Are you a student trying to determine whether or not you should bring your car to campus with you? Well, I am here to tell you not to do it. I am a junior attending the University at Albany and this is my second year bringing my car along with me to school. It is truly a blessing and a curse to own a car and attend college at the same time. I love the convenience and luxury of having my car, but the reprecussions and responsibilities, not so much. There are several reasons why I sometimes regret the decision of bringing my car, but here are the three main reasons:
1. The Car-itis
The car-itis is a term I created myself that basically means your car has formulated a sense of laziness into your life. Having a car on campus can sometimes make you feel like you don't need to walk to class. This can lead to weight gain and lack of exercise. It can also make you late to class because you think bringing your car will speed-up the process of getting to class, but you still have to find parking. Parking is the worst at UAlbany, because it seems everyone drives to class. The Car-itis is a chronic dilemma that can only be solved by realizing that you don't have to use your car for everything.
2. The Designated Driver
"Oh, you have a car?" That is the deadly question that may lead to a flock of transportation opportunists. Those are the people who will use you for your car or automatically assume you will be driving them places. You are no one's UBER. The Designated Driver effect is an irritable one, but it can be avoided with a firm acknowledgement that you are not a chauffeur and knowing the difference between who is using you and who is not.
3. The Money-Eater
Having a car is expensive. Gas prices are rising and parking is not free anymore. A car requires maintenance and attention. When you are a college student your last concern should be using your money to fill up your tank or get an oil change. You should be spending your money on books, food, and every other necessity that may come into light. The worst part about parking on my campus is that you can not park in certain places. If you park in the closest areas to campus you will receive a ticket. Also if you do not reside in certain areas of the school, then you definitely will receive a ticket for parking there. No one has the time or the money to spend on pay off parking tickets or filling up a gas tank in college. The University at Albany provide free transportation with the Capital District Transportation Authority of Albany and they provide shuttled from every dormitory.
A car is not the most important thing to have at this time in our lives. We should be working to create our futures and keep our minds on what we need not what we want. So I advice prospective and current students to wait on having a car, especially if your school provides free transportation for you, and if you do have a car on campus don't use it for everything you do. Give your car a break and get some good exercise, whether it be a nice walk in the park or a bike ride to class.
