I Miss My Jeep, Man!

By Jaimie Garrett

I remember when I first got my license back in November of 2006, I was so stoked because after 16.5 years of waiting I could finally be independent, at least to some extent. No longer would I have to wait around for rides or feel constricted. I was no longer an animal who had to be told when he could and could not leave his cage. I was free to set my sights on the horizon and drive. I could follow the sun on its course home because I finally had my right to drive.

Then, I came to Gettysburg College. I never realized how isolated I would feel until my car was taken from me and my only transportation was a Sector 9 longboard. A little side note, longboards are great for on-campus cruising, but once you get off campus, essentially across the train tracks, you will get hassled by cops. It’s happened to me twice already. Fuck that shit.

But, more to the point, cars are the truest form of independence. It can be argued that students can walk or take Freedom Transit to any destination that they would wish to go, yet walking to Wal-Mart is not a feasible option for most, except for the occasional die-hard, and catching Freedom Transit takes planning to make sure that one can actually make the scheduled pickup time. Cars, on the other hand, provide students with an easy, accessible option for getting from point A to point B in a timely manner at their own convenience.

Therein lies the real issue: convenience. That’s what it’s all about these days. Whether you are a graying faculty member or a first-year student, convenience tends to be the underlying factor in many of our actions. I admit, regardless of my environmental impact, I’d rather drive my own car to Wal-Mart or Sheetz or anywhere else, for that matter, on my own time, when it is most convenient for me. That’s just my prerogative.

We all know that the college is suffering from various financial woes, and that there isn’t much space left to use. This being said, I wish to make my own recommendation to the college. Give me my car, please. There are remedies to this situation, such as adding student parking behind the West Building or maybe erecting a parking garage where Stone Lot is. Naysayers can bitch all they want, but I really just want my car. Just give me my car.