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Walking vs. Riding the Bus

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.

           When leaving your room to head to class, who doesn’t pull out their phone to check the bus schedule?  It’s easier, and on most days, faster to hop on the bus and ride to your destination.  This can cause potential problems, though, because if everyone has the same idea, the bus can get pretty crowded.  With the weather finally starting to warm up, it is the perfect time to ditch the packed bus for a more comfortable stroll to class. 

            Walking to class on warmer days has many more perks than riding the bus, I promise!  First of all, you don’t have to deal with people scrambling to cram themselves onto a bus, invading another’s personal space.  This rude violation of personal space is a breeding ground for any and all campus-wide sickness. I know there has been at least one time where I have been standing next to someone on a stuffed bus and gotten coughed on; then a couple days later, I start coming down with the same wretched cough!  Avoid this environment altogether by enjoying the open, fresh space of the outdoors.

            Another, and one of my favorite reasons for walking, is the exercise!  You can burn quite a few calories every day making the trip to class on foot.  Calories expended depends on your speed and weight, but if you’re 120lbs and you walk a mile that equals about 70 calories.  Not to mention it keeps your muscles toned in the process.  It never hurts to have a little extra exercise in your daily routine, and this is one easy way to add it into your schedule. 

            Some may argue that it is a lot faster to ride the bus, and in most cases, this is true.  However, there is always the possibility that the bus will fill up before you have a chance to get on.  This will cause you to miss the bus anyway. Whereas with walking, you may have to leave ten minutes earlier than usual, but you’ll definitely get where you need to be on time. 

            So, next time you have to make the decision of riding the bus or walking, choose walking and enjoy all the benefits that come with this choice. 

I am a student at the University of Iowa majoring in Journalism with a double major in English. I have always loved to read and write. I am a member of Ed on Campus with Iowa and it is this group that has really sparked my interest in magazines. Once I graduate from Iowa I hope to be hired at a magazine corporation such as Meredith or Hearst.
U Iowa chapter of the nation's #1 online magazine for college women.