Driving isn’t the only way to get around

Growing up in the suburbs I got used to driving everywhere. I drove less than a mile to school every day, I drove to hang out with my friends, I drove to soccer practice. No distance seemed too close to walk or bike.

All that changed when I went to college.

The University of Michigan is divided into two main campuses; North Campus and Central Campus. My freshman year I was placed in a dormitory on North Campus (much to my dismay), and I had to take the bus to get to classes and meetings.

At first, it was a hassle. I’d never ridden on a public bus, unless you count school buses in elementary school. Eventually, I got used to it. I learned to enjoy the bus rides. It was a brief period of time when I couldn’t do anything except ride on the bus. It was a break from learning, reading, and classes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Plus, it supplies an ample amount of people watching–and you don’t even have to buy coffee!

When I moved onto Central Campus, I no longer had to ride the bus. Instead, I had to walk everywhere. It was an even better alternative to driving. Fresh air and a break from school; the longer, the better. A 20-minute walk home became a great time to relax and as soon as I get home, I’ve had enough of a break to get cracking on homework, reading assignments, papers, and articles.

I learned to hate driving. On a college campus, it’s hard to find parking, gas is expensive, and you become that person people go to when they need a ride somewhere.

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