A few weeks ago marked the one-month anniversary of us freshmen being college students! These first two months have literally been a whirlwind of meeting new people, exchanging phone numbers, reading insane amounts for Bio 101 (cue “Work Forest”), and figuring out that spinach wraps from the deli are way better (and faster) than the Mongolian Grill.
The majority of us, including myself, also came to school (regretfully) without cars. Therefore, we are car-less students with the problem of NEVER being able to leave the Forest. True fact: a few days ago, I left campus for the first time to spend some money at Hanes Mall. So basically, I had not left campus in a whole month…
It’s a LOL-worthy statement to complain about the “Wake Bubble” and how we are insulated from the outside world.
Now how can a Chicago girl explore her North Carolina surroundings if she’s locked inside the gates for weeks on end? Here are some suggestions…
1. The Shuttle Service: http://facilities.wfu.edu/transport/ride-the-wake/.
Our tuition covers the expenses for a shuttle service that takes collegiettes to all the important places: Hanes Mall, Target, and Winston-Salem. Double check before to make sure you are at the correct pick up/drop off location. Also, get there early! The shuttle will leave on the hour and not a minute after. My friends and I made an adventure out of shopping on a Saturday evening. We kept track of what time we were going to get picked up so we could wander through Forever 21 and almost explore the entire store.
2. Outdoor Pursuits: http://campusrec.studentlife.wfu.edu/outdoor/trips/.
Hailing from the suburbs of Chicago, I must say that there are very few opportunities to hike anywhere in the “Prairie State.” One of the reasons why I chose to study at a Southern school was to learn what the South is all about! And that means I need to get beyond Wake Forest’s gates. An organization called Outdoor Pursuits organizes trips every weekend to go climbing and cining at Pilot Mountain, paintballing in Greensboro, and backpacking. There are even trips over Fall Break for people like me who will not be going home for a mere three day weekend. They supply all the gear and all you have to do is sign up and show up!
3. Sign up for a daily news email: http://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/.
Back at home, I was used to watching The Today Show as I ate my Greek yogurt before school, and listened to Brian Williams recap the day’s news over family dinners. My roommate and I don’t have a TV which works out fine with us. However, there are very few opportunities to plop down and watch the news with our busy lives. I subscribed to the New York Times so every morning in my inbox, I get a detailed news report of the top stories covering: business, international news, domestic news, fine arts, politics, op-eds, and more. It’s a quick and easy way to stay up to date on what’s going on in the world.
There’s still so much to explore ON campus (such as learning how to navigate the north half of Wake’s campus), and plenty of time to check out what’s beyond!
*Cover photo from finance.wfu.edu.