Northwestern students walk, run, bike and drive all over Evanston, to get to class and to run their errands. But is getting around as an off-campus student all it’s cracked up to be? Jordan Mangi has more.
JORDAN MANGI, REPORTER: In 2022, Northwestern received an official designation for being one of the Best Universities for Commuters. But how do undergrads who live off-campus actually get around? Between stolen bikes, expensive cars, skateboard wipe-outs and, inconsistent buses, living off campus isn’t always easy. Is NU as commuter-friendly as the designation suggests?
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MANGI: I spoke to some students to find out.
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MANGI: For a lot of students, the answer to how they get around is simple: they walk. One off-campus student, Emma Yarger, said —
EMMA YARGER: I walk everywhere. I’m walking to campus at least once a day and then also to downtown Evanston
MANGI: This is, however, less than ideal in the colder months of the year. WNUR staffer Delaney Nelson, who’s from Illinois, said the cold is just a fact of being at NU.
DELANEY NELSON: Unless they created like heated tunnels or something like that, or heated tents. I don’t see that happening personally, but I don’t know. I guess that’s just part of going to school in Illinois.
MANGI: When it’s warmer out, some students ride their bikes.
ELEANOR POPE: I‘m not the best bike rider so like when I told my parents, I was getting a bike my mom was like really worried that like a car was going to immediately just hit me. So I like that there’s the median between the bike lane and the street.
MANGI: That’s NU student Eleanor Pope. She said campus is fairly accessible for bikes, and there are racks in front of nearly all buildings.
POPE: There’s like accessible entrances to most places that are, like, flat, and there are so many bike racks on campus.
MANGI: Other students I spoke to, however, had gotten their bike stolen either on campus—
DELANEY BONDOC: Freshman year I used to bike everywhere, but then my bike got stolen.
MANGI: or in Evanston —
YARGER: I was a little bit lazy and I didn’t lock my bike up in my backyard and it did get stolen. And so I no longer have a bike, sorry mom.
MANGI: And there are, of course, other wheels available to students with enough balance:
YARGER: I will skateboard every once in a blue moon. It was nice because I am always running a little bit late.
MANGI: I also spoke with WNUR Executive Producer Sara Kadoura. She does have a car. Sara said while it’s convenient most of the time, her biggest concern is getting a parking ticket.
SARA KADOURA: I definitely don’t follow all the rules to a T, but I also don’t flagrantly abuse them?
MANGI: Sara said she rarely parks on campus. Part of the reason for that is the expensive parking permits for campus lots. Commuter students have to pay $418.50 to park for the academic year. Instead, she prefers side streets off of Sheridan Rd.
KADOURA: I usually park in a two hour spot, and I very rarely stay there for less than two hours.
MANGI: But the most-known mode of transportation on campus? Mopeds.
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NELSON: When I see the mopeds, I am jealous of them because they look fun, but I also really associate them with Northwestern football players, which kind of irritates me.
MANGI: These electric quasi-vehicles are associated primarily with athletes. But some non-athletes, like Delaney Bondoc, also enjoy their convenient size and cruising capabilities.
BONDOC: It does kinda look like a motorcycle it’s like black and it has you know the two handlebars and it’s all black and there has, like the two wheels and there’s like a pretty high leather like seat, and then a little bar at the end, you can like hook on like baskets and stuff.
MANGI: She uses her moped primarily to go to class and run short errands in Evanston.
BONDOC: Now that it’s getting warmer i’ve been able to travel around to different, like, coffee shops, And then if my roommates have like comedy stuff late at night i’m like all just drop you off. It takes two seconds now.
MANGI: And the athlete comparison? Delaney says she doesn’t mind, at least not too much.
BONDOC: Every time that i’d like drive anyone on it they’re always like oh my God. people are gonna think we’re athletes, but no one’s ever asked me — I don’t think I really give off like football player football player vibes.
MANGI: No matter what their wheels look like — or if they don’t have any at all — Northwestern students biggest gripe isn’t getting to campus.
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MANGI: It’s about getting to a real grocery store.
NELSON: I desperately wish I had a car to not just get her on campus but also to be able to drive to a grocery store.
POPE: I think that’s like my biggest complaint because North campus needs a grocery store that isn’t D&Ds
BONDOC: Going grocery shopping is really hard and we always have to rent a car or borrow a friend’s car. So if I had a car it would be, like, a lot easier.
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MANGI: For WNUR news, I’m Jordan Mangi.
