#FreshmanGuide 2013/14

“Next stop: Bocconi�. These were the first words I heard on the tram no. 9 when I arrived at Bocconi University for the first time, four years ago. That voice meant not just a tram stop to me, but the beginning of a new life.

Now it is your turn: the guide you are reading aims at introducing you to this new life experience. It is the result of the editors’ effort during summer break. I hope you will appreciate the content!

This guide is not expected to thoroughly explain every aspect of the college life: some things are better learned through experience. Rather, it aims not to make you feel lost or confused and, most importantly, to make you feel a little bit more at home.

In the following pages you will find some tips and advice on your first steps in Bocconi university. We are pleased to share them with you.

I want to give a special thanks for their contribution to all my friends and colleagues from the B.lab group, the graphic designer and the sponsors.

Without these people, it would have never been possible to realize this guide. I also thank all of you reading this.

Well get ready, it is time to get started!

B.LAB

CAMPUS

EXAMS

RITUALS

Alessandro Sbrizzi A warm welcome to you new entries at the Bocconi University!

The city of Milan, young and cosmopolitan, opens her doors for you to discover her most precious jewel. Take your time to familiarize with what surrounds you, everything is so new! Be very careful not to grow numb because of your laziness or nostalgia and most of all don’t hold back your curiosity of learning and discovering: the Bocconi University counts on you and your knowledge! This

university has been made for you: long for knowledge and never refuse occasions and possibilities that this new experience reserves for you.

Leave laziness and inhibition behind you and get ready to build up your future, starting from the effort you will put in it, passing through failures and finally arriving to your achievements and fulfillments. You will spend five years learning, experiencing and having fun with Milan as a background. Milan is a growing

city, full of students living away from home just like you, making it so easy to meet people and creating new friendships. Arm yourselves with ambition and will: your future starts from here! Look around, ask, be curious and join all of the events that only the Bocconi University

can offer. Well then, start working hard and never back down because from now on you are building, stone by stone, the trampoline that will launch your future career.

Good luck!

Riccardo Silvestri B.lab is the historical group of student representatives at Bocconi university. With 21 student representatives out of 27, we are the largest group and the only one that is present in all the university bodies. Furthermore, the student in the Board of Directors and on the National Council of University Students (CNSU) are members of B.lab.

B.lab has always helped students in dealing with any kind of issue, ranging from bureaucracy to didactics and exams. We can leverage on the experience of more than 100 members and supporters that are involved in every university activity.

Moreover, B.lab fully participates in university life by providing information (such as a guide for freshmen students or events to explain how to apply for a masters) and organizing events with the most popular Italian and international personalities (such as Corrado Passera, Enrico Mentana, Davide Serra and Bill Emmot).

Do you have any ideas about how to improve any aspect of our university? Or do you just want to be part of this community of students and representatives?

Follow us via social networks and join our weekly meetings! You do not need to enroll, just come to our assemblies and show us your commitment and enthusiasm.

Our first assembly of the new academic year will be on September 18 at 6 PM in Aula B, via Sarfatti. Everybody is welcome to partecipate!

For info about meetings and events or if you want to inform us about a problem follow our Facebook page B.lab - Alleanza Liberale |Bocconi and look for B.lab on Twitter, or get in touch through our student representatives.

B.lab - Alleanza Liberale |Bocconi B.lab

Riccardo Silvestri The Bocconi Campus covers a rectangular area of about 300x200 meters and is made up of seven adjoined buildings: the memorable building in Via Sarfatti 25 (also known as “i Leoni”), the Velodromo, the Grafton building in Via Roentgen, the library, the ‘Sportello Unico’, the ‘Pensionato’ and the SDA School of Management. #leoni: historic construction, its name is due to the well known lion statues which guard the entrance (none of the students must walk in between these two statues if they really want to graduate!). The L shaped building is three stories high, the left wing contains classrooms, numerous studying cubicles and the ‘aula rappresentanti’, where you can meet the Bocconi student representatives. The right wing holds other classroomsand used either for lectures or exams, a computer lab, which is open to all students (going down the stairs on your

right) and two brand new studying classrooms on the first and second floor. These modern classrooms can contain about 200 students; they are equipped with wi-fi connection, plugs for every seat, printers and interactive boards. The building is open, Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM. On the -1 floor students can find the university cafeteria and the restaurant (which will be better described in the section “Lunch Break”) Non-students also have free access to these areas so be very careful not leave your belongings unattended!! #velodromo: this building has an oval form, it is made of four floors that are divided into 32 classrooms, used for lectures or exams, and two computer labs.

Many studying places are available to all students along the corridors. The Velodromo is opened from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

#grafton: the latest of all the buildings: it was inaugurated in 2008 and projected by the studio Grafton Architects. The grafton building features a cement and glass see through structure, and holds the professors’ offices, the secretariats of the degree courses and the newest aula magna with about 1000 seats. Unfortunately, it is nicknamed “the monster” because of its minimalist aspect and the absence of open air windows. Many events, such as Bocconi&Jobs and the Christmas Gala take place here. #library: a typical student will practically live here during exams sessions: the modern Bocconi library, which has just been redesigned, has more than 600 places and offers a wide range of books which sum up to a total of about 700.000! It is just beside the Sarfatti building and it is divided in various floors: • at the -1 floor there is the old Aula Magna and an underground passage leading to the sarfatti cafeteria

• on the ground floor you can

find studying classrooms, the book check out desk and the printers • on the first floor there are areas for group projects, some of which can be booked on line from home • lastly, the upper floors hold the Linguistic Center, Sedin and other offices.

The whole building has wi-fi coverage. The library is open from 8:30 AM until midnight Monday through Friday, whereas on Saturday half day. During exams time is extended after regular hours and on Sundays. #one_step: the entrance is in between the Velodromo and the Grafton building. This is where you have to go if you want to ask some info or if you need to run some errands. It is opened from 8:00 AM until 5 PM and you only have to tell the staff at the entrance desk what you require and they will provide you with a ticket for the suitable office.

Where is my classroom?

Now the first question that may come to your mind is: where is my classroom? At the beginning (and not only!) finding your way through all these buildings may seem complicated.

To find out the location of your classroom, just follow some tips: If the name of the classroom begins with an N then it is located at the Velodromo. The numbers that follow indicate the floor and the classroom. For instance: N14 is in the Velodromo, first floor, classroom number 4.

If the N is not featured then the classroom is located at “i Leoni�.

When the classroom is numbered, it is for sure on the left wing and, as before, the first number indicates the floor whereas the second one indicates the classroom.

On the ground floor the classrooms are distinguished by a letter (A, B, C or D). The classrooms situated on the right wing have different names, if you have any doubts you can either visit the website or ask the information desk located as soon as you enter the building on your left.

Riccardo Silvestri #mid-term&finals: every exam at Bocconi can be taken in two ways: either you take a midterm exam and then a final (lets call these partials) or you shall be examined on the whole program assigned by your professor (let’s nick name those exams ‘generals’).

Most of the exams that you will take will be written, oral exams are very rare. Mid-terms, as probably you already know, are named so because they cover only the first part of the program, whereas finals cover the second part of the syllabus and they take place at the end of the semester.

Every exam (either mid-term or final) has a maximum score of 30, the final grade is the average in between your mid-term and final grades and, fortunately, it is rounded up. Only people who pass the mid-term exam can take the final one.

No worries though, if you happen not to pass a mid-term you can just try taking the general one, this exam obviously takes place at the end of the semester and it

is worth 100% of the grade. We always advice people to take midterms for three simple reasons: you get to study only half of the program at a time, you test your preparation at an intermediate point of the course, you keep up with your studies. Preparing an exam in a few days is actually unproductive and we never advice someone to do that.

If you happen not to like your mid-term grade, do not take the final and just take the general.

In this way the mid-term grade is thrown away and the only score that is hold on to is the second one. Be very careful how you use this tool: in Bocconi taking all your exams is just as important as having a high GPA. #examsessions: you will have various exam sessions for you to decide during which one you want to take a specific exam. An exam session is the interval of time during which you can take your exams. There is one at half semester (for mid-terms) and a

second one at the end of the semester (for finals and for the general exams). You can manage your own schedule in between partials and generals, taking into consideration your preparation and the amount of studying you got. Second advice: freshmen try to take all of your exams in partials! #signingup: once you decided the date you want to take your exam on, you have to sign up for the exam session. If you don’t sign up you cannot take the exam, be very careful. You can sign up through the Punto Blu that will be better described in the section Web Platforms. You will have a deadline before which you have to register for the exam.

Once you registered yourself you can cancel that registration and sign up again every time you want until the deadline is over.

The number of people who can take the test is unlimited so it makes no difference when you sign up. On the web page, the partial exams are characterized

by an “I”, the general ones by a “S” and the (possible) orals by an “O”. #grades to pass an exam your grade has to be over the 18. The maximum you can score is “30 e lode”, that counts as a 31 in the average. For some exams you can score even more that 31 (for instance in Math the maximum is 33) but that grade will always count as a 31! You can see your score after 2 or 3 weeks, through your agenda yoU@B or a text message will inform you about it.

If the score is communicated to all your classmates but you, no worries: just ask the Didactic Secretaries staff (Sportello Unico, room 218) and they will figure out something for you! Probably the first question that would pop up in your mind is: is my grade a good one or a bad one? Two benchmarks have to guide you: the average “average” in Bocconi is around 26.5 whereas if you want to graduate with the highest grade, you will have to maintain a 28.9 average grade.

#review_of_the_exam: as soon as you receive your grade, the professor will set a date for you to go and discuss your test, answers and grade. This will obviously help you understand your mistakes (not to negotiate your grade!). Though, it is always useful using this opportunity because sometimes you can also grab some other points for your final grade!

Asking a Bocconi student his/her grade on an exam is like asking a lady her age!

Riccardo Silvestri In conclusion to this first chapter, let us show you some of the rituals and superstitions associated with Bocconi. Respect them in order to feel part of this big community. Ignore them at your own risk and peril. #betweenthelions: “if you walk between the lions, you won’t graduate at Bocconi”, an old dateless rumour says. During college years, nobody dares to walk in between them, students do it happily when they finally graduate. So, dear friends, when you walk in Sarfatti’s building, pay attention to where you’re heading, it could be dangerous for your career! #doitwronganditgoesright: After every exam, when a student puts the pen down, the first thought is: what am I going to drink tonight? There’s a tradition for this moment too: after having done an exam, students go for a

negroni sbagliato (literally: “wrong negroni”) to one of the bar surrounding the buildings. Why? The answer is simple: if the negroni goes wrong, the exams must have gone right. So, if you want to be lucky with your exams, follow Bocconi’s traditions. #performingtask: it has been shown that, every time a students says “job” about a stage, a Bocconi’s student dies. Hence, there are different ways to call a stage, as “performing task”, at least, until you graduate. #number1: When you apply for an exam, you are given a numer.

If this number is “1”, you’re going to be very lucky with the exams you have applied for. #onthespires: not everybody knows that there’s a ban on all college students in Milan. Those who dare to venture up the steps that lead to the Duomo’s spires will be unlucky on their graduation.

YOU@B

ELEARNING

PUNTOBLU

USEFUL_LINKS

Anna Silvestri #yoU@B: yoU@B diary is accessible from Bocconi’s website and it will be very useful all along your way at Bocconi. From yoU@B, you’ll be able to enter all college activities.

From the highest point on the left you can: • consult your study plan’s timetable and find out where lectures are held • contact administrative office for further information (Help&Contacts),

• apply for extra-activities (language courses, informatics, etc.)

• apply for exams and print certificates. The only way you can apply for exams is from you@b diary.

Moreover, some announcements will pop up with news from the university and exams’ marks. By clicking on the blue bar, you can also open your Bocconi webmail, the Punto Blu area and the student’s associations section.

#puntoblu: it helps you to operate the administrative side of your studies. You can view your study plan, your average, or download MAV to pay college fees or see what is left to pay.

Moreover, you can apply for International programs and for the following academic years. #elearning: accessible from Bocconi’s website (Home > Quick links > e-learning). This is the place where you can find course teaching materials uploaded by

professors such as readings, slides used during lessons and some examination examples. #Help&Contacts: if you need an information and you want to contact the right office, you'll find the link Help&Contacts above on the right in the yoU@B agenda.

It'll show you some FAQs and, if you still cannot find your answer, you can send an email.

You should receive an answer within 48 hours.

Pagine Facebook

Apart from the official ones over described, in the internet you can find other many useful contents, often created by students for students. For every need there is a group or a Facebook page made for you! Here a brief explanation of those ones you won't get along without anymore: #b.lab: liking our Facebook page, you'll receive on your wall University related news (often as preview!), news about what your representatives are doing, dates of meetings and events not to lose. In addition, you'll be able to post proposals or questions. #spotted_bocconi: is the perfect way to find your soul mate. Is there someone you cannot take your eyes off of?

Send a private message to the page, it will be posted anonymously. #bocconiani: funny page about being a Bocconi student, useful to stop taking yourself too seriously.

Gruppi Facebook

Antonio Salmeri #insider_trading_bocconi e #dispense_bocconi: two groups managed by students, where you can find summaries of learning materials for every year and personal advices in order to help you to resolve every type of university problem in every moment of your day. #scambio_libri_usati_tra _studenti_Bocconi: an online market where you can offer or look for secondhand book for every year and degree course. #case_per_bocconiani e #bocconi_rents: for the ones looking for a flat to rent, in these groups you'll find a lot of announcements with photos and owners' contacts #scambio_biglietti_Bocconi e_Cattolica: do you have a train ticket you cannot use anymore or a concert ticket you cannot attend? In this group you can offer what you have with many possibilities to sell it.

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#bocconifacili.com: created to simplify the search for books, private lessons, tickets or accommodations. The filters allow to make quick searches and speed the process.

At last, there are also groups/ pages about sport ("Calcetto Bocconi"), geographic origin ("Chinese students in Bocconi") and many others. Â Joining or liking is easy, what are you waiting for?

CONTACTS

TEN_TIPS

CERTIFICATIONS

HONORCODE

Gerardo Brandi Ready, steady, go! As soon as you arrive in Bocconi, you will have to cope with lectures, exams and bureaucracy. At the end of this first chapter concerning university, here you can find ten short tips, aiming to create a basic fresher's how-to-survive guide. #lectures: try to follow lectures as much as you can!

Traditionally, international students tend to have a lower degree of class attendance w.r.t.

their Italian colleagues. This is predominantly due to the different school systems, but please do not forget that teachers can really make your life easier, clarifying doubts and simplifying concepts which could have been expressed on books in a rather verbose way. Besides, pay attention to what and how they explain things, because every teacher personally corrects her exams and some exams have a class specific part: it changes class by class!

#participation: try to interact with teachers during lectures, make questions and take notes.

Not only it helps you to better understand things, but it is highly appreciated by teachers. Only, remember to intervene when you really have to say or ask something important: useless and continuous interventions will have the only consequence to make your colleagues annoyed... #studying: it is clearly extremely important studying with a

with a constant and continuous method, given that exams require a significant amount of time, which cannot be easily substituted by two intense days before exams. Studying together with your class colleagues or friends is a good trade off between fun and duty and it is an excellent way to verify your actual competences. Bocconi offers many rooms for study groups, both in the library building and in the corridors of Lions' building and Velodromo.

Alessio Mascolo #office_hours: every professor and tutor has an hour per week mandatorily dedicated to have meetings with students. During these hours, you might go to their office, in the Grafton building to receive additional explanations for everything you need. Do not be shy! Such an opportunity can be extremely useful and it really would be like having a private teacher, already paid by university! Ask to you professors for their office hours, or look for them on the website. #cheating: though you should not copy during exams! Hardest sanctions are foreseen by Bocconi, including suspensions from 3 months to 3 years, depending on the infraction.

Risking to fail one year to earn a point in one exam is not worthy.

The possession during exams of mobile phones and notes is sufficient, not only the use. For further indications and all sanctions, please refer to the Honor Code section, here or on the university website.

#studentsrights: sometimes it might occur - we hope it won't but unfortunately it might - that you will be disappointed by an exam or by a professor's behaviour. Please check before if your behaviour has been correct and that you have made your duty, but then, please do not hesitate have to contact either your class or course representatives, which will actively try to solve the issue. In most serious cases, the university has a person which has the function of guarantee the rights of students. If the issue is very urgent or personal, write at: garante.studenti@unibocconi.it.

Further information in the Honor Code paragraph. #fees: fees have to be paid during the academic year, in three installments, according to a precise calendar given by the university. Pay attention not to forget to pay one of the installments, because if you are late, even if the deadline was the previous day, you will have to pay

a "delay fine" of 100â‚Ź! This year, we B.lab representatives have obtained that the university must send you a reminder mail a couple of days before the expiry date. Just not to pay the day before and to avoid possible troubles, go constantly on Punto Blu > Administrative Area > Financial Situation - Payments on you yoU@B Agenda, to check all payments you have to do and when. #badge: wherever you go, do not forget your badge! it is required to enter the library, to be recognized during the exams, to buy the meal in the university canteen and it gives you the right to pay less in some shops, restaurants and museums. As soon as you will be notified on the Agenda, arrange a meeting to receive your badge. #webmail: whether or not you have already used you institutional email account (name.surname@studbocconi.it), remember to use it every time

you have to cope with Bocconi: if you use your personal account to write to a professor or to an office, your mail might not be considered! In a few days you will start receiving thousands of emails by Bocconi to publicize events and conferences on campus; although they are many, have always a quick glance to every email, because some opportunities are very interesting and the majority requires an inscription due to space constraints. Furthermore, the most important and interesting events are always publicized also on the Facebook page of B.Lab: follow it! #admitted_in_August: the students admitted in the lateAugust session won't have the Agenda online for the first weeks.

To know the timetable and everything else you need, please refer to the One Step, right opposite to the Velodromo.

There, you will receive a printed copy of timetables and the temporary white badge.

Leandro Bonan A newly arrived fresher might get lost amongst certifications, declarations and modules, and the bureaucracy could really become an issue. The following few paragraphs are intended to give some advice and clarify the subject. #ecdl: the European Computer Driving License is the only certification which is mandator for everybody in Bocconi. It testifies the use of computer tools and procedures and it is necessary to sustain the first year exam "Computer Skills for Economics". We advise you to take the required seven moduls as soon as possible. You are allowed to do these modules singularly or by grouping them, as you want. They really are not difficult: some of them are elementary (mainly modules 2 and 6), however some might require some additional effort (especially modules 1 and 5) but you could study for these on one of the many online guides available on the Web.

Furthermore it’s possible to take the moduls directly at Bocconi, paying online on the Agenda yoU@B. Such a channel guarantees you a discounted price of €45 (instead of €60) for the skill card, plus €12 per each module (instead of €20).

A common way to complete it is to group all modules into three sessions: 1-2-3 together, then 4-7 and finally 5-6. If you fail a module, you can retake it simply by re-purchasing the module. For any further issue, do not hesitate to contact either our group, B.lab, or the centre for computer services, SEDIN, at the third floor of the library building. #ielts: A certification that proves your knowledge of the English language. It is very useful for everyone, but it becomes necessary if you apply for the Exchange Program in an Englishspeaking country. It might also be used to pass the two required English exams without sustaining the internal oral and written test. Every IELTS grade

has a corresponding grade in thirties: a final mark of 8 and 7.5 as lowest grade received are sufficient conditions to receive 30 cum laude for BIEMF students. You can look at the conversion table either on the Bocconi website or at the Linguistic centre (library building, third floor). You can book the exam online at takeielts.britishcouncil.org and it costs ₏195. Furthermore, our student association B.lab has obtained the organization of free preparatory courses: apply as soon as you receive the news on the agenda yoU@B, since slots are limited! #foreignlanguages: the same procedure to convert linguistic certifications is also valid for other languages. The conversion tables are available in the same section through the Bocconi website or at the Linguistic Centre. A BIEMF peculiarity is that the English exams in the first two years can be substituted, through the student Agenda, with

another European language, chosen amongst German, French, Spanish and Italian. The unique condition is that this language must not be the student's native language. At the beginning of the third year, a second foreign language must be studied, always chosen amongst those listed above, but the exam is far easier than the English ones, so the choice of whether or not to take a certification is completely up to you. #gmat: it is a logical and mathematical test, globally recognized by foreign universities and useful to strengthen your CV. The test costs $300, it is entirely in English and requires rather long and serious preparation. From this year, it is not considered anymore by Bocconi for the application to the graduate programmes, therefore we advise you to get used to its questions and structure only if you are intending to continue your graduate studies abroad.

Roberto Montaruli #honor_code: it is a series of rules concerning students’ and professors’ behavior: it establishes rights and duties. You can read the entire code on the university website. It is very important for you to know it and mostly for you to observe it.

These rules regard the way you will have to behave in the university areas, during class, and during exams. As a matter of fact, the first thing you will do before an exam is signing your consensus to the honor code.

Whoever violates these rules will be punished severely with disciplinary sanctions. On the next page you can find the penalties that will be inflicted on whom is surprised copying during exams.

If you should ever be caught, you will be sent to a Disciplinary Commission where your sanction will be decided. No worries though: none of the punishments will ever be incorrect or unjust because two of the B.Lab representatives will be there to

defend you (just like in court!). If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to contact them (even though, it is always better never to break these rules so to live a peaceful and undisturbed college life).

As we initially said, these rules concern both students and professors. If you should ever notice an incorrect behavior in one of your professors or any of the university staff, immediately refer it either to one of your representatives or to professor Piergaetano Marchetti (whose email is garante.studenti@ unibocconi.it ). The latter has the function of guaranteeing all of the Bocconi students; you can take an appointment where you can explain anonymously what happened.

If you prefer contacting one of the representatives, you can do that through their personal emails (which you can find on the university website) or through the B.lab Facebook page.

The students guarantor and the representatives are very useful so contact them anytime you need help.

SCHOLARSHIPS

DORMS

Mariarosa Amoroso ISU Bocconi is the body that grants the right to learn. It takes care of: • scholarships • the cafeteria service • differentiated-fee dorms.

When distributing the benefits the ISU center takes into consideration once income and these benefits can be maintained in time thanks to once merit qualifications.

People who have:

•

a nuclear family ISEE/ISEEU value below € 20.124,71 • a nuclear family ISPE/ISPEU value below € 33.960,46 can demand the benefits.

Freshmen will receive the scholarships if they are able to reach 44 credits before the 10th of August 2014 and can renew the request for the second year with 49 or more credits. For further information please visit the website of the university, typing “scholarships”.

Francesco Cascio The scholarship comprehends: • exemption from the universities taxes • an amount of money that can vary from €2000 to €4000 according to once income and either if the student is living away from home or at home • a free meal every day at the cafeteria (either the ‘Leoni’ one or the Pensionato one) or at the BB Bar starting from January.

Until then (and also after January) it will be possible for these students to receive a discount.

If you want to participate in the distribution of these scholarships you have to fill in an online form before the 13th of September 2013 and hand it over, signed, with the other required documents, before the 23rd of September 2013. The presentation can be made through registered mail or by hand at the Sportello Unico in Piazza Sraffa. These procedures can seem kind of difficult mostly

when it is your first time facing the world of the bocconian bureaucracy. For any doubts you can always count on the ISU student representatives: Mariarosa Amoroso, Francesco Cascio and Luigi D’Albo (whose contacts you can find on the university website).

Luigi D’Albo Our university offers five student dorms with about 1400 beds.

Every residence has concierge services 24/7, cleaning services, internet and air conditioning. #pensionato, via Bocconi 12.

The historical Pensionato Bocconi, for reduced rate housing (with facilitation/ subsidies for income), is composed of two five-floors buildings, placed in Bocconi campus. Every floor has two kitchens, 25 single and wellfurnished rooms and one shared bathroom every two students. In Pensionato you can meet your mates in the gaming room, in the study hall, where you can find also the wifi (reserved for the lodgers). Among all the available activities, gym and football field are accessible for every student (with fee). #spadolini, via Spadolini 12/A. Far from the campus only 15 minutes by feet, with a big inner garden  with chairs and a gazebo, Spadolini residence welcomes

330 students, the most for full rate housing (without facilitation/subsidies for income). It is composed of two four-floors buildings, where you can find three-rooms and fourrooms apartments and 16 studio apartments. There are some big common areas: study hall, free gym, laundry, gaming room with Sky TV and an underground parking. #dubini, via Buzzi 7. The newest residence is placed not far from Spadolini and welcomes almost only full rate housing. It offers comfortable single, two-rooms and four-rooms apartments.

Rooms have every comfort and one shared bathroom every two students. It has reserved study halls, some set on the 6th floor with a beautiful panorama on Milan, TV hall with Sky and a well- equipped and free gym, but only for the lodgers. #javotte, via Giovenale 4.

Almost only reduced rate residence, far only 5 minutes

from the university, it has 96 rooms and every comfort you need. On each floor there are 2 kitchens, 24 well-furnished rooms, with shared or private bathroom (if full rate housing).

On the first floor you can study, there are 4 boxes, 2 halls and one office, everything surrounded by a terrace (smokers’ delight). The life of the residence is the ground floor: gaming room, Sky TV, party-hall and break-hall. The little size of the residence makes Javotte a big family where everyone helps each other. #arcobaleno, via Fraschini 3.

Set in a quiet and residential district, far 15 minutes from the university (by tram), Arcobaleno residence is a discovering world.

It has an arch map and five floors. In the center there is a big terrace, where students organize barbecue, water games and snow balls games. On the first 4 floors there are single rooms with one shared bathroom and one balcony every two students, while on the 5th floor there are single

rooms with private bathroom.

You can find also break-hall, Sky TV and a gaming room. More than 80% of the rooms are reserved for incoming students, this makes Arcobaleno a very international residence.

If you have already asked and obtained a room, remember to give every needed document by September, 23rd.

Giovanni Siragusa The biggest mistake you could ever make during your college life is considering Bocconi as an ‘exam factory’, leaving all the rest aside. Our campus is unique because you have the chance of participating in many extracurricular activities. Campus Life encompasses all these activities.

They are free of charge and consist of: #student_associations: they reflect the variety of how students engage extracurricularily. Bocconi now counts more than fifty recognized student associations. The associations are run by students who also organize the events, often starring important hosts such as politicians, writers, lecturers etc. These events make Bocconi campus life both educational and enjoyable. Check the university website (Home > Campus Life > Student Associations) or attend the event Associations on Display (September 17th, 18th and 19th) to find the association that suits

your interests most. During the event Associations on Display you will be able to talk directly to the founders and members of all the associations right in front of the Velodromo. If what you are looking for does not exist yet, no problem: you can set up your own association and ask for recognition by the university. #representation: if you have a particular passion for student representation and you want to contribute to improving our college, well B.lab is waiting for you! We will take part in the event Associations on Display, and we are very looking forward to getting to know you. Come and meet your representatives! #bocconi_sport_team: Bocconi offers almost any type of sport, at amateur or professional level. Every year the Bocconi Sport Days are held right next to the Velodromo. All types of athletes participate in this event to compete and have fun. You can acquire more info on sports

in the “Sports” section of this guide. #sapereatuttocampo: it offers courses which are not strictly from the field of economics but can enrich your curriculum, for example neuroscience. These courses are held by professors or experts in the field, taught both in Italian and English. Generally, each course takes place once a week for eight weeks. Some of the activities are held in the first semester, whereas some others in the second. You can subscribe through your yoU@B agenda in October or January. Participants will also receive a certificate. You can find more info by searching for Sapere a Tutto Campo on the Bocconi website. #counseling: counseling and Self-Empowerment service helps you to upgrade skills that may be fundamental in your future career. Within these courses, experts council you on how to speak in public, manage your stress and much more.

You can also contact an individual counselor with special cases (in Italian, English or French). For more info write to counseling@unibocconi.it or search for Counseling and SelfEmpowerment on the university webpage. #languages: the Linguistic Center offers the opportunity to learn languages in addition to the mandatory ones, such as Arabic, Chinese and Russian. Classes take place weekly and last for a semester. To get the certificate you need to take a written test at the end of the course. You can subscribe using the yoU@B agenda, in October for first semester classes and in January for the classes of the second semester. Be quick, spots are limited! #sedin: if you want to learn how to use some of the most important softwares in today’s corporate environment (Excel, Power Point, STATA, SPSS, R and others) the Sedin can help

you with a wide range of courses. #cinema: if movies are your passion, Bocconi offers two events that may ne interesting for you. First, the Linguistic Center organizes the Film Festival Movies & Languages, a series of movies completely in English with an expert introduction.

Second, the ACTMB cineforum takes place several times during the semester, presenting documentaries on contemporary topics.

Francesco Ruggieri Remember to always check out the University webmail (@studbocconi.it) and you will get the chance to see the wide variety of events. As we already pointed out in this guide, students themselves form an essential contribution to the proliferation of  extracurricular activities through numerous university clubs they are part of.

In the quality of student representatives association, B.lab, has always been very active: conferences with many important and inspiring guests such as Enrico Mentana, Davide Serra, Corrado Passera, Bill Emmott and many more, are worth remembering.

Being students at Bocconi offers the possibility to face these realities daily , that is such a great advantage! Every student should quickly learn to explore the opportunities offered by the institution. Â Here is some useful advice to help you to get to know all the initiatives and understand which ones should not be missed:

#bocconi&jobs: a famous event which takes place two times per year. It is very useful for those looking for an internship but it also addresses all the students who desire to start facing the world of work.

Bocconi&Jobs represents the exclusive opportunity for talking to the most nationally and internationally relevant private and public corporations, professional offices and finding out the great opportunities they can offer. It takes place in the Aula Magna’s foyer in via Roentgen. We strongly advise you to bring your badge to access the event and an hard copy of your CV in case you want hand it in to recruiters. The next edition of the event will be November the 5th. #international_week: a series of events which take place for two whole weeks, one at the end of November and the other one in mid February. Their aim is to present a wide range of international programs offered

by the university (Exchange, Campus Abroad, Work Abroad, Double Degree, CEMS, etc.) and offer indications about eligibility and application process. You will also get the chance to talk to students who have had previous experience in those programs. #associations_on_display: it is an annual fair dedicated to the promotion of the universities’ clubs and associations and their activities.The coming fair will be held on September 17th, 18th and 19th from 10 am to 5 pm in the area between Velodromo and Grafton buildings. You will be able to talk to founders and members of the clubs and choose which associations you would like to join. Not to be missed!

Pierluigi Pecorella Sport in Bocconi is highly valued and our university offer a variety of interesting clubs and associations. You can practice seventeen different sports: football, swimming, water polo, basketball, tennis, rugby, golf, judo, squash, volleyball, skying, boxing, equestrian, athletics, lacrosse, climbing and sailing.

Some sports take place regularly, some others have days or weekends dedicated to them.

Moreover, there is always room for students’ personal initiatives.

Two examples of this last year were the Sailing Days and the Bocconi Squash tournament.

Many sports have two teams: the first one plays at high levels, competing in national as well as international tournaments, the second partecipates in local cups and championships.

Let’s have a closer look on the various sports activities:

#football: our university has a very strong football team in the 5-player version: they play in the Italian national championship C1. The most important football event in the year is the Bocconi Soccer Cup, which usually takes place in May (you will receive an official communication on your yoU@B agenda). The event is characterized by an informal and relaxed atmosphere, which makes it both challenging and funny.

Andrea Marino #athletics: each year Bocconi’s athletic association organizes the Bocconi Run, a 7.5 km race in the heart of Milan. Not only students, but also alumni and professors participate! #basketball: the first team competes in the federal championship (Serie D) while the second team is part of a regional championship. #volleyball: here we have two teams competing at the higher level: the men volleyball team that competes in Serie D and the women team that last year won the second division tournament.

There are no beginner teams. #rugby: the team debuted in 2007, obtaining the third place at the world university championship hosted by HEC in Paris. There is a particular rivalry between Bocconi and Luiss’ rugby teams and they challenge each other in an annual match.

Will you help us win the next match?

#tennis: tennis is becoming more and more important in Bocconi. The university has been organizing the Bocconi Tennis Tournament since 2009. #sailing: this is one of those sports which events and trainings are not on a regular schedule. If you are interested in sailing you should contact the Bocconi Sailing Club, a group of passionate sailors and students with a high level experiences, both in Italy and abroad. #lacrosse: it is a team sport which originated in the US and is growing in importance also in Italy. Most of the athletes in the Bocconi group are playing lacrosse for the first time, but thanks to their enthusiasm and discipline they all improve rapidly. The Bocconi lacrosse team is actively looking for new athletes. Do not hesitate to contact them if interested!

Although university life may be stressful and challanging with

studies, exams, presentations and so on, do not be lazy! All the sport associations are aware that studying is the priority for you and timetables are specifically designed in order not to overlap with lectures. Sports can even improve your studies and personal life by meeting new people and unloading some tension.

For any further question, please contact our student representatives in the Sport Committee Rodrigo Ferrari and Corrado Paternò, or email tobocconisporteam@unibocconi. it.

Anna Silvestri When it is lunch time, both in the university and in its surrounding you will find many places offering various dishes for every taste: #sarfatti_canteen: different menus including pasta, main courses, sandwiches, salads and pizza are offered. It is also a cafeteria open until 7 PM and it becomes a study room before and after lunchtime. #pensionato: in via Bocconi 12, just below the entrance, this canteen offers a variety of dishes.

In the cafeteria you can have breakfast or a sandwich. It is the only canteen open for dinner. #bb.bar: between Velodromo and Grafton, it is a modern bar which also serves lunch. Ideal when you are at Velodromo and you have a short break. #restaurant: -1 floor at Leoni building, it is more expensive since you get served but you can have a fixed menu for â‚Ź10,50.

Moreover, near the university we recommend: #goodmorning_caffè: in via Sabotino 4, three tram stops from Bocconi taking the tram no.

9 towards Porta Romana.

Everyday it offers a rich buffet and delicious cafeteria products. #sunnysideup: in via Col di Lana 6, two tram stops taking the no. 9 towards Porta Genova.

Inspired by a typical American diner, it offers "made-in-US" food all day long. #bocconigiusti: in via Bligny 26, one of the most popular places for lunch breaks around Bocconi. Ithey make pizza, focaccia and the famous "sfilatino". It is ideal for a quick lunch break. #rivareno: one of the best icecreams in Milan, it is just a short walk away from the university, in via Col di Lana 8. Great for an occasional break when studying.

Open until midnight.

EXCHANGE

CEMS&DD

INTERNSHIP

WBB

Carmine De Chiara If, as many international rankings show, the quality of a university also depends on the provenance of its students, we can happily observe that Bocconi represents in that sense a unique and successful exception in the Italian panorama. The atmosphere you will find here is challenging and lively, and you are in the heart of such an atmosphere, being international students. On average, there are more than 20 nationalities in a single BIEMF class!

Furthermore, Bocconi offers many international programs, in partnership with the most important foreign universities.

Let's have a look in detail: #exchange: it is considered to be the main and most important undergraduate opportunity offered by our university, giving the possibility to attend a semester in a foreign partner university.

Bocconi has more than 200 partner universities in

Flora Triolo fifty countries all around the world. Undergraduate students can attend an exchange programme in their third year, law students either in their fourth or in fifth year and graduate students in the last year.

levels. You can easily verify all those features with some tables you will be given the second year.

Furthermore, you can collect further data during the international week organized by Bocconi or by participating in the yearly meetings held by B.lab.

Although there is plenty of time to collect information, we are going to give you same basic notions about the procedures, in order to avoid unwanted last minute surprises. The selection is based on the weighted average after the third semester which has  to be higher than or equal to 22/30 and the credits must be at least 40.

#cems&dd: CEMS e Double Degree are other international programs, to which only graduate students may apply.

Those who are interested can find additional information on the university website.

A linguistic proof of proficiency is also required: at least level B2.

In most cases the language is English, but it might change according to the destination, i.e. to go to Madrid you need Spanish. Some very well known competitive universities require additional conditions, such as a given G.P.A. or higher linguistic

#internship: Bocconi also offers and fosters opportunities to work abroad both in the summer and during term time, but such an opportunity is for the following years. Please do not hesitate to contact the student representatives for further details. #wbb: beside the well known biemf course, in 2012 Bocconi established a new international course, together with University

of Southern California and HKUST, Hong Kong. It’s name is World Bachelor in Business; a unique 4-year programme, which will allow 45 students to attend the first year in LA, the second in Hong Kong, the third in Bocconi and the fourth in one of the previously mentioned universities. Unfortunately, it is not possible to apply for it once you have enrolled in Bocconi, but it might still be interesting to know about its existence for friends and acquaintances.

FOOD&BEVERAGE

CULTURE

GREEN

NIGHTLIFE

Antonella Zarra Milan is definitely a cosmopolite and eclectic city. Here everyone, even the most sophisticated, can satisfy their desires if they know where and what to look for. Here is a short check-list of the "whatto-do's" for students looking to enjoy the city-life and discover new interests. #food&beverages: if you love food Milan offers many different options, suitable for any taste or budget. From Porta Romana, to viale Bligny, via Col Di Lana,

Piazza 24 Maggio and the Navigli you will find a wide range of restaurants (Italian, Argentinian, Japanese, Mexican, pizzerias, pubs, buffet, etc.). Three years for your bachelor studies will not be enough to try them all!

We would recommend the following places:

• Amici Miei in via Bligny, very

popular among bocconiani, during lunchtime you can enjoy a two-course meal for only 10â‚Ź

• Osteria dell’Oca Giuliva, with its excellent traditional Italian food

• RossoPomodoro, in viale

Sabotino, original Neapolitan pizza place

• many "all you can eat" Japanese restaurants, where you can have as much sushi as you want at a fixed price between 10 and 15€

• Don Juan, an Argentinian

restaurant with high quality meat. However it is quite

expensive and should be reserved for special occasions.

Furthermore, the gourmets can try the typical inns and taverns in Brera, with delicious fish and seafood.

But you should avoid restaurants close to the Duomo: they can be extremely expensive and rarely live to up to your expectations!

#aperitivo: the typical night out in Milan, however, starts with the "aperitivo". You cannot really say that you have experienced Milan unless you have repeatedly stuffed yourself with food from 6 to 9 PM! The city is full of places where you can enjoy an aperitivo, but be careful to avoid places where the buffet is not large enough to satisfy your appetite.

Here are some suggestions:

• Spritz Navigli, at the beginning of the Naviglio Grande, it is one of the best the city has to offer

Col di Lana. It features the typical 1950s American atmosphere. We challenge you to try a Grizzly Giant and the other treats that they make

• 202 Hamburger&Delicious :

close to Colonne di San Lorenzo, it is a real Hamburger heaven and one of the most popular in Milan

• California Bakery: it is the

must of American cuisine, although quite expensive. You should definitely try the typical bagel with your filling of choice and the NY Cheesecake

• Maya: on the Naviglio Pavese, ethnic and glamorous venue

• La Hora Feliz: in a side street of Via Torino, it is a Cuban bar with a special atmosphere and background music #american: if you love madein-US food then you should visit

• the above-mentioned Sunny

Side Up, close to Bocconi in via

•

That’s Bakery: in via Vigevano, great for a break after class with cupcakes and smoothies or a Sunday brunch

• Wave Burger: on the Navigli, it offers the best value for money hamburgers. It is an Australian bar with excellent dishes at no more than 7.5€.

Stella Mele Milan is full of well-known historical attractions, such as the Duomo, the Museum of ‘900, the Castello Sforzesco, the Triennale.

However, there are also some less known but not to be missed sites, including:

• Fondazione FORMA: close to

• Libreria del mondo offeso: a

• Santa Maria presso San Satiro:

magical bookstore where you can enjoy the scent of books.

You can find both modern

literature and the great classics from the XX century.

Bocconi, it exhibits important Italian and international photographers

a small architectonic jewel designed by Bramante, let it surprised you with a unique

optical illusion created by the artist!

• Hangar Bicocca: dedicated to

promoting contemporary art, it showcases both permanent and temporary exhibitions and installations, which are usually site-specific

• Spazio Oberdan: it exhibits art

and photography and is also the headquarter of the “Fondazione Cineteca Italiana” (litteraly the “Italian Film Collection Foundation”).

Giulia Tievoli According to stereotypes, Milan is a grey, gloomy city. However, actually you can find green areas and parks where you can go to relax or for an evening run:

• Parco Sempione: it is the

largest park in the city, with the unique background of the Castello Sforzesco

• Parco Ravizza: just around the corner from the university, always populated by students during the day. It is ideal for a lunch break with friends, to read a book surrounded by

nature, to take a walk or to lie on the grass. However we do not suggest you to visit it at night...

• Giardini Indro Montanelli:

close to Porta Venezia, it is a tidy and clean oasis, and it is home to the Natural Sciences Museum and the Planetarium.

• Botanic Garden in Brera: a place to experience intense flower scents and ancient architecture.

Marta Francia If after an intense study day you want to go out and drink something, around the university there are the Navigli for a typical aperitivo or the Colonne di San Lorenzo for a beer in an informal environment. In particular we recommend: • Bodeguita del Medio: in via Col di Lana 3,you can try one of the best mojito in Milano and other Cuban specialities • Hanry's Bar: an Irish Pub in via Col di Lana 4, it serves great hamburgers and you can watch football matches on large screens.

• La Fontanella: better known as “le fontanelle”, it is a brewery at the top of Naviglio Pavese, popular for its special glasses that can contain up to 12 liters of beer • La Belle Alliance: in via Torricelli 1, here you can find special beers from all over the world • Nottingham Forest: in viale Piave 1, near piazza 5 Giornate.

It is considered one of the best cocktail bars in Italy, they make special “molecular” cocktails for a unique experience. There is often a line to get it!

Giulia Trombi Milan by night will certainly amaze you with a wide range of options for every type of person: Fashion Weeks, Runways, Happy Hours, Art Exhibitions, Salone del Mobile and many other events will surely entertain you.

There are also many events tailored to freshmen, to make your first days in Milan as pleasant as possible. The whole list of events is available on Facebook, but you will also receive a lot of flyers right in front of the university.

Those looking for clubs and nights out dancing will not be disappointed: almost every day (Monday excluded) there is a club with a party to enjoy. Just to give you an example of a typical party week: Eleven on Tuesday, Old Fashion on Wednesday, Divina or Le Banque on Thursday and LimeLight on Friday. We should not forget to mention Magazzini Generali, Toqueville, Santa Tecla, The Club, Hollywood amongst the many others.

Have fun but be careful not to overdo it!

To find out which clubs fit your taste of music and style, we recommend to visit each club’s website to find more information about them and their special events.

Editor In Chief: Riccardo Silvestri Editors & Contributors: Antonio Aloisi Mariarosa Amoroso Angelo Antinoro Giulia Bifano Gerardo Brandi Francesco Cascio Luigi D’Albo Carmine De Chiara Andrea Marino Alessio Mascolo Stella Mele Roberto Montaruli

Pierluigi Pecorella Francesco Ruggieri Antonio Salmeri Alessandro Sbrizzi Anna Silvestri Carlo Silvestri Giovanni Siragusa Marco Sportelli Giulia Tievoli Giulia Trombi Lorenzo Viglietti Antonella Zarra

English Version: Alberto Amadio Leandro Bonan Nicole Bouris Valentina Debenedetti

Marta Francia Elisa Saccani Erica Surace Flora Triolo

Graphic Designer: Elisa Saccani

Fundraising: Riccardo Silvestri Leandro Bonan

Disclaimer: the Freshmen Guide 2013/14 is the result of the work of the editors specified in each section and of all those people who contributed to the project. The views and opinions expressed on this guide are those of the original authors. It is not a newspaper, and therefore cannot be considered an editorial product according to the provisions of law no. 62 of 7/03/2011.

The images that have been used have been taken from our archives, the  web or are the result of the work of our graphic designers.

This guide has been completed and published in August 2013.