To all of the new Noles out there who were just admitted into FSU — congratulations! It’s time to start preparing for the next four years, and with that comes planning out the major details: where to live and what to bring. Specifically, whether or not you should be bringing your car to college freshman year.
Throughout high school, I was told by countless parents, teachers, and even current college students that a car would definitely not be necessary during my first year at university. I figured it was a no-brainer and I would just leave my car tucked safely away back in Texas, waiting for me until summertime. Over the summer, however, I realized how badly I wanted a car with me in college, and I decided to bring it.
Shockingly enough, bringing a car turned out to be my best decision of freshman year.
Within my first week of living in Tallahassee, I realized how many benefits there are to having a car. For all the incoming freshmen out there with the opportunity to bring a car, here is a list of reasons why it was beneficial for me and why I’d recommend it to anyone who can make it work.
FREEDOM
First of all, the freedom to go where you want whenever you want is an unmatched feeling. This might seem obvious, but the added benefits of leaving campus aren’t quite as trivial as they are made out to be. Of course, you usually don’t ever need to leave campus for anything, but there have been countless times I’ve been grateful to have a car. I’ve found that the transition from a bustling town to a compact college campus is a pretty major one — without a car, the borders of campus are pretty confining.
Being able to leave the borders of campus has tremendously uplifted my mental health. Coming to Tallahassee from out of the state and assimilating to a new environment was definitely an adjustment. Being stressed out from meeting new people and developing relationships in a completely unfamiliar setting made me want to just take a break from it all sometimes. Luckily, my car was always there.
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely won the roommate lottery freshman year. I love my roommate and we live together in total harmony, but sometimes I just need to be alone. It has nothing to do with the people I’m around but rather an overwhelming accumulation of my own thoughts. My car being a place that’s completely mine to destress in has been such a savior to my mental health.
I’m just a girl, and sometimes I need to cry. Having mental moments like that without a guarantee of your own space can sometimes just escalate the situation, and my car has always been there for me to take a drive in, listen to my music, and unwind. In fact, my friends without one have even asked to cry in my car before when things were tough and they needed their own space.
On a lighter note, you can’t make spontaneous Target trips with your girls when you need a new bikini or want to browse home décor aimlessly with a Starbucks drink in hand with no car of your own. If you need a last-minute pair of business casual heels for an expo, you can dash over to the mall and find some. Plus, if you get bored of the meal options on campus (because let’s be real, they do get repetitive), you can indulge in your favorite restaurants without splurging on DoorDash. Don’t even get me started on the sweet treat runs — I go for a 10 p.m. drive to Mo Cookies at least once a week.
You might argue that you can just find a friend to drive you or take public transportation, and that leads me to my next point. It’s so nice to not have to depend on anyone else for your own needs!
INDEPENDENCE
If you need to run a last-minute errand, for example, there’s no guarantee that the designated car friend won’t have class or other obligations. Plus, it can be a tricky line to toe between enjoying the benefits of a friend’s car and taking advantage of them.
As far as public transportation is concerned, it completely depends on your college. At FSU, we have a bus system, but it isn’t the world’s easiest system to operate. And again, the bus might not swing by at a time convenient for you. At the end of the day, having the freedom to leave whenever you want for your own needs is the way to go, in my opinion.
PARKING TIPS
Lastly, you might be concerned with the issue of parking. I won’t sugarcoat it: Parking isn’t the most enjoyable task here at FSU, or any campus for that matter. But it’s definitely doable. You just need to work the system a little bit.
Obviously, the central garages are going to fill up the quickest. Trying to find a spot in Traditions Garage literally any time of the day is going to be a struggle, but if you give ample time to scout for spots, you’ll find one eventually. Unless it’s after 10 p.m. — then you have no chance.
But you can always bite the bullet and take the extra five-minute walk from Pensacola Street Garage, or any of the others. I’ve never had any major issues parking in the Pensacola location, so if you don’t mind walking, parking will work out for you.
I’d like to add a disclaimer here. This article is for people who can bring a car to college and are debating whether or not it’s necessary. I understand I’m very privileged for even having this option in the first place, and I’m so grateful I was able to bring my car in the end.
Whether you bring a car or leave it at home, you’re going to have a great time at FSU!
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