By Matt Thacker
Despite the best efforts of university officials to lure more students into residency halls, U of L remains primarily a commuter school.
Like most commuter students, I have reaped the benefits of living off campus. I receive free room and board, get home-cooked meals, and can decide for myself when to turn on the air conditioner. But commuting has its downside.
If you ever travel I-64 between Louisville and Southern Indiana, you are well aware of the large number of highway fatalities in Kentucky. State officials keep a running tally for 2005 as well as a recap of 2004’s final count hanging across the highway on the Amber Alert sign. Judging by the steadily rising number in the 2005 category, the state’s well-intentioned plan to scare people into driving cautiously hasn’t worked well.
After seeing many close calls on the roadways myself, I have come up with a few tips for safe commuting. Keep your eyes on the road at all times. Yes, this means no putting on make-up, shaving, or sending text messages while driving. You will have plenty of time to do all of those things during class. Also, no matter how big your SUV is, you cannot drive at 70 miles per hour on a solid sheet of ice. If you don’t believe me, count the number of SUVs on the side of the road the next time we get a big ice storm. Finally, please use your turn signal before you change lanes. It doesn’t help much to use it afterwards.
As you may gather, many fatalities result from many accidents, and many accidents lead to long delays in traffic. Add poorly constructed highways to the mess, and we have trouble, especially if you’re already running late for your 8 a.m. class.
Most professors don’t count traffic as an excuse for tardiness. This means you need to factor traffic into the “how early should I get up?” equation. Plan alternative routes before you actually need them. You don’t want to get lost traveling on back roads before your first day of class. Also, listen to the traffic report in the morning.
Finally, consider the bus and train factors. If you’re parking at Papa John’s Cardinal stadium, you must either walk a good distance or take the shuttle bus to class each morning. While the shuttles are fairly consistent, you may find yourself waiting for long periods of time. Trains don’t often cross Floyd Street in the morning, but expect to get stuck often if you need to cross the tracks in the afternoon.
The second problem facing commuter students is a lack of involvement. I spent most of my first year of college not knowing my adviser’s name, that food was served in places other than the SAC, what was inside any buildings other than Bingham and Davidson, or even why any of those things might matter.
Before the beginning of this year, I promised myself I would “get involved in something.” I tried a few organizations before finding myself walking into The Cardinal office. Now, in any given week, I meet more people than I did during my entire freshman year. The opportunities have been unbelievable.
The biggest complaint I hear from students who do not live on campus is that they cannot find a way to get involved. When asked what groups they have tried to join, most say they haven’t tried any.
College is supposed to be fun, and living 20 minutes away from campus doesn’t mean you can’t be invloved in activities. You just can’t expect them to come to you.
Matthew Thacker is a sophomore majoring in English and is a staff writer for The Louisville Cardinal. E-mail him at: mthacker@louisvillecardinal.com
