you should always learn and explore the city you're in.
if you go to school here(i dont want to assume), you should get out of the fan, and oregon hill. if you can't see VCU, and you're not west of the fan... you can find lots of catches. oh yeah... if the streets start to look scary... you're there. get a puff jacket w/hood and a busted 24" girls mountain bike and you can go anywhere in this town... that isn't the fan.
good luck!