Finals, Break and Transit

So this is my first blog post-- it feels kind of strange but hopefully (the Hatchet's editorializing notwithstanding) my experiences on going to school inside the proverbial Beltway will help any prospective and incoming GW students get a better idea of what our lives are actually like.
Speaking of the Beltway, for those who don't know it except as pejorative for the Federal Government institutions in the District of Columbia and its environs, I'm talking about MD-295-- the major artery connecting Baltimore to Washington. You might know it on those green Department of Transportation Signs as the "Balt-Wash Pkwy."

And man, do I dread that road right now.

Like many GW students, I have to pass through New York City to get home (I'm from Morris County in northern New Jersey). Last year, as a freshman, I thought there was no way the trip could be that bad-- after all, it was just five-odd hours on the bus and then another hour at most on the (somewhat questionable) Dover Line train home, right? It turned out to be pretty bad, so here's some advice from a veteran of the multi-stage budget commute:

1. Don't Overpack: take what you need and only what you need. For me, that's my laptop, charger, planner for break, food for the road, and clothes-- like most guys I don't have too much in the way of clothing, so I do have to take a grocery bag full of t-shirts, socks and other stuff.

2. Research your route beforehand: this Thanksgiving I tried going back by the Greyhound line (I'm cheap, and it was $5 less than the bus I'd used before). Luckily I left early enough to get to the bus depot near Union Station--what I didn't know is that traffic around that area is heavy in the mornings and hampers even pedestrian travelers like me.

3. Bring Entertainment: for me, usually a newspaper isn't enough (I can only take so much Rich/Krauthammer before I get fed up). Consider catching up on reading or even talking to other passengers on the bus. Last year I met a family who took the thing all the way up from Georgia to Manhattan for Christmas-- and that sure put my travel in perspective.

One thing I will say GW has over a lot of schools is our location; when it comes to travel, it's hard to beat our metro-side location. That means headaches in the morning when a clique of commuters keeps you from getting to class on time, but it's something I've really come to appreciate when traveling.

I guess I've gotten a little ahead of myself-- got to study for my World History final tomorrow. Make that #4 above-- remember to prioritize. As "Slick Willie" admonished my parents in '92: "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow."

Adam Humayun