Possibly every day since getting here, whether by chance or by choice, somehow, somewhere, I always find myself at University Library — which is on the South side of campus, at the ripe hour of 11-something, right before it closes at 12. This may not appear like an issue, but I live on the North side of campus, and that’s at least a 20-minute walk. Could I choose to study at Mudd? Yes. Do I make that choice? Sometimes. I enjoy the pods and cubicles in the University Library, and when you are studying with the majority of your friends who are in South… we all know how that goes. The majority wins.Â
So what are the options out there that I’ve used?
option 1: walking
Whether or not you choose to do this with someone is up to you, but I always recommend walking with someone— preferably either from your side of campus, or, if you’re like me, you just get lucky and have a [guy] friend willing to walk back South after walking with you, lol. I mainly suggest it as an option if you have no other plan. You can also call someone — free entertainment along the way, too.Â
option 2: saferide
SafeRide is a free service Northwestern offers students, where you basically book a shared “Uber” with others. Like Uber and other platforms, you are given the license plate, name, and usually a photo of who the driver is. Depending on the time, especially on weekends, the car can be pretty packed. The service starts after 7 PM and runs until 3 AM. I’ve used it with my friends, even to get from my dorm on the North side to the AMC in downtown Evanston. I will say, though, you can only order it for you and two other people, so if you are in a group of four, it is best to split it two by two as well.Â
The four boundaries are listed as such:Â
- North to Central StÂ
- South to South Blvd./Oakton St
- West to Ashland Ave./Green Bay Rd
- East to Lake MichiganÂ
You can check this out via the NU Transit app. Most importantly, I would advise anyone to be cautious when ordering it after a certain hour, especially since you have to place the order in advance. The same way I’d be careful taking an Uber alone at night, I’d proceed similarly with SafeRide. Send your location to your family and friends; it’s better to be safe than sorry.
option 3: The shuttle
Now, the best option I can recommend — my holy grail — is the clockwise/loop shuttle. The clockwise/loop shuttle is also a free service Northwestern offers, where you can board a bus on either the North or South side to get to wherever you need to go on campus. It runs from 6 PM to 1 AM, but sometimes it does not operate. For example, if there’s a football game, it usually is not in service, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. Additionally, it is important to note that the last one is at 12, so if you go after that time, you move on to option 1 or 2, like you’re in a choose-your-own-adventure. The clockwise shuttle has cameras, but I will say, it can be hard to navigate. For reference, the best place to go from South is near Fisk Hall/the Segal Visitor Center. To check it out, make sure you have downloaded the app TripShot. I would always check the bus stops carefully, because sometimes the stops aren’t exactly at the location listed; rather, they might be right across the street from the listed place, like how it is listed for the Segal Visitor Center.Â
The stops are all listed on Google Maps, too:
Safety comes in numbers, and you should always proceed cautiously. Regardless of what you do, always remember safety comes first!
