Off Campus

Being on campus 24-7 could drive someone crazy. People stay every weekend, and I don't know how they do it. Not to mention that freshmen aren't even allowed to have cars on campus. So what are freshmen supposed to do? There are certain places that you can go that are within walking distance, but when its 10 degrees out who really wants to walk anywhere? There is transportation that the school provides which is the downtown shuttle. But no one really knows how this works. I've heard it runs every hour, but if you need to go to CVS to pick something up do you need to wait another hour to get picked up? Then there is always the dreaded bus. It took a lot of convincing to make my friends take the bus with me. Because other than having your own car it is the easiest way to get around.

Staying on campus all day everyday kind of gives me the feeling of spring fever. I think about places that I can go off campus, such as the mall, a restaurant, or even Boston and I get that anxious feeling just like you get spring fever. You are stuck inside all winter, and the only time you go outside in the freezing cold is when you have to go somewhere. So that feeling of being outside in the warm spring weather is well worth the three month winter wait. But I think the feeling of staying on campus is even worse than that. The dorms are tiny and stuffy, the food is terrible, and seeing the same buildings and faces everyday gets really boring.

Even if freshman were allowed to have cars on campus its a pain because there is never anywhere to park. Granted a car gives you an escape. But I don't know how people afford it. College is expensive enough, but then you have to make car payments, pay insurance and for gas. How do people do it? Next year I still won't have a car, unless I get a job because I will need to buy a new car. My car at home that my sister has been using died this week.

My friends and I try to get off campus as much as possible. But it isn't always that simple. It is a special occasion whenever we can leave Salem during the week. It is a treat, even if we are just going to Target to pick up some shampoo.