<p>Is it difficult to do things on the weekends? I know most colleges don't allow freshman to have cars, so does that make it hard to go out if there's not too much to do in walking distance (off campus). And if you need to run to the store quick at night to pick something up what would you do?
Also, do most sophomores and up have cars if they live on campus? Or is it like 50/50? Do you think it's necessary to have a car? </p>
<p>Usually college students in rural and suburban locations make their own fun on campus if there’s not a lot to do in walking distance. A lot of times the RAs will plan events on the weekends to get students involved, and the students themselves often throw parties or have fun events on campus on the weekends (and during the week). Often times you’ll just get together in a friend’s dorm room and chat or listen to music and just hang out.</p>
<p>Usually colleges located out in rural and some suburban locations are large state universities that have amenities on campus. For example, UCF has a pharmacy and a convenience store on campus (and even they’re in Orlando, I think). Penn State has those things on campus, too. Penn State also has a bank, a credit union, and a Starbucks just in their student center! My friend attended UIUC and she said there were on-campus bars. Usually small college towns also generate their own economy that services the students, so you’d be surprised how many things pop up around campus even in an otherwise rural/suburban/not huge city-ish place like State College, Ann Arbor or Urbana-Champaign.</p>
<p>Whether or not students get cars sophomore year really just depends on the college’s culture and location. If it’s an isolated college town where everything is walking distance, students may feel that they don’t really need a car. But if it’s a relatively large college town where a car is useful, then they probably would need it and get one. I went to a college in an urban area, but there weren’t a lot of things in walking distance because the city was not a walking city. Most people had cars starting sophomore year and starting junior year, most people moved off-campus but within a 10-minute driving radius to campus.</p>
<p>Though I was in a city for college, there wasn’t much in that part of it, and buses didn’t run so well on weekends. So options were limited to what was on campus back them. Seemed to be enough to keep us going. The book store, a sundries shop, the snack shop, some of those options way over priced was what we hit for things we needed.</p>
<p>Fast forward nearly 40 years. There are now multiple rings of eateries and options around the school with every kind of restaurant, store and whatever to eagerly take your money. I guess that’s progress.</p>
<p>I like the schools with a cute little town outside the campus with some character and some nice choices that don’t look like blatent clip joints for students. </p>
<p>Also many colleges Student Board (like Student Council) have arranged for buses to take you to either the nearest city or around to local shops/malls.</p>
<p>This is going to vary a lot by the particular college, and it’s better that you ask students at that school, if you have one in mind.</p>
<p>I went to college in a suburban area and survived without having a car, but having one definitely makes things a lot easier, both in terms of things to do and extracurricular/job opportunities.</p>
<p>I’m currently attending UCD and except on weekends where the school-run buses stop services after 5pm, I’ve never had a trouble getting around. Besides, I don’t really care much for going out, anyway, since I prefer staying at home. Also, the first year I transferred up here, I lived in an apartment that was literally 2 minutes away from a grocery store. It was so convenient. The apartment I’m living in right now is a little further away from the nearest shopping plaza, but it only takes about 10-15 minutes to walk there. </p>