In high school, my transportation options were completely limited to using cars every day to and from school grounds.

I got my driver’s license when I was 16 or 17 (my memory is a bit fuzzy on this now), and I only used busses or subways when my family ventured into the city and blindly led me by the hand like a child. Growing up in an extremely small suburban town meant that using public transportation was a skill I didn’t need, and furthermore, it was something scary and mysterious—I vividly remember the feeling of complete confusion I felt as a teenager in New York City with my parents as they used the subway system and I looked on in wonder. How did they know where to go in this mess of tracks? How did those maps even help anything? I decided to just let them take the lead and turn my brain off.

When I got to Amherst for college, however, my world opened up in a million different ways. Not only was I a college student, which brought its own challenges and rewards, but I was initiated into the world of public transportation via the PVTA, or Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority. Granted, this system of busses is nowhere near as large or intimidating as the big city systems, but for the first time in my life I led others on busses and even took one by myself. Thanks to Google Maps, I felt like a real adult who could go anywhere and do anything.

The real challenge, however, came in the summer after my freshman year. A friend and I decided to take a trip to NYC for the weekend on our own, and while I had an excellent weekend and love my friend dearly, navigating the city was interesting to say the least. Getting around wasn’t horrible, but we had to be on our toes and know where we were going—it’s beyond easy to lose your bearings and get lost. After an amazing few days filled with a lot of “where are we?” moments, I felt like I was a real adult and could finally get around like everyone else.

When I came back to school, the Amherst busses no longer seemed that difficult; I knew I could tackle them, even if they were off-schedule or running late for some reason. Using public transportation may not seem like a big deal to those who grew up using it, but for the uninitiated it is no easy task—and having to learn it by yourself is the ultimate confidence booster. That's why I believe that everyone, even those as initially intimidated by the process as I was, should have to learn to use public transportation systems on their own.