<p>Can I get along without a car for freshman year? Feel free to comment on other years as well. I'll be in Carlson.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>twentyfour…I’d say there’s almost no need for a car unless you plan on getting an internship or something similar that would require frequent trips a substantial distance from campus. As a student you can get a UPass for $97 per semester which gives you unlimited use of the bus and light rail system in the Twin Cities. Our D1 has used her UPass for multiple trips to Nicollet Mall, Mall of America, grocery runs, and MSP Airport. With the light rail expansion putting lines right in the middle of campus near Coffman Union it will be even easier as you won’t need to do nearly as many bus/rail transfers.</p>
<p>I was unaware of that, and it sounds like that deal will make it easy to get along without a car next year. Is a car then not a necessity for all 4 years?</p>
<p>Sent from my SPH-D700 using CC</p>
<p>You absolutely do not need a car. Whether you find it convenient to have one will depend on your lifestyle, but the only reason I can think of is if you are also planning on working somewhere far from campus.</p>
<p>Why would you think that a car would be necessary for any of your four years, much less all of them?</p>
<p>If you do wish to park on-campus, you will need to enter the lottery and then pay the sky-high PTS fees if you are selected:
[University</a> of Minnesota - Parking and Transportation Services](<a href=“http://www1.umn.edu/pts/park/contract/studentcontracts.html]University”>http://www1.umn.edu/pts/park/contract/studentcontracts.html)</p>
<p>Another parent of U Minn junior putting in my two cents. You do NOT need a car if living on or near campus. (unless you get a job that is no where near a bus line)</p>
<p>As a “minnesota-newbie” mom, I don’t think you need a car for all four years. One of the things that impressed us was the mass transit system in Minneapolis. It was up and running after 6 1/2 inches of snow (from the day before) plus the light rail will be finished soon on campus. Of course, we are coming from an area where an inch of snow shuts down the school systems and snarls traffic.</p>
<p>Do many freshman ride bikes to classes and other places on campus? Would a person doing so feel out of place wearing a helmet?</p>
<p>When we toured earlier this summer saw about half the people wearing helmets. I have a daughter that already has had two concussions so for our family helmets are a must.</p>
<p>Many people ride bikes. It is not necessary for getting around campus but can be convenient. Wear a helmet!</p>
<p>(Also, obey traffic laws when on the roads and respect pedestrians when on the sidewalk.)</p>
<p>RE: bikes - be aware that the groundskeepers put some sort of low hidden fencing in the shrubs to prevent bikes from cutting through. You only do that once!</p>
<p>Agree with people above. Biking and bus system is great. Buses between east bank, west bank, and St. Paul are free (at least I hope they are, since I just get on and off without paying a penny all the time lol). Each part of campus is also great to walk around aside from some dust from so much construction all the time.
Lots of people have cars but spending $$ on parking them is a hassle.</p>
<p>The only reason I took my car, was because I lived 5 hours away. That was the only reason I ever used it. No need to use it on campus or the metro area.</p>