Photo by Lacie Slezak on Unsplash
2. Get my wisdom teeth removed... AGAIN
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https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-person-driving-1386649/
1. How many more miles on this road?
2. Didn't I have 3 hours to go 30 minutes ago?
3. Should I stop for gas now or later?
4. I'm hungry but I don't want McDonald's
5. Maybe I should just eat when I get home
6. I should've stopped for food but now it's too late
7. Why is this car going 65 in the leftmost lane?
8. Ugh I hate being stuck behind this truck
9. This is such a great song
10. I'm cold
11. I'm hot
12. I'm cold again
13. This song sucks why did I put it on my playlist?
14. When is my turn again?
15. This traffic is the absolute worst
16. Why am I in stand still traffic?
17. Go faster!
18. I have to go to the bathroom
19. You know this actually isn't so bad
20. Just kidding this is the absolute worst
21. The last hour is the worse than the first four combined
22. I'm finally home
When you find a parking spot within a reasonable distance from class
Finding a decent parking spot at a school with a heavy commuter population is a common struggle. More often than not, one of the only good things about taking super early classes is that there are fewer people fighting for a spot.
Sitting in traffic
The dreaded rush hour traffic that we all know and love. No one wants to deal with traffic, period.
Having to wake up extra early to get to class on time
Nothing makes an 8:00 AM class worse than having to wake up at 7:00 AM or earlier. I need enough time to get ready, travel, and deal with whatever traffic I may encounter. Ugh, so tired.
Being able to get drive thru coffee on your way to class
Yeah, every college campus has at least one Starbucks or Dunkin'. But the lines in those things are UNREAL. Never in my life have I had to wait 20 plus minutes for an iced coffee. Driving to school allows me to hit a quick drive-thru for coffee and be back on the road in five minutes flat. Coffee is necessary, and it's that much easier to get it when I commute. Woohoo!
Being able to have alone time
Living in a dorm means roommates. Roommates are great and all, and if you're lucky, you get a good one. But, after having to go to class and sit in the library for hours on end, I just want to lay in bed and relax. Alone. Having a roommate means rarely ever getting time to yourself. After class and work, I get to go home to my own comfy room and bed. Pure bliss.
Being told you're not getting the college experience
Sorry to say it, but not everyone needs the college experience. I'm here to learn and get my degree, and I could do that either way. For some, commuting just makes more sense. Others may just have no interest in living in a dorm away from home. Everyone is different, and everyone is entitled to make the choice to commute or dorm. I could care less about the college experience—I'm doing just fine.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn1RZwxA2f3/?hl=en&taken-by=michiganstate.odyssey
1. The CATA Bus and how it operates
Learning the bus system on campus is grueling. And especially being new and still not knowing where anything really is.. well it's terrifying. Squishing yourself onto a bus of a bunch of sweaty students and an angry bus driver isn't my idea of a good time. Oh and also trying to find what route you need to get to the right place ON TIME. Biggest struggle of all.
2. Drivers on campus do NOT yield to pedestrians
Something I've come to learn is that you MUST ALWAYS LOOK BEFORE YOU CROSS! Cars, golf carts, and bicyclists alike do. not. stop. for. you. They don't care about you. They will actually gesture, honk and yell obscenities at you if you aren't paying attention. Rule of thumb: Do not look down at your phone for any reason ever while walking on campus.
3. Bicyclists rule the sidewalks and they know it
Speaking of bicyclists yelling, yes this has actually happened to me. "Watch where you're going!" Like it's only my fault for an almost collision. *le sigh*
4. It's really easy to get lost
GiphyOne minute you're on track, taking the world by storm and on time to the building you need to be in. The next minute you're halfway to Ann Arbor. It really happens that fast. Google Maps has saved my life a million times.
5. Getting coffee at Starbucks in Wells Hall (or really anywhere on campus)= NIGHTMARE
Do yourself a favor and double up your intake in the morning so you won't have to make several coffee stops throughout the day or you'll end up like this guy ^
6. Not packing your own lunch
If you have the money to spend, by all means go for it. But if you're truly a struggling broke college student (like me) grab something from home to shove into your bag or you'll be dropping about $25/ day on cafeteria food.
7. Things are super overpriced
Every. Thing. Is. $200+. Not really, but that's how it feels. Just saying.
8. Wear comfortable walking shoes..
If you miss your bus, you have to walk. Or if the bus is overcrowded you'll definitely have an easier time walking than trying to flag down a bus and hope it's going where you need it to. Just.. put on your comfiest shoes, rain or shine!
9. Be over prepared with supplies.
GiphyI'm talking 100 extra pencils, pens, extra clothing. You name it. Have it in your bag for unplanned emergencies.
10. Commuting to campus
If and when you have to commute to campus, always leave early and plan for traffic, parking, weather and most of all time to mentally prepare for your day of chaos that will ensue.
Brandi Rosenberger
1. Ticket Prices
Being a college student, no one is rolling in money on a regular basis. Tickets can get expensive, especially the really good seats. Just purchasing a set of tickets online and having to pay the "convenience fees" can really take a toll on your bank account. Some of the best seats go for upwards of $200.
2. Dressing For The Weather
GiphyIn Maryland, the weather is always unpredictable. Let's be honest, we all struggle to find the perfect thing to wear to the game. Is it picture worthy? Will we sweat through this or will we freeze? So many options, and such a difficult decision to make. Always be sure to pack what you think you may need!
3. The Light Rail
The prices for the Light Rail are really great -- no one can beat $4.20 for a round-trip pass! But it's not all sunshine and roses. I once took the Light Rail downtown, and it just stopped at one of the stations with no explanation. We had to pay for a Lyft to take us back to our car. Let's not forget how on game days, the Light Rail gets so packed it can be hard to find a seat. Overall, maybe the discomfort is tolerable considering the price!
4. Traffic
GiphyThis may be the most frustrating part of going to the game. If you don't leave early enough, you will get stuck in horrendous traffic that will make you wish you never even bought those tickets. What does leaving late plus a bunch of stupid Maryland drivers equal? The answer is disaster and stress. Be sure to leave as early as possible in order to avoid this!
5. The Great Parking Debacle
Everyone knows that parking downtown for a game can get very expensive. Not to mention how easy it is to take a wrong turn and get lost. Like, why are they trying to make you pay $25 just to park? I can't even begin to imagine how much money they make from just one game.
6. Lost In The Large Crowds
GiphyThousands of people attend each game and getting through the gates is absolute pandemonium. It's important to keep a close eye on the people you go the game with to make sure that you all stay together. Never underestimate the power of the Buddy System!
7. Finding Your Section And Seats
M&T Bank Stadium is huge. With a total of 71,000 seats and a bunch of different sections, it can be hard to find exactly where you're supposed to be sitting. Luckily, there are a bunch of wonderful attendants to help show you exactly where you should be.
8. Expensive Food And Drinks
So far, you've paid for tickets that should not have been that expensive to begin with and you've had to pay for parking. But the real icing on the cake is how expensive food and drinks are. I know they said they were lowering the price, but can they just give it to us for free? We've spent enough of our hard-earned money already.
9. Watching Your Team Lose
GiphyNo feeling is worse than paying to go to a game and seeing that team lose. There are days where I'm 100% sure that I would be a better wide receiver than anyone that they have on their team. You can call out play after play from your seat, but odds are that things will not be getting better from this point on.
At the end of the day, even after all that it took to get to the stadium and all the money that you probably spent on tickets, parking and food, there truly is no feeling that is comparable to sitting in one of these illustrious purple seats and relax as you watch the sun set on M&T Bank Stadium.
