I love taking public transportation. Now, you may be reading this and thinking, “That’s a crazy thing to say.” However it’s true. Public transportation just makes my mundane tasks feel like an adventure. Whether it’s taking the bus to Trader Joe’s, using the BART to commute to and from campus, or taking the ferry to San Francisco for a day trip, I love having local public transportation as a choice to get around.
Sure, public transportation isn’t that glamorous. Sometimes it can be described as crowded, messy, unorganized, not on schedule, and more. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its perks.
1. the chance for exploration
Despite living in the Bay Area my entire life, I’ve never had the opportunity to explore the neighborhoods that I’ve lived around for the past 20 years. It wasn’t until I started taking the bus that I had the chance to explore Berkeley, San Francisco, and all of the communities in between a lot more thoroughly. I got to explore unique coffee shops, the cutest quaint shops, and discover some amazing books within the local bookstores, all places that I wouldn’t have noticed before I started taking public transit.
2. romanticizing life
Pairing the soundtrack of your life with the rush of running for the bus, staring out of the window, and seeing the rest of the world pass you by is magical. Remember, you’re the main character in your own life. It doesn’t hurt to try and enjoy the small things every once in a while, especially while you’re waiting to get to your destination. Who knows, maybe the bus or subway might be the backdrop of the start of your next chapter?
3. for now, i’m only people-watching (and listening)
Something about people watching is so healing and therapeutic. Just taking the time to slow down, take your nose out of your phone, and watch the world around you is something that we could all use a little more of in our lives. If you’ve ever wanted to people-watch, the bus or subway is the best place to do it. This is a place where people from all walks of life, communities and backgrounds, holding all kinds of beliefs and understandings of the world, are all in one space. Just on the subway, you’ll see couples, friend groups, tourists, sports fans, business people, each of different ages, and often at the same time.
While I’m not encouraging you to poke into strangers’ lives, you’ll often hear a group that speaks a little louder on the bus and basically the whole bus will hear everything. Sometimes the snippets you get from your busmates’ lives can be juicy drama, life changing revelations, or give you a small laugh in your busy day.
3. get those steps in girl!
Maybe one of the big cons about taking public transportation is that it can’t always take you to the exact place you want to go. You might have to walk a bit to get to where you actually need to go after you’re dropped off somewhere nearby. However, you can use that opportunity to get some steps in. I personally love the part where I walk to my final destination because it gives me a chance to slow down and enjoy the world around me. I also have a daily goal of 10,000 steps a day, and walking to my destination helps me acquire 1,000-2,000 steps.
5. sustainable and environmental benefits
One of my primary reasons for choosing to take public transportation is because it has major environmental benefits! It helps A LOT by clearing up vehicle congestion and is a lot safer than biking, skateboarding, or scootering on the road to your next destination. By choosing to take public transportation instead of a personal vehicle, you’re helping decrease carbon emissions and making a positive impact on our societal fight against climate change.
Most people think that taking public transportation is just a way to get from point A to point B, but, in reality, it’s an opportunity for eco-friendly exploration of the world around us. It reminds us to slow down and enjoy even the smallest things in everyday life, such as going from one place to the next. Next time you’re thinking about going on a day trip somewhere, or even the next time you need to run some errands, consider using public transportation as your primary method of travel, and just enjoy the ride.