indianapolis

Madison

Cincinnati

Hanover

2

Welcome to Hanover College!

We, your I-Pal Mentors and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, are excited to meet you and

welcome you to one of the most beautiful campuses in the U.S. We look forward to working with

you over the course of your first year here at Hanover and helping you to become acclimated to

your new home away from home.

Getting adjusted to a new country and college can be an overwhelming experience. You must

overcome the struggles of homesickness, cultural differences, and your academic

responsibilities. Your I-Pal will stand with you as you face these challenges and the Office of

Multicultural Affairs exists as a constant resource for support and guidance as you journey

through your Brave New World!

Monica Green

• Office of Multicultural Affairs

• 812-866-7025(o) greenm@hanover.edu

Shaina Lin

• I-Pal Floater

• lins16@hanover.edu

Hilary Appiah

• I-Pal Floater

• appiahh17@hanover.edu

3

Table of Contents

Orientation Schedule …………………………… 4 - 6

Location) ………………………………………… 7 - 8

(Campus, Madison, and the Midwest

Hanover College Academic Tools ……………… 9 - 15

and Success Plan

Building Your Social Network …………………. 16 - 17

Figures of Speech/ Slang Translations…………. 18 - 21

Crisis, Safety, and Law Abidance……………… 22 - 23

Money Management……………………………. 24 - 27

 

4

Brave New World Week Hanover College International Student Orientation Week

Saturday, August 22nd – Sunday, August 23th

Airport Arrival

Plan your travel to arrive at one of the following airports:

Louisville, KY (SDF)

Indianapolis, IN (IND)

Cincinnati. OH (CVG)

Your Orientation Leaders (IPALs) will meet you at the airport baggage claim and

transport you back to the Hanover College campus. Look for the smiling group of people

holding up Hanover College signs. Please Note: There will be no transportation provided

to students who fly in to non-approved airports.

Monday, August 24th

Getting Your Affairs in Order

Use this day to catch up on sleep and set up your room in the residence hall. The IPal

Orientation Leaders will provide shuttles to Walmart (market) and assist you with getting

your room organized.

8:00am – 9:30am Continental Breakfast in the Haq Center

9:30am Welcome and Check In – Haq Center

10:00am First Shuttle to River Valley Financial Bank (Set up checking

account and receive check/debit card. You will need to bring your

passport and visa information along with the cash you would like

to deposit. The minimum deposit is $100.

12:00pm/Noon Lunch in the Haq Center

1:00pm Shuttle to Walmart (Grocery Store and Super Market). Your IPal

will accompany you to Walmart to assist you with finding items to

help make your room comfortable. Please refer to the appliance list

provided you by the Housing Office for restrictions and

suggestions. You will need to bring money/ credit card/ debit card

to purchase your items.

Second Shuttle to River Valley Financial Bank (Set up checking

account and receive check/debit card. You will need to bring your

passport and visa information along with the cash you would like

to deposit. The minimum deposit is $100.

5:00pm Dinner in the Haq Center

5

Tuesday, August 25th

8:30am Continental Breakfast in the Haq Center

9:00am Welcome, Expectations, and Team Builders

10:00am Campus Tour

11:30am Welcome Lunch with International Faculty

1:00pm Hanover College Academic Calendar and Travel Planning

3:00pm Learning Center Orientation and Academic Expectations

5:00pm Dinner in the Campus Center Dining Hall

Wednesday, August 26th

Expanding the Bubble – Cincinnati Trip

8:30am Continental Breakfast in the Haq Center

9:00am Load vans in front of the Campus Center

11:00am Arrive at Kenwood Town Center. You will have 2 hours to shop

and eat lunch.

1:00pm Load vans outside of the food court.

1:45pm Arrive at Jungle Jims Grocery Store

4:00pm Load vans in the front of the grocery store

6:00pm Arrive at Hanover College

7:00pm Pizza and a Movie in the Haq Center

6

Thursday, August 27th

Breakfast on Your Own

10:00am Learning Center Orientation and Academic Expectations

12:00pm Lunch in the Campus Center Dining Hall

1:00pm Monica Green’s Tools for Success

3:00pm IPals Hanover Hack’s Session

5:00pm Grill Out on the Quad

Friday, August 28th

Expanding the Bubble Indianapolis Trip

Breakfast and Lunch on your own in the Campus Center Dining Hall

5:00pm Load vans in front of the Campus Center

6:30pm Arrive at Bankers Life Stadium

7:00pm Indianapolis Fever vs Atlanta Dream

WNBA Basketball Game

Dinner

11:00pm Arrive at Hanover College Campus

Saturday, August 29th

LEAP

9:00am – 4:00pm LEAP and Class Registration

6:00pm Brave New World Closing Dinner

Sunday, August 30th

August Experience Begins

7

Location, Location, Location (Campus, Madison, and the Midwest)

Hanover, IN Hanover, IN is a small rural town in the state of

Indiana.

Hanover is in the Eastern Time Zone

(On the line below, write down the # of hours

Hanover is before/behind your home country

time zone)

____________________________ (hours)

Campus Mailing Address:

517 Ball Drive, Unit # ______(insert unit #)

Hanover, IN 47243

My Residence Hall:

_______________________(insert hall name)

_______________________(insert floor #)

_______________________(insert room #)

Hanover College is:

5 minute drive from Madison, IN

45 minute drive from Louisville, KY (SDF airport code)

1 hour and 30 minute drive from Cincinnati, OH (CVG airport code)

I am 2 hour drive from Indianapolis, IN (IND airport code)

8

Campus Map

9

Hanover College Academic Tools & Success Plan

Hints on How to Succeed in College Classes

Budgeting Your Time

A general rule of thumb for college classes is that you should expect to study

about 2 to 3 hours per week outside class for each unit of credit. Based on this

rule of thumb, a student taking 15 credit hours should expect to spend 30 to 45

hours each week studying outside of class. Combined with time in class, this

works out to a total of 45 to 60 hours spent on academic work - not much more

than the time required of a typical job, and you get to choose your own hours.

Of course, if you are working while you attend school, you will need to budget

your time carefully. As a rough guideline, your studying time might be divided

as follows.

If your

course

is:

time for

reading the

assigned

text (per

week)

time for

homework

assignments

(per week)

time for review

and test

preparation

(average per

week)

total

study

time

(per

week)

3

credits

1 to 2 hours 3 to 5 hours 2 hours 6 to 9

hours

4

credits

2 to 3 hours 3 to 6 hours 3 hours 8 to 12

hours

5

credits

2 to 4 hours 4 to 7 hours 4 hours 10 to 15

hours

If you find that you are spending fewer hours than these guidelines suggest,

you can probably improve your grade by studying more. If you are spending

more hours than these guidelines suggest, you may be studying inefficiently; in

that case, you should talk to your instructor about how to study more

effectively.

10

GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR STUDYING

Don't miss class. Listening to lectures and participating in discussions is

much more effective than reading someone else's notes. Active

participation will help you retain what you are learning.

Budget your time effectively. An hour or two each day is more

effective, and far less painful, than studying all night before homework

is due or before exams.

If a concept gives you trouble, do additional reading or problem solving

beyond what has been assigned. And if you still have trouble, ask for

help: you surely can find friends, colleagues, or teachers who will be

glad to help you learn.

Working together with friends can be valuable in helping you to solve

difficult problems. However, be sure that you learn with your friends

and do not become dependent on them.

When studying your text: Don't highlight - underline! Using a pen or

pencil to underline material requires greater care than highlighting, and

therefore helps to keep you alert as you study.

Preparing for Exams

Rework problems and other assignments; try additional problems to be

sure you understand the concepts. Study your performance on

assignments, quizzes, or exams from earlier in the semester.

Study your notes from lectures and discussions. Pay attention to what

your instructor expects you to know for an exam.

Reread the relevant sections in the textbook, paying special attention to

notes you have made in the margins.

Study individually before joining a study group with friends. Study

groups are effective only if every individual comes prepared to

contribute.

Don't stay up too late before an exam. Don't eat a big meal within an

hour of the exam (thinking is more difficult when blood is being

diverted to the digestive system).

11

Try to relax before and during the exam. If you have studied

effectively, you are capable of doing well. Staying relaxed will help

you think clearly.

Presenting Homework and Writing Assignments

All work that you turn-in should be of collegiate quality: neat and easy to read,

well-organized, and demonstrating mastery of the subject matter. Future

employers and teachers will expect this quality of work. Moreover, although

submitting homework of collegiate quality requires "extra" effort, it serves two

important purposes directly related to learning.

1. The effort you expend in clearly explaining your work solidifies your

learning. In particular, research has shown that writing and speaking

trigger different areas of your brain. By writing something down - even

when you think you already understand it - your learning is reinforced

by involving other areas of your brain.

2. By making your work clear and self-contained (that is, making it a

document that you can read without referring to the questions in the

text), it will be a much more useful study guide when you review for a

quiz or exam.

The following guidelines will help ensure that your assignments meet the

standards of collegiate quality.

Always use proper grammar, proper sentence and paragraph structure,

and proper spelling.

All answers and other writing should be fully self-contained. A good

test is to imagine that a friend is reading your work, and asking yourself

whether the friend would understand exactly what you are trying to say.

It is also helpful to read your work out loud to yourself, making sure

that it sounds clear and coherent.

In problems that require calculation:

Be sure to show your work clearly. By doing so, both you and your

instructor can follow the process you used to obtain an answer.

Word problems should have word answers. That is, after you have

completed any necessary calculations, any problem stated in words

should be answered with one or more complete sentences that describe

the point of the problem and the meaning of your solution.

12

Express your word answers in a way that would be meaningful to most

people. For example, most people would find it more meaningful if you

express a result of 720 hours as 1 month. Similarly, if a precise

calculation yields an answer of 9,745,600 years, it may be more

meaningful in words as "nearly 10 million years."

Pay attention to details that will make your assignments look good. For

example:

Use standard-sized white paper with clean edges (e.g., do not tear paper

out of notebooks because it will have ragged edges).

Staple all pages together; don't use paper clips or folded corners

because they tend to get caught with other students' papers.

Use a ruler to make straight lines in sketches or graphs.

Include illustrations whenever they help to explain your answer.

Ideally, make your work look professional by using a word processor

for text and equations and by creating graphs or illustrations with a

spreadsheet or other software.

If you study with friends, be sure that you turn in your own work stated

in your own words - it is important that you avoid any possible

appearance of academic dishonesty.

©2000, Jeff Bennett. May be copied, but not modified, freely for educational

purposes; please include this credit/permission line when copying.

13

Academic Success Plan

Student’s Name:_________________________________________________________________

School Year:__________________________ Semester:_________________________

Academic

Target Grade Point Average: ______________________

Enrolled Courses:

Course

Professor

14

Student’s Acknowledged Strengths:

Student’s Admitted Weaknesses:

Using the strengths and weaknesses sections, what is your plan of action to achieve this

success?

Extracurricular

What organizations would you like to be involved in? Why? How?

What are your social strengths?

15

What are your social weaknesses?

Where do you go for support on campus?

Student’s Signature: ______________________ I Pal Signature: ________________________

Date: _______________________ Date: ____________________

16

Build Your Social Network

College provides you with a wonderful opportunity to meet new people from a multitude

of places. Although the majority of Hanover students are United States citizens, each

student brings with them a variety of unique identities and experiences. In order to make

the most of your time at Hanover and in the United States, we suggest that you explore

activities within the Hanover campus community, and the local community of Madison,

IN.

Academic/Pre-Professional American Chemical Society

Beta Beta Beta (Biology)

Business Scholar’s Program Student

Advisory Board

Indiana Student Education Association

(ISEA)

Math Club

Panthers Making a Difference (PMAD)

Sigma Iota Lambda (Pre-Law)

Cross-culturalism/Social Activism Feminists of Hanover College

International Club

Kaleidoscope

Love Out Loud (LGBTQ+)

People for Peace

Sister-2-Sister

Students for

Justice in Palestine

Foreign Language German Club

Spanish Club

Governance Interfraternity Council (IFC)

Panhellenic Council

Student Senate

Honor Societies Alpha Lambda Delta (first year honors)

Phi Alpha Theta (History)

Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Language)

Mortar Board

Publications Kennings Magazine

Student Broadcasting Association

The Triangle

Recreational Clubs Archery Club

Ballroom Dance Association

Hanover Elite Fitness

Rugby Club

Ultimate Frisbee

Service

Organizations 7th Grade Mentors

Adopt-A-Grandparent

Best Buddies

Circle K

College Mentors for Kids (CMFK)

Colleges Against Cancer

Community Stewardship Initiative (CSI)

Earthwide Outreach by Students (EOS)

Habitat for Humanity

Hanover Dance Marathon

LIGHT (Madison Juvenile Correction

Facility)

Love is Needed by Kids (LINK)

Spiritual Organizations Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU)

Catholic Student Organization

Delight Ministries

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)

Hanover Collegiate Ministries

Interfaith Student Association (ISA)

Special Interest Anime Club

Business & Service Commission

Campus Activities Board

Green Panthers

NAMI on Campus

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Club

Shoebox Board

Student Athletic Advisory Board

Tabletop Club

17

Spiritual Organizations Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU)

Catholic Student Organization

Delight Ministries

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)

Hanover Collegiate Ministries

Interfaith Student Association (ISA)

Visual & Performing Arts Art Club

Dance Team: HC Dolls

Evil Petting Zoo (EPZ) (Improv)

Pep Band

Fraternities and sororities have always provided a place for men and women to care for each

other throughout the college experience. They represent the best and most balanced versions of

college manhood and womanhood. Through the cultivation of friendship, chapters encourage

excellence in scholarship, service, and leadership. If you are looking for a community of

individuals who share your values and will support you through college and beyond, you've

come to the right place.

Fraternity Chapters Lambda Chi Alpha

Phi Delta Theta

Phi Gamma Delta

Sigma Chi

Sorority Chapters Alpha Delta Pi

Chi Omega

Kappa Alpha Theta

Phi Mu

Around Campus

The Hanover College campus has 650 wooded acres for students to explore. Your campus

map identifies several hiking trails that can take you to all of the campus's 4 waterfalls.

The Quad, the area behind the Brown Campus Center is a great space for outdoor activities. You

may often find students playing soccer, frisbee sports, or laying around in groups enjoying the

surroundings on a warm day.

The Horner Center is a fully equipped athletic facility. You may use it during its hours of

operation to exercise with the cardio and weightlifting equipment, run on the indoor track, or

play a game of basketball on the 3 auxiliary courts in the Struck Arena. (Please note that the

Collier Arena is reserved for varsity team practices).

Withrow Student Activities Center. Students on the Withrow Committee work regular hours in

the Withrow planning monthly events such Pre-Release Movie Night, game tournaments, and

Walking Tacos in the WAC.

Omnibus. Where Fun is just a Van Ride Away! Omnibus takes free, monthly trips off campus to

attractions in nearby cities. Some recent trips include the Cincinnati Zoo and Perfect North Ski

Slopes. Find Omnibus on MyHanover for a list of trips and info about how to sign-up!

18

Figures of Speech

Popular American Slang Words and Phrases

(To) ace (v.) (a test, exam, etc.): To pass a test, exam, etc. really easily. ex: "Robert aced his

physics exam."

All-ears: When someone says "I'm all ears", they are telling you that they are listening to you,

that they are giving you their undivided attention.

All-nighter (n.): A period of work or study that lasts all night. Most often used with the verb

"pull" (To pull an all-nighter) - ex: "We pulled an all-nighter in order to finish the project."

Around-the-clock: 24/7, all day and night, non-stop; ex: "The house was being watched around

the clock."

B.O.: Short for "body odor" - the foul smell one secretes from one's armpits, especially when

one doesn't shower/wash. ex: "The woman sitting beside me had really bad B.O."

Blow or Bomb: to fail or to be unsuccessful.

Blue or Have the Blues: to feel depressed or sad.

Buck: one dollar.

By the skin of your teeth: just barely.

Cash (n.): Money. ex: "You got any cash on you?"

Cheesy (adj.): Cheap, tacky. ex: "A cheesy pick-up line", "A cheesy song", etc.

Chick (n.): Young woman, girl, etc. *this term is considered derogatory (offensive) by some,

don't use it :)*

Cool (adj.): nice, great, impressive ex: "a cool dress", "a cool guy", "a cool bar"

Cop (n.): Police officer. ex: "My brother is a cop."

Creep (n.): An unpleasantly weird/strange person. ex: "I don't like Tom. He seems like a creep."

Couch Potato: a lazy person, one who sits on and watches TV.

Cram: to study feverishly before an exam.

Crash: to go to sleep; or to show up without invitation ex: "Can I crash here tonight?"

Dead: Empty; quiet (said of bars, clubs, restaurants, etc.) ex: "It's really dead in here tonight"

(It's empty in here tonight/there are very few people here tonight).

19

Drama queen: Someone who gets overly emotional/sentimental about things. Someone who

thrives on the dramatic. ex: "Betty is such a drama queen!"

Down to earth: practical; simple.

Drive up the wall: to irritate; “He is driving me up the wall.”

Dutch or go Dutch: each person pays for his/her own meal.

Gonna: Short for "going to". ex: "I'm gonna call you tomorrow."

Gotta: Short for "have got to" or "have to". ex: "I gotta go."

Get under one’s skin: bother.

Give the cold shoulder: ignore.

Give a ring: to telephone.

Hyped (adj.): Really excited. ex: "We're all hyped about the concert next weekend."

Hang out: to gather in a casual; and social manner.

Hang-over: the physical effects of heavy drinking (headache).

Hit the books: study.

Hit the road: to leave.

Hold your horses: be calm!

In no time: Very soon. ex: "Don't worry - We'll be there in no time."

Just plain (adj.): Clearly; simply. ex: "He's just plain stupid."

Jock: an athlete.

Later: Short for "See you later."

Lighten up (v.): To relax; to not take things too seriously. ex: "You gotta learn to lighten up a

bit!"

The Late Mr. Smith: a term used when the person is dead.

Lemon: a bad buy or purchase.

Munchies (n.pl): Chips and other types of junk food. ex: "I picked up some munchies on my

way from work." (v.) Hungry. Ex: “I have the munchies.”

20

No way: 1) Phrase used to say that something is definitely not going to happen. ex: "P1: Are you

going to see her again? P2: No way!"; 2) Phrase of awe/disbelief. ex: "She gave you her phone

number? No way!"

Over: "Over" is often used to emphasize location. ex: "I live over on Orange Street." (I live on

Orange Street).

(To) overstep (v.): To be out of line. To say/do something that's inappropriate to a situation. ex:

"I'm sorry; I overstepped. I shouldn't have said those things to your parents."

Once in a blue moon: infrequent.

Oops! said after a small mistake.

Pass the buck: transfer responsibility to someone else.

Piece of cake: easy or effortless.

Pig out: to overeat.

Pop quiz: an exam that is not announced.

Ride shotgun (v.): To ride in the front passenger seat of a car. ex: "I wanna ride shotgun!"

Rip-off: overcharge or steal.

R.S.V.P.: the formal reply to an invitation, by phone or mail.

Screw up (v.): To make a mistake, do something badly/wrong ex: "I really screwed up my

audition."

Sweet (adj.): Very nice. ex: "That is a sweet car."

Shoot the breeze: talk.

Spill the beans: reveal a secret.

Take off (v.): To leave, to get going, to be on one's way. ex: "We have to take off. See you

soon!"

That hit the spot: (When talking about food/drinks) That was really good; That's just what I

needed.

Trash (v.): To destroy. "The band trashed the hotel room."

Turn-off (n.): Something that makes you lose your interest. ex: "The fact that she smoked so

much was a real turn-off."

24/7 (Twenty four seven): Non-stop, around the clock. ex: "That place is open 24/7. It never

closes."

21

Take a rain-check: do at another time.

Take for granted: to assume.

Watch your back! Be careful; Watch out. *this is often meant as a threat or warning*

Weirdo (n.): Strange person. *fairly negative*

Wimp (n.): Weak, cowardly person.

Work up the courage (to do something): To build up enough confidence (to do something);

not concrete; ex: "She finally worked up the courage to ask him out."

Wrap (something) up (v.): To finish (something); To Bring something to a close. ex: "OK, let's

wrap things up for today."

What’s up: How are you?

You bet: 1) Of course. ex: "P1: Hey you wanna come to the beach with us? P2: You bet!"; 2) No

problem. ex: "P1: Thanks for all your help! P2: You bet!"

You can say that again! Phrase meaning "I agree with you completely."

You're telling me! Phrase meaning "I know exactly what you mean"; Similar to "Don't I know

it!"; ex: "P1: My son's in Iraq. I miss him so much! P2: You're telling me! I've got two sons over

there!"

22

Crisis, Safety, and Law Abidance

Health or Safety Emergencies: on campus, call Campus Safety 812-866-7999 or 911.

Health or Safety Emergencies: off campus, call 911 from any telephone or cell phone.

Be prepared to describe your location, if possible, and provide as much information as

you can about the situation. The dispatcher will then send police, medical, rescue and

other responders as necessary.

Lost Passport: If your passport is lost or significantly damaged you must contact the

nearest consulate or embassy of your country of citizenship for assistance. Many

countries have consulates in Chicago, IL. Other countries serve their citizens in the U.S.

from their Washington, DC embassies. To locate your nearest embassy or consulate, we

recommend the U.S. Department of State’s web directory at

http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/32122.htm#H

Once you find your country’s embassy web site, you can search for consulates located in

Chicago or other areas. An alternative embassy directory is available at

http://www.embassy.org/embassies/

Wikipedia provides a list of consulates in the Chicago area at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diplomatic_missions_in_the_United_States#Chicag

o

Legal Issues: If you are accused of violating the law and you are taken into custody

(arrested) by law enforcement officials, you have the right to know why you are being

detained and you have the right to make a certain number of telephone calls to contact

family members or others who you choose to notify or seek assistance from. You are

entitled to consult with a lawyer if arrested, so you may respectfully request this of

authorities. In many cases, a public defense attorney will be appointed to your case unless

you have chosen your own attorney. You have the right not to answer law enforcement

officer’s questions without a lawyer present.

- Consular Notification: U.S. law enforcement officials who make arrests are

required in some cases to notify the consulate or embassy representing the foreign

national in the U.S. Additional information about this topic is available at

http://travel.state.gov/law/consular/consular_753.html

- Consular notification is an area addressed by the Vienna Convention on

Diplomatic Relations: http://untreaty.un.org/cod/avl/ha/vcdr/vcdr.html

23

- If law enforcement officials arrest you and take you into custody for alleged

immigration offenses, we recommend that you seek the assistance of an attorney

who specializes in immigration cases. A directory of licensed immigration

attorneys is available from the American Immigration Lawyers Association here:

http://www.ailalawyer.com/

For information about expectations for student conduct and other policy matters

affecting students, international students should refer to Student Handbook

https://my.hanover.edu/ics/Campus_Life/Student_Handbook

Other Crises If you experience other problems not mentioned above, you are encouraged

to contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs during regular business hours and we can

offer guidance and refer you to others on campus who can help. Outside of regular

business hours you should contact Campus Safety at 812-866-7999 and explain your

situation. Campus Safety can contact OMA personnel as necessary, as well as other

offices and individuals on campus who can help, depending upon the nature of your

crisis.

Quick Facts

When traveling by car, everyone in the vehicle is required to wear seatbelt.

The legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21

The legal age to obtain tobacco in the U.S. is 18

As an international student, you should carry proper documents at all times (Visa and

Passport)

24

Money Management

Currency

25

26

Banking Cards

Debit and ATM cards are 2 of the most popular ways to access money in your checking or

savings account. These cards give you flexible access to your money, but you need to be aware

of any fees that you may be charged when you use your card.

Debit cards

Most banks (including Bank of America) will offer you a debit card, also known as a check card,

when you open your checking account. When you use a debit card, the money comes directly

from your checking account, just like when you write a check.

Debit cards look like credit cards—they will have a Visa® or MasterCard® logo on them.

However, they are definitely not credit cards. A debit card will not help you build a credit

rating layer.

You can use a debit card to make purchases without accumulating interest layer because the

money comes directly from your checking account. Debit cards can take the place of writing

checks, paying with cash or using a credit card.

Debit cards will also usually double as your ATM card, allowing you to withdraw cash or

deposit money at an ATM machine.

ATM Cards

Some banks offer you an ATM card that allows you to withdraw money from your checking

account, but only through an ATM machine. Unlike debit cards, ATM cards do not have the

Visa® or MasterCard® logo and, in most cases, may not be used to make store purchases directly.

ATM cards give you easy access to your money, but be careful because that easy access might

cost you. For example, if you withdraw money from your account at your own bank's ATM, you

probably won't pay any fees for that transaction. However, if you withdraw money from a

different bank's ATM, you could get charged a fee from that bank as well as from your own.

Writing Checks

27

Eating in Restaurants

The size of a restaurant gratuity depends on how well you are served, including whether your

order is correct or if your server checks on you after you receive your food, says Hoffman. Don't

base your tip on the food's taste; the server has no control over it.

Hoffman's tipping guidelines:

Restaurant wait staff: 13 percent to 20 percent of the bill.

When your party stays through the time that the restaurant could seat and serve others, tip twice

the amount. Hoffman says you should always leave a minimal tip, even with abysmal service.

Tips are generally shared by the restaurant's workers.

Takeout: Nothing is necessary. But if you receive some service, like a waiter packaging your

food, then tip $1 to $2 or up to 10 percent. For sushi, tip 10 percent for its preparation, Hoffman

says.

Tip jars at fast-food counters: Nothing required; it's your call