To bring a car, or not to bring a car...

That really is the question. As an incoming freshman, the first thing you want to do is get adjusted to this new way of living and to feel comfortable with the environment around you. Once you get yourself situated with the entire campus (and trust me, it'll take you a while to figure out everything in and around UCSD), your curiosity may wander to see what's outside university grounds.

San Diego, and La Jolla specifically, are sumptuous locations for tourists and perfect for anyone who loves ideal beach weather year round. You really cannot beat one of America's finest cities, with plenty of sight-seeing to explore. However, in order to get anywhere around San Diego, transportation is imperative. Having a car can definitely help solve this issue, and it is really convenient knowing that you can just simply get in your car, and drive to the nearest Rigoberto's to order some Carne Asada Fries whenever you want. :) As with everything else, there are pro's and con's that one must consider before making the decision to
bring a car onto campus.

Things to consider if you do plan on bringing a car to
campus:
1) If you pay for a parking permit right at the beginning of the 2010-2011 
academic year, you will be paying for a yellow 'S' spot (for incoming students like
you) at the rate of $549 for the entire year. You can also pay in
increments through your student account at $61 a month if you don't want
to pay the flat rate upfront. You will only be charged starting at the
time that you purchase a parking permit (i.e. if you don't bring a car
until January of Winter Quarter, your payments to your student account
will start as of January and continue on to February, March, etc. until
you decide to cancel your permit). The one perq out of this is that
on the weekends, you are allowed to park
in any 'B' or 'A' spot (with the exception of an 'A' spot
that is Reserved 24/7) with a valid 'S' parking permit.

2) Bringing a car to campus may have your roommates or suitemates asking
you for rides throughout the year. This is the type of situation that I
would recommend talking with your suitemates right at the beginning of the
year to negotiate car rides within your roommates, suitemates, and other
friends just so that it is clear with what you are willing to share when it comes
to availability, carpooling, etc. Communication is key when it comes to
negotiating circumstances like these, among other things, so it is a good
idea to have a talk right at the beginning of the year so that things are
clear within your roommates and suitemates.

3) If it isn't apparent when you first arrive to UCSD, parking can get
really hard to find VERY quickly, and throughout the year, you'll most
likely notice that open and available 'S' spots are scarce (it's like
finding gold, that's why they're yellow!). You are going to have to learn
how to have patience and build a tolerance for the lack of 'S' spots UCSD
has for number of students it enrolls.



*For more information or questions on parking
and/or parking permits, contact the Gilman
Parking Office at (858) 534-4223. Their
website currently isn't updated with the
correct information, so calling them
would be your best bet.




If you don't bring a car:
1) You have the convenience of enjoying the currently FREE shuttling
service that is provided thanks to the lovely Student Fees you all pay
for every quarter, every year, until you graduate. :) If you go into the
Gilman Parking Office and ask for your bus sticker, they should provide
you with a purple bus sticker that is good until June 30th, 2011.

*For more information for routes, arrival times, and any other information
regarding shuttles, visit their website here.

So there are plenty of factors to take into consideration before deciding
to bring your car for the school year or not. Remember, San Diego
(let alone-the world) is too big to be left unexplored, so whether
you journey by car, shuttle, or by foot, go and see what's out there!

Coronado Bridge, San Diego

Go Warren!

Matt Moncayo
Freshman OL, Group 3