My D would like to bring her car to campus as a freshman. I told her to leave it at home and we’ll talk again after her fall semester. Does anyone have opinions on whether or not to bring a car to campus? My D will live in the dormitories with a meal plan, so I’m not sure what she “needs” a car for. Mall shopping trips, Target excursions, groceries? What shopping/activities are convenient for the motor vehicle impaired and which activities are difficult?
My D did not have a car her freshman year. Amazon/Target 2-day delivery is easy for many things; and their are plenty of eateries within walking distance. The CVS pharmacy in campus corner closed recently (the next closest is about a mile from the dorms- so not really a big deal) making pick up of prescriptions a bit more complicated. Her roommate and many of her friends have cars- so a weekend outing for a hike or to a mall with them is common. I offered her the option of taking her car back in January-- and she felt it wasn’t necessary. She will take her car next year as she is moving to an off-campus apartment.
I think you are spot-on. S1 still does not have a car there. Rides a bike much of the time. His freshman roommate had a car from day 1. The roommates mom wanted him to be able to come home. The only thing that seems to have resulted is that he had a regular girlfriend sooner (that can be good or bad, I suppose).
I had both a car and bike (actually 3) while at OU. My commuter bike was used far more often for day to day activities but I regularly used my car for weekend outings, doctors appointments, and night trips.
These outings included camping trips around Oklahoma and North Texas, kayaking in lakes and rivers, mountain biking, going to Oklahoma City, and shopping both in and out of Norman. I also drove to get to friends’ off campus houses and apartments.
OU does have an on-site pharmacy and in my experience, they’re very good at filling prescriptions. However, a doctor’s appointment is difficult to obtain at Goddard, which makes going to an off campus physician a near necessity.
Ultimately, I’d say skip the car the first semester unless your daughter has a compelling reason to need one. Get her a bike with a rear rack, basket, and U lock instead. Later on, she can determine if a car is worth it.
My daughter will not have a car at OU, at least for the first year. We don’t think she’ll need a car often; she will order stuff online and have a bike. She is planning to use Zipcar for those times she really wants/needs a car. She might also use Uber or Lyft.
We’ll re-evaluate for sophomore year. If she spends a ton on Zipcar/Uber/Lyft, then it might make sense to have a car.
My D does have a car at OU freshmen year but I think you could easily get by without it. It’s been nice that she can drive home for breaks. One tip for those that do bring a car on campus, look into getting a part time campus. DD has a 10 hour a week job at the National Weather Center and the job comes with a parking pass so OU refunded her second semester parking fee:-)