<p>I am a transfer student coming to Cal Poly in the fall, I will be living on campus. I saw the price for parking permits and to me they seem outrageous (compared to what I’m used to anyway). I am paying for college myself and don’t have a lot of extra money to fool around with. I have had my car since I was 18 (I’m 25 now). I’m from Orange County, where people cannot survive without a car. I know at SLO everything is within walking distance, but I would just feel so weird about not having my car. Call it a security blanket I guess. My mom said she would be able to keep my car for me until I graduate, and that I can visit her by taking the train, but I’m still not sure. What if I want to go somewhere out of town? What about if I have an internship that I need to drive to? I know it would probably be good for me to not have a car for a while, as I am a bit overweight and could use the exercise, I just don’t want to not bring my car and then regret it. What do you recommend I do??</p>
<p>My daughter didn’t have her car as an 18 year old freshman, however we let her take it the next year. That first year she either walked, took the bus, biked or got rides with her friends who had cars. It all seemed to work out. </p>
<p>As a sophomore, she joined a sorority and became even more active in a club through her major. Some of that required going off campus to various events. Having her car definitely made it easier. She lived in Poly Canyon Village so she walked down the hill to classes. </p>
<p>As a 3rd year student in the fall, she’ll be living off campus about 2 miles away right on the bus line. She would rather not pay the exorbitant parking permit fee, so she plans to take the bus to school. She’ll also have a job on campus, so I imagine she’ll be there much of the day. </p>
<p>By the way, not everything is in walking distance in SLO. Even downtown isn’t THAT close, especially going back up the hill. Also, there are shopping centers and stores on the outskirts of SLO that you would definitely need some type of transportation, especially if buying some heavy items. </p>
<p>Maybe you could try it in the fall without your car, but if you decide you want it later, you would only pay the parking permit per quarter. They don’t give you a break if you pay the whole year. I know of other students who did this. </p>
<p>Good luck! I can see that at age 25 you might be more reliant on a car vs. an 18 year old freshman.</p>
<p>Since I’ve never been to San Luis Obispo it’s hard to figure out just how far everything is (I won’t have a car either). I just Google mapped it---- it says Cal Poly is a 45 minute walk from Higuera Street?! It’s THAT far from downtown?? Ugh, I’m never going anywhere :P</p>
<p>No worries Liz – the buses are free for Cal Poly Students and leave every few minutes from campus to town. Also, when you get there buy yourself a bicycle. Downtown SLO is only 15 min away by bike. You’ll need one to get around campus anyway and there are bike racks everywhere around campus and in town. You’ll be fine and you will love SLO!!</p>
<p>Get a bike! Learn to bike, love to bike, live to bike. SLO is extremely bike friendly and it is way cheaper and convenient in the long run. Parking sucks in a lot of areas and permits are costly, as is parking downtown. You’re better off on foot and on bike and hitching rides with friends as you will definitely find someone you click with that has a car (or buses run all the time).</p>
<p>I think you can get around just about anywhere you want to go in SLO without a car. However, my son brought his car freshman year to get back and forth to home during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring breaks. We are in San Diego. I guess you could add up the cost of train and how many times you would like to come home vs. parking fee. Most kids hate taking the train because it take so long. My son hardly used his car while at school, except to go to Target/Costco. He was able to move out himself at the end of the year and drive home, which was quite convenient. Also, he had a friend from San Diego who would catch a ride with him during breaks and pitch in for gas.</p>
<p>I made a fb group for transfer students! Search “cal poly transfers class of 2014” !</p>