For a lot of college students, getting around on four wheels is the norm. It’s easy to drive to the grocery store when you run out of milk, or bread. It’s easy to drive to the mall when you need to buy some new clothes. It’s easy to get home to St. Louis, or Kansas City, or wherever home might be.
For many other college students, these things are quite the luxury.
As someone who spent the first two years of his college career without a car, I understand what it is like to rely solely on my own two feet (and my friends) to get around Springfield.
Here are a few tips I have learned to get around town, and still save a few bucks.
- The most important thing you can do as a college student without a car is to make friends. Specifically, make friends who have a car. If you’re a little shy, this is a great reason to step a little bit out of your comfort zone and meet new people. When I was a freshman neither myself or my roommate had a car, so if we were ever going to make it home for Thanksgiving, or winter break, we were going to have to find a way. This didn’t give us much choice but to ask around on our residence hall. Sure enough, we found someone who passed through our town in St. Louis while on his way home and was willing to take us.Friends are also a great way to get around Springfield. If you need a ride to the store, don’t be afraid to ask a friend to take you. You never know if they need to make a Walmart run as well!Don’t forget to chip in a few bucks for gas money!
- Utilize campus resources. Missouri State is a very “no-car friendly” campus. You can find most of what you need right here. We have multiple convenience stores on campus. You can find them in the Plaster Student Union (We call it the PSU around here), at Bear Park South, and in Hammons House. These convenience stores are a great place to go if you need a snack.There are plenty of fun activities to do on campus that are either free, or only a few dollars. You can head down to the Level One Game Center in the PSU for some free ping-pong, pool, and bowling that is only $2 for students, with a $1 shoe rental. You can also head to the Betty and Bobby Allison Recreation Fields and play sports with friends. And don’t forget about Hammons Student Center. Here, you can play racquetball, basketball, and volleyball. All free for students!
- Know your surroundings. If campus doesn’t have exactly what you’re looking for, there are plenty of places within walking distance of campus that probably do. Downtown is just a BearLine ride away. Take the green or red route up to Bear Park North, then switch over to the gold route to take you downtown. Here, you’ll find lots of local shops and restaurants that will definitely meet your needs.You can also find grocery stores, and fast food restaurants close by. Price Cutter is just a few blocks north on National. Taco Bell, Burger King, McDonald’s, Steak ‘n’ Shake, are all fast food restaurants that only take a short walk to get to.
Make sure you don’t walk alone. Grab a friend or two to go with you!
Not having a car is not the end of the world. It’s really easy to make due without one. It’s also a great way to save money by not having to worry about car insurance, or gas.
Don’t let not having a car stop you from getting around. Tie up those laces and get moving!