As you pack to head off for the year, we encourage you to leave one prized possession behind. It has 4 wheels, a horn, and it is foreign if you’re fancy – your car. Having a car on campus will prevent you from fully embracing life as a freshman and here are five reasons why:
Gas money
Having gas money is a worry you do not need. Though gas prices have been significantly reduced lately, there will be plenty of time later in life to fill up the car of your choosing. Also, money for gas is not the not the only expense associated with having a car on campus, simply maintaining a car is expensive! Leave your car at home.
Car Accidents
There is a reason why insurance companies charge more for those under the age of 25 – this group is proven to be the most irresponsible when behind the wheel of a car. Taking your car with you to campus, where you know you are likely to be surrounded by other “newer” drivers, is not wise. Avoid an accident, leave your car at home.
Freshman 15 is real
Freshman 15 is no myth, it happens! One of the easiest ways to stay fit and avoid packing on pounds includes walking everywhere you can. How can you do this by driving ? You can’t. Don’t let your car enable your laziness. Leave your car at home.
Parking
Many campuses are not equipped with a plethora of parking lots, and as freshmen, you fall to the bottom of the totem pole. Chances are, if your HBCU even sells parking passes, they began doing so last year, so the faculty, staff, and upperclassmen have first dibs, and there may not even be any left. Many HBCUs won’t even sell freshmen parking passes because they simply do not encourage freshmen having cars on campus. If you are attending schools in a city or heavily-populated town, parking will be limited and you will find tickets in abundance. $25 – $100 tickets add up. Next thing you know, you are ready to cross the stage and graduate but you may or may not be able to until you pay your campus tickets. Leave your car at home.
Designated Driver
Have you heard the infamous lyrics to legend Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace’s song :
d*mn, n***s wanna stick me for my paper!
..the same can be said about having a car on campus. You don’t want to be the one invited everywhere simply because you have a car. Trust, you do not want to your college career to pass you by with you being the designated driver. Take an Uber, Lyft, Taxi, or put tax dollars to good use and hop on public transportation. Leave your car at home.
Ready for college but not sure what to expect, or even bring? Before you say goodbye to your parents and friends, check out this ultimate guide to surviving your first year in college, and in particular at the country’s 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). We created the #HBCUFreshmanBible to help build a bridge for students to make a successful transition from high school to black colleges, you can read more here.
