1. Having a car and a parking pass means you're also signing yourself up to be a chauffeur.
Even if you don't plan on driving your friends and roommates around, it's bound to happen. Whether it's to class, to lunch, or back home, everyone knows you're faster and cheaper than the bus! Personally, I don't mind taking a little time out of my day if I know that it means my friends are going to get home safe.
2. Just because you're paying for parking doesn't mean that there will always be spots open.
Eventually you won't even try looking in the lots near your classes. You're lucky if you can find a single spot on campus.
3. Sometimes being late is inevitable.
You'll need to dedicate a good 10-20 minutes to scouting out a spot every time you move your car. Be prepared to be late to classes a few times simply because it took a few minutes longer than usual to find a parking spot. It sucks but it's the price you pay to have the perk of being able to drive around campus.
4. You don't know the area if your lose your GPS.
If your phone dies and you didn't remember your charger, it's easy to get lost. You may know your hometown like the back of your hand, but the cities surrounding your campus are still new to you. It's a good idea to keep one or two spare chargers in your car. A separate GPS and/or a physical map might come in handy too. You never know what sort of situation life might throw at you.
5. You might still have to take the bus sometimes.
There's usually little to no available parking downtown. That's not to mention the fact that you'll have to parallel park. That bus isn't looking so bad anymore, is it?
6. Parking passes can be expensive!
But parking tickets are even more expensive so don't risk parking without one!
7. Speaking of expensive, the cost of gas can add up fast too.
Try to limit trips downtown and a tank of gas will last you twice as long! Driving back and forth to classes barely uses any gas at all.
8. If anything happens to your car, you're far away from home.
Drive extra cautious, especially if you're more than an hour away from home. I go to school 6 hours away from my hometown, so getting into even a minor car accident is the last thing I'd want! Some car problems are unpredictable and unavoidable, but stopping yourself from driving when you're tired or tipsy is something that only you have control over. Spending a few dollars on an Uber or a Lyft is far better than risking losing your car or even your life by driving when you know you shouldn't.
9. You'll be tempted to eat fast food more often.
Sometimes driving down the street and ordering fast food from the drive-thru might feel easier than cooking yourself a meal in the kitchen. Don't let these temptations get the best of you! Fast food is at most a once a week thing. Try to get into a routine of driving to get groceries and meal prepping for the next few days instead!
10. But nothing beats the freedom of having a car on campus.
You can only wander so far by foot between bus stops. It's like a whole new world when you have your own transportation.
It might not always be easy, but at the end of the day, it is pretty nice to have a car on campus!
