I am the worst traveler. I absolutely hate it. Yet, unfortunately until they invent a teleportation device, the approximately 280 miles from my house to Georgetown have to be traveled somehow.
Travel is one of the biggest changes I’ve experienced in my college experience. Going from a 7 minute to a 5 hour drive to school is a pretty big leap. I never considered colleges on the West Coast but I can only imagine that process!
But before the actual traveling commences I think the worst part is packing. Packing to go to and from college is a huge endeavor. The initial move-in packing is a nightmare. It took me hours to determine how many and which shoes to bring alone. Everyday I wish I could create a way to transport my entire closet to Georgetown intact. Also, when you go to school in a place where the weather is extremely unpredictable it’s hard to be strategic about packing choices. I must have spent at least as much time as I did actually packing as I did gazing perplexedly at rows of potential clothing to bring. Since I’m already having a panic attack thinking about packing all my stuff for move out, let’s move on. My 2 biggest packing suggestions are 1. Avoid over packing because it’s an easy trap to fall into. 2. Bring rain boots. Mine have never seen so much action since I’ve been at Georgetown.
Once that phase of the travel experience is over, it’s time to commence the journey. Now there are a few options. First, there’s flying. As someone who thinks flying a hundred ton machine thousands of miles above land is completely unnatural, this is not an appealing option. Yes, it is the fastest. However, there are also security lines, bag checking, and delays. I flew home for Columbus Day weekend and realized it was a mistake. Not only was there a three-hour delay for my flight, but I also couldn’t fit my carry on in the overhead bin and was “randomly” chosen to get an extra scan in the security line. #typical
There’s also the train: my travel option of choice. Here the dilemma is finding a seat, preferably where you don’t have to sit next to anyone. Per a friend’s suggestion I pretended to be asleep once so no one would sit next to me, actually fell asleep, and was rudely awakened by a girl who, in the process of struggling to fit her bag in the overhead, ended up letting it fall on my back instead. #fail Overall though the train ride is fairly enjoyable, especially if you sit in the quiet car!
Then the final leg of the journey is getting back to campus. For more experienced travelers the Metro is one option, but as a frazzled and easily confused traveler the cab is the safest option. In my experience at Georgetown I’ve come across a myriad of cab drivers. There are the silent and gruff, the chatterboxes, the ones purposefully drive the long way… the list goes on. My favorite cab driver was the one who gave me an inspirational speech about maintaining a balance in my life and seizing the moment…so perhaps you’ll be surprised on your travels! But note Darnallians: if you want to get dropped off by Darnall make sure the cab driver knows the difference between the Canal Street and Reservoir Road entrances. Two very different types of bodies of water, and two very different ends of campus.
Needless to say, I’ve had some interesting travel experiences over the past year. Now that I’ve learned from my mistakes freshman year I’ll be better prepared for years to come.
It’s a good thing Georgetown is well worth the trip!!
XOXO,
Hoya Saxa
Georgetown Freshman Survival Trip # 11: Use the Student Advantage feature on your GoCard to get a discount on train tickets. By the end of the year you’ll have saved a lot of money!
Photo Credit:
http://classic.marshall.usc.edu/assets/074/15720.jpg