Hey OCC, how do you feel?!
It’s been just under a month since the Off Campus Community (OCC) of freshman students met at the beginning of Orientation Week. If you’re one of the select few that are a part of OCC, by now you no doubt know your way around campus (or at least where your classes and restaurants are), and might even be beginning to feel comfortable on the University of Waterloo campus. Finding your way around campus isn’t the only challenge, no. It’s getting to campus that can be the most challenging part of the day (except for classes).
There are those of us who are fortunate enough to have the funds available for a car, gas, and maybe even insurance and a parking pass to go with it, but what about those OCC first-years who don’t? There’s always the option to walk to school, but some of us don’t live conveniently close to the University. A lot of us could always try biking, or getting a ride from family, friends, or neighbours, but we wouldn’t want to be a free loader all the time…right? So, let’s offer some gas money to our drivers or join the students already using public transportation!
The GRT bus routes are well used by University of Waterloo students, and why wouldn’t they be? WatCards double as a bus pass (among other things), and using it is as easy as presenting it to the bus driver as you get on. Don’t feel comfortable climbing on a bus alone for the first time? Either push past that knot of awkwardness in your gut or find a bus buddy – maybe it’ll be that new friend of yours that you haven’t seen since the first day of OCC anyway!
Bus buddy or not, the only way to get used to a new bus system is to use it. Sure, there may be the odd time where you’ll be preoccupied texting a fellow 1A engineering student about an assignment and get on the wrong bus, but don’t panic! Once you realize the error, either get off at the next stop or make your way towards the (usually) friendly and helpful bus driver. They should be able to give you a better idea of what bus you need to take in order to get where you need to be.
The best way to avoid bus mix ups (which make great embarrassing stories to tell friends later) is to plan out your route ahead of time and be aware of where bus stops are located, along with the approximated time that it will arrive there. You should be able to pick up route specific pamphlets or a map from information centres both on and off campus, but the GRT website (www.grt.ca) is just as informative.
If you’re at a bus stop without a clue as to when a bus will show up next, simply use a cell phone and text the four-digit code on the bottom of the bus stop sign to the number 57555. You will receive a reply with the bus number and times of the next three buses coming to your stop.
Finally, DONs are there to answer your questions – transportation difficulties included!
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