Each day, hundreds if not thousands of students take the train to New York City and other areas across Long Island and its neighboring cities for internships, jobs or to see cultural events. The Long Island Rail Road, known as the LIRR, does offer a discount to students under 21 years of age who wish to purchase monthly tickets in order to travel to and from school.
While this service is a considerable offer to younger students, the LIRR will not accommodate and offer a discounted rate for older students attending college who use the LIRR to commute each day.
The LIRR also does not accommodate college students who travel less frequently and therefore do not require a monthly train ticket. College students no longer completely dependent on their parents’ income typically struggle to fulfill school obligations and to receive the “real world” experience they need to develop into hardworking, accomplished adults upon graduating.
Most students, after receiving their secondary education degrees, are still not financially fit to take on their living, school and other expenses; yet they must worry about the expenses of getting around the city.
Encouraged by school officials, and considered a “must” for students wishing to gain experience, are oftentimes requirements for graduation which one must complete between the time they are matriculated and their final semester.
For many students, taking the train, while very expensive, is their only option. Sometimes students are discouraged from completing various activities because they cannot afford train fare.
When spending money, students often take into account that they need to save. Many have to take out loans, pay for their own schoolbooks and have a limited income because they are not full-time workers.
For students without these expenses, the desire to save will always remain, even after college. They'll save money to buy the car they always dreamed of, to rent an apartment, buy a house and eventually support a family.
Lowering the cost of college students' train fare by offering student discounts will allow and encourage more students to travel via train. It will also give them the opportunity to take part in internship, jobs and cultural events, thus giving them a “real world” experience and a jump start on their careers.
Without being able to afford train tickets, students are asked to do the impossible. They have to decide whether to take a lower grade, take a more local internship at a lesser known company, turn down a job or be broke for a few weeks after purchasing a train ticket. If they are not able to afford train tickets to jobs, internships, cultural experiences and other “educational-enhancers,” students will have less “real world” experiences under their belts prior to graduating. This would cause the quality of work overall to shift onto a downward path, especially in fields requiring skilled workers.
College students need the chance and opportunity to grow inside and outside of the classroom. Why not give college students a discounted train fare to encourage their growth outside of the classroom walls?
