When I found out my car would have to stay behind once I left for college, just one thought circled in my mind: How am I going to survive?
Getting through college without a car is certainly not a walk in the park, but it is achievable if you take advantage of the resources that are readily available to you. As a UCF student, I am lucky to have access to numerous services that make my college experience doable without a car. Here are my tips for getting around campus in style. While these tips are primarily tailored towards those attending UCF, they can be adjusted to fit the lifestyle of students in similar situations on larger college campuses.
- The Shuttles Are Your Best Friend
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My subsequent thought to “How am I going to survive?” was “How am I going to get to school?”
I moved away from my hometown to Orlando for college, just for there to be no way for me to navigate to and from campus. Luckily, UCF has a system in place built to effectively address these concerns.Â
UCF has an ornate shuttle system that operates on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the semester. In total, the shuttle system contains 10 routes that serve 23 off-campus apartment complexes around the UCF area. As a loyal two-year patron of UCF’s shuttle system, I believe I’m qualified to share some tips that can help make your shuttle experience as smooth as possible.
As soon as you move into your apartment complex, download the Transloc app to track the status of your shuttle. Not only does this app tell you how far away your shuttle is from you, it even tells you each shuttle’s capacity and accurate departure times for desired stops.
If you’re using these shuttles to get to classes, try to get to your shuttle stop at least 45 minutes before your class starts. While it may sound like an exaggeration, ensuring enough time to travel by shuttle is essential to arrive at class on time. Given the complexity of the shuttle system, even 30 minutes is cutting it close at times. Once you’re on the shuttle, time how long your route takes so you have it for future reference to build into your transit routine. The relief you will feel when you realize you have ample time to make it to your 8 a.m. will absolutely matter.Â
- The Grocery Gamble
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Whether you’re a student or not, the one expense you need covered weekly is groceries. When you don’t have a car in college, it makes this process look a little different, but certainly not impossible. A great way to get around making those essential trips to the grocery store without a car is by ordering groceries through apps like DoorDash or Instacart.
Ordering groceries online isn’t a foreign concept, offering a great alternative to personal shopping for those without transport or other complications. Following the aftermath of COVID-19, online grocery sales are now five times higher than they were pre-COVID, making the practice more normalized. If you don’t have a car in college, it could be wise to continue this trend in your own home.Â
The downside of this is that most grocery stores charge a delivery fee for sending groceries straight to your doorstep. Fortunately, you can combat those fees by enrolling in a membership that waives them permanently. I have found my subscription to Walmart+ exceedingly useful in having my groceries delivered to me day of, with no additional fees. Although it is an investment, I highly recommend considering it.
If you don’t want to spend the extra money on groceries, you can opt to take one of the grocery shuttles that UCF offers. UCF has a designated Publix grocery shuttle that runs every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in 45-minute intervals. Also, UCF recently introduced a new shuttle service that takes students directly to the Waterford Lakes shopping center, which has a Target, among other popular establishments.Â
- The Risky Alternative: Calling a Friend
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The shuttle system is a great resource for getting to and from school, but what do you do on the days when TJMaxx is calling your name, or when you want to visit somewhere not found on the shuttle routes? That’s when you can take the risky alternative: phoning a friend for a ride.
Some may consider this risky because the dependability of your friends isn’t always guaranteed. There’s always the possibility of your friend being late or, in extreme cases, forgetting about your trip entirely.
Relying on a friend as a mode of transport can also come across as taking advantage of their resources. At the end of the day, they’re not obligated to fill in as your personal chauffeur. What may seem like a short, 20-minute car ride is a sacrifice of their time, energy, and gas money. Therefore, you should be mindful of these privileges and be careful not to abuse them.Â
If there’s somewhere you want to visit, see if the visit can benefit both parties. For example, if you’re in the mood for Mediterranean food but your friend is a vegan, consider choosing a restaurant that offers vegan alternatives before asking your friend. Repay them if you can, and if possible, try to keep the pestering to a minimum. Unless my friend offers first, I try to ask them for a ride only if it is absolutely necessary or if I know the experience is something they will also enjoy.Â
- The Last Resort: Using a Ride Share App
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If your friend is unable to take you, or you feel too guilty to ask, you can take up the last resort: calling an Uber. Fetching an Uber or Lyft is not the ideal choice since it can be expensive, but it definitely comes in handy when needed. I’ll opt for an Uber ride if the place I need to go to is far or out of the way. For example, on the weekends, I need a ride to the airport to go back home, so I’ll call an Uber to save my friends the hassle and myself the guilt.Â
Although I was initially frustrated at the thought of not having my car with me at school, I have found it manageable by taking advantage of the resources around me. If you’re starting your college journey without a car, remind yourself that this era of your life is temporary, and if other college students can do it, so can you. It also doesn’t hurt to think of all the gas money you’re saving along the way.