Cars on Campus: Pros and Cons

Submitted by Erika Taylor, ’24 

One good thing about coming to Cumberlands is that you can bring a car in your first year. Most incoming freshman start cheering on the inside when they hear that, and as someone with a car on campus, I understand. Still, as with most things in life, there are upsides and downsides that come with this. 

Pros: 

• You can drive around without relying on anyone else. 
• You are not stuck on campus. You can go anywhere you want, whenever you want. 
• Parking is free. (This is a big one! Not all colleges offer this.) 
• You can travel home easily. 
• You can drive to class if you are running late. 
• They are the most reliable form of transportation. (And on the days they aren’t, there’s a mechanic right down the road from Cumberlands’ campus.) 
• There are more work opportunities open to you. You can travel as far as you would like to get a job. 
• You can be more impulsive with fun activities. You can just decide to go somewhere on a whim. 
• You do not have to walk in the rain or snow, ever. You can drive to class instead. 

Cons: 

• Parking is difficult at times. Sometimes you have to park a good distance away from where you are going. 
• Friends might ask for rides. You could become the personal chauffeur for others. 
• It can become expensive. 
• Car repairs away from home 
• Gas money 
• Parking tickets 
• You have to have more responsibility when taking care of a car away from home. 
• It may result in choices like going out with friends instead of studying. Not like I know from experience or anything... 
• You have to watch pedestrians carefully. No points for hitting your fellow classmates when they’re crossing the street. 

There are probably plenty more pros and cons that could be added to the list, but you get the idea. These are some good guidelines to consider while deciding whether to bring a car or not. Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy it!