To drive or to be driven, that is the question. Personally, I’ve always been a bigger fan of the latter. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl or because I’m from the city, but I’ve never really considered owning a car as one of my top priorities. In fact, I spent my first three years at SU car-less and made it through just fine.

Unfortunately this year, my car-less lifestyle is proving to be a thing of the past. It’s becoming somewhat obvious that living off-campus without a car, along with a similarly deprived roommate, may start to require some minor adjustments on my part.

For example, I have learned to adapt my tastes in food. Because I can’t go grocery shopping whenever I want and because I don’t have a meal plan, I must simply learn to make do with whatever is in my refrigerator. Such as power bars. Or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without the bread, or salads without lettuce. Or even delicious bacon omelets. Without eggs.

I’ve learned to stop caring about those silly numbers on the side that they call an expiration date and started to consider how lucky I am to even have food at all.

I’ve also learned to appreciate nature. Trekking from Walnut Avenue to a friend’s house at the end of Euclid Avenue and back in six-inch heels in pouring rain is actually a lot more fun than it might sound. After all, when else do you really get to take in the greenery that surrounds our campus? And truly listen to the sound of rain, which is often included as one of the top 10 relaxing choices on a sound machine?

Of course, sometimes when I walk, I get distracted by my revelations by others on campus, who will often drunkenly inquire as to where I’m hobbling off to and if can they join me. But that’s all part of the experience.

Above all, I’ve perfected the art of begging, bribing, cajoling and even threatening my friends, acquaintances and complete strangers for rides. Some will give me rides for free, out of the goodness of their hearts and the immensity of their pity. Others will ask for homework help or laundry services, and some want sexual favors. But in the face of it all, I always maintain my dignity and integrity — I would never do someone else’s laundry.

I discussed the good life (i.e. life with a car) with senior finance and entrepreneurship major Danny Brecher. ‘I have a car here seasonally, so when it snows, I bring it home. But it’s not really a necessity for me because I have a chef and a roommate with a car,’ Alrighty then.

‘But I would definitely give someone a ride if they asked me, even somewhere as annoying as Walmart. I mean, I could probably use something from Walmart, anyway,’ Brecher added. Clearly, people with cars have their priorities in order, too.

Ultimately, though, my situation is not that bad. All I really need to work on is my outlook on being car-less. I am helping to save the environment. I am fervently bonding with my fellow peers. I am inhaling fresh air instead of the smell of village candle car freshener.

But if by any chance, you happen to come across me in the middle of the street some time in the next few weeks, can you just give me a quick ride to P&C Foods? I’m starting to run out of power bars.

Marina Charny is a senior English and textual studies and writing major. Her column appears weekly, and she can be reached at mcharny@syr.edu.

 

Published on October 6, 2010 at 12:00 pm