UConn is a big campus and as a first-year student I have truly added to my steps. While embarking on my 20-minute walk from my dorm to my Calculus class, I often wonder if there is a better way. What are my other options?
For starters, you could take the bus. They are convenient since the buses cover most of campus, saving you from walking more than a mile. They also operate at minute intervals of 20 or less (except for the Hunting Lodge Route). While the differences can be confusing, you can typically use Google Transit to track them.
However, this is still not a better option. If you are in a hurry, taking the bus will only add to your stress due to frequent delays. When getting to class, I never have enough time to wait and figure out the bus systems. I just need to get to class. Thus, this option is worse than walking.
Another option would be renting an electric scooter. You see them everywhere on campus. Why not just buy one yourself? Plus, with the space a scooter has, not only can you get to class on time, but you could also help your friends get there too.
The thing is, you are likely to run into someone who is walking on the way to class. It is also particularly challenging to find a way to charge them. Due to scooter batteries being highly flammable, Residential Life has banned charging scooters in the dorms. Thus, once dead, you will have another issue on your plate besides getting to class on time.
There is also the option of riding your bike. This could be great for routes that are downhill and could get you to class in a quicker manner than walking. Plus, due to the mechanics of a bike, you would not have to exert as much energy as you do when walking to get to class.
But it is September. Soon the weather will turn cold, and riding a bike around campus with the harsh winds in your face and ice on the ground will prove an unviable option. It will be quite easy to fall, which could result in an injury that may prevent you from getting to class that day. Walking when the weather gets cold will not result in as much risk of getting injured as biking would.
What about running? If you run consistently, your heart will grow stronger. You could end up being in such decent shape that you would be a perfect fit to try out for UConn Club Track and Field or UConn Club Running. You will then have a wonderful community of other people who love running to support your adventure in getting to class.
As a new member of the UConn Club Track and Field Team, I can attest that while this community is fun, running is also not better than walking. It will result in you being winded once you get to class and looking very sweaty. Due to appearance being something that the general population tries to keep up, this should only be done in emergencies.
Lastly, you could simply teleport. This option is the one where you would exert the least amount of energy. You would be in class in no time, too. However, no one has figured out how to do this yet, so walking remains the best way to get to class.
While it is tiresome to continue walking to class, it is the best option available. It needs the least amount of preparation and is what most students do on campus. Who knows, you might even make friends on the way.