Lessons from Biking on Campus

Musings #1 | Why didn't I do this sooner?

Photo by Tiffany Nutt on Unsplash

I started biking on campus this semester.

To go to class. To think. To eat. To relax. And even to play other sports.

After suffering at the hands of my college’s transit system during my first year, I decided enough was enough. I had had enough of the delayed buses, the in-bus awkwardness, and the irregular timings that left me 30 minutes from home most evenings. Even if these were resolved, I particularly disliked not being able to carry momentum from my previous engagement into the next.

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Here are some thoughts from my 6 weeks at it:

1. Time re-allocated.

   1. I estimate that I was on or waited for the bus 30 minutes each day.

      • 150 minutes per week.

        • 2250 minutes across a 15-week semester, which I have back.

2. Faster commute. A 15-minute walk takes five minutes with my bike.

3. Solo time to think and reflect. In college, everyone on the bus is on their phone or has headphones on. Biking liberates me from that and allows me taste the air.

4. Workout and stretch. My college campus is hilly, so every ride eventually escalates into a high-intensity session. I am already noticing some definition on my quads as a result.

5. Sharing the road. Most drivers are considerate about bikes, although I get the occasional close-shave overtake from impatient ones.

6. Reception from mates. I ride a road-bike, characterized by its finger-slim tires and downward-curved handles. It looks serious and professional, so I’ve got several compliments about it.

7. Maintenance. I haven’t had to care for an accessory this meticulously in a while, so it is certainly humbling.

8. Habits. Biking is allowing me tap into new interests, some of which I’ll write about soon.

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Besides biking, I’m finding my groove at college again and trying to get some rhythm with my essays. Excited to see what fall brings.

Write back to me,

Joel