Since moving to Madrid, Spain last September, I have been taking public transportation more than ever. It seems crazy to think that I haven’t driven a car in four months and have been strictly using metros, buses, and trains to get around. Living in a big city, having a car is either too expensive or a nuisance to use. I was so accustomed to using a car at home in New Jersey that turning to public transportation took some getting used to. A couple days ago, I was frustrated on the metro because of how cramped and uncomfortable it was. It was rush hour and there was barely enough room for everyone. Just when I thought it couldn't get any tighter, a guitarist pushed his way into the car to perform and entertain the commuters who were less than willing to be entertained. But hey, at this point, do we have any other choice? You listen helplessly while getting pushed around trying to hold on and not knock the people next to you over. I stare at the window waiting for my stop to come up. So I started to think about the pros and cons of public transportation. Is it really worth it?

I polled around for opinions — here are the 10 pros and cons that rose to the top:

PROS

• It’s environmentally friendly
• You have time to read and decompress, listen to music, people watch etc.
• It’s entertaining when people enter and play instruments or sing
• It’s a safe option for people who are drinking because they can get to and from their destination without driving
• Sometimes public transportation [depending on the type] allows you to see sights in a very inexpensive way while traveling
• You don't need to pay for gas, car insurance, or wear and tear expenses
• You can buy a cheap transportation card and have access to all types of transportation including metro, train, and buses
• It gives you an opportunity to meet people
• The variety of public transportation (buses, metro, train, etc.) and availability for so many hours of the day makes it easy to get around
• You can nap

CONS

• The time commuting often takes longer
• It's like cattle herding through a metro station
• I can't sing along with my music
• Sometimes there are so many people to a car that you can hardly breathe
• The metro station I always get on smells like farts
• Sometimes when you go out you have to stay out until the metro opens so you don’t have to pay for a cab
• People stare (I feel like I am being judged a lot)
• It’s often hot in the metro and you can't control the temperature
• Once I fell asleep and went past my metro stop
• I once took the circular line the wrong direction and didn’t know until I was 9 stops the wrong way

From interviewing others I’ve realized that the pros of public transportation more often outweigh the cons. I often find myself complaining about public transportation because it is crowded, the lack of privacy, or because it takes longer. I think about how I miss having a car that will take me from point A to point B directly, and I can sit in my own comfort controlling my music and temperature. However, when you get down to it, public transportation is more economical, environmentally friendly, and allows you to experience a city in a more advantageous way. Maybe the reason I was getting so frustrated with public transportation is because I was in a rush, only thinking about my destination rather than enjoying the moment in the journey. After all, public transportation becomes a routine and something we do mindlessly. So the next time you use public transportation, I challenge you to look out the window, or look at the people around you — just pause and take in the moment. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”