Cars on Campus

If you are thinking about coming to Platteville, or if you've been accepted but haven't actually come here yet, I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I know I did!! I was absolutely terrified when I was a freshman. I'd like to invite any of you to ask me any questions you'd like, and I'll be more than happy to answer them!!

In the meantime, I'm going to try to remember what questions *I* had before coming here, and address them in my blogs.

One thing I know I wondered about was whether or not to bring my car with me. My mom was kind of against it, especially since the campus offers a spot where you can sign up and collaborate with others to arrange trips home and to Wal-mart and whatnot. I guess it all depends on what you're comfortable with.

I personally am *NOT* comfortable relying on other people. At all. I find that it's a great way to get yourself totally stranded. I wouldn't want to have to collaborate a ride to Green Bay by finding someone to take me thus far and then someone else to take me thus far. I wouldn't want to have to beg my friends to take me to Wal-mart to get a new package of tampons. What if I suddenly got sick at 3 a.m.? Would I have to wake up my R.A. and get her to take me to the emergency room? What if she wasn't there? Would I have to wake up the on-call R.A., maybe some guy I've never even met?

That's just not me, so I had to convince my mom that I needed a car. And really, it was well worth it. The parking permit was about $80 for a year, I believe, (or about $40 for a traveler's permit), which may sound like a lot at first but really is very reasonable for full-time parking in student lots.

I have a friend whose dad wouldn't let her bring her car because he didn't want her to deal with the parking permit or the snow. She had an OK time because she knows a lot of people, but I'm a more private person and couldn't imagine going through all that obnoxious hassle. As for the snow, I've really never had a problem with it. You only have to move your car when it snows a lot and they issue an order for alternate side parking for a few days so that the plows can go through. After a few snows they will clear various lots and plow them as well. As long as you pay attention (there are e-mails and signs posted EVERYWHERE), it's really very easy. Parking can get very full, particularly in winter, so sometimes you have to hunt or perhaps park far away from where you are going. But I still strongly feel that bringing a car is definitely worth the little bit of hassle that you have to deal with in exchange. 

I can't imagine relying on anyone for transportation--I really need to be in control of that myself. Very well worth it!!