<p>so I've visited UT a couple of times, and I have to say that the amount of traffic/buses that are present pretty much throughout the entire campus is quite intimidating. I'm going to be a freshman in the fall and am feeling overwhelmed! UT is so big, it's literally like a mini city in itself. Don't get me wrong, I love the busy atmosphere but it'll definitely take some time to adjust.. Does anybody have any tips on how to handle the size of campus as a new student? Is it okay to mostly walk to classes? I saw many students doing so, but I know the buses are used a lot too.. I'm hoping for the smoothest transition possible and am completely new to all this!</p>
<p>this is because…UT is basically part of downtown Austin.</p>
<p>I’m sure you’ll be fine taking the bus and walking around is the same as it is in a less busy town…just with more people out and about all the time.
bus schedules are posted online and i’m sure you’ll get that information at orientation anyways</p>
<p>Just be aware of your surroundings and look both ways before crossing the street.=]</p>
<p>Driving and parking on the otherhand…might suck</p>
<p>and for that reason I wouldn’t dream of bringing a car on campus, especially freshman year haha. Not worth it at all! UT seems to have a superb transportation system, pretty much for free.</p>
<p>well…if you plan on going anywhere outside of the “urban” austin area you might need a car…or a lot of stamina to walk.</p>
<p>downtown there’s pretty much a bus stop every block(give or take)
but once you go past downtown the bus stop intervals get larger and larger
you may not need to worry about this since you’ll be new to town and everyone and everything you know will be near campus anyways</p>
<p>I’m moving near campus so that I don’t have to drive everyday to get to school.
But I do expect to be driving at least once every 2 weeks…but that beats what I’m doing now(driving everyday).</p>
<p>I grew tired of being in the car all the time and having to find parking all the time.</p>
<p>All I gotta say is don’t worry. I pretty much knew my way around campus within a week or two of my first semester. In that first semester, I walked everywhere; didn’t use the campus buses once. But I learned how they work during my second semester and now use them whenever possible, they’re really convenient.</p>
<p>Get a bike! They’re great to have especially once you start venturing out into the city. I can get from 45th to barton springs in under 15 minutes ;)</p>
<p>UT is not all that complicated – it is just spread out. Most classes are centrally located and there is a bus that goes around the original 40 acres, plus a couple of others. Most students seem to walk and some ride bikes through campus. Cars are useless as you cannot get close to the buildings where you classes are to park unless you have a faculty/staff permit.</p>
<p>-no gas money
-no parking
-no insurance
-freedom to take any shortcuts you want</p>
<p>cons
-still not as fast as a car if you want to get somewhere FAST(but you can just plan ahead your problem is solved)
-bad weather days sucks if your only mode of transportation is bike</p>
<p>being a commuter for a year and a half now has made me HATE cars</p>
<p>i hope google’s self driving car tech catches on and none of us have to worry about driving anymore</p>
<p>You might add that it is a waste of money to spend big bucks on a nice ride.
I did for my daughter and it was stolen by the end of the first semester.
She found a 30 year old junker we cleaned up and she has been using it now with no worries.</p>
<p>I’ve seen quite a few scooters on campus, people seem to be happy with them. Just another shade of compromise: between a bicycle and a motorcycle.</p>
<p>whenever I see someone on a scooter, they look like they’re putting in more work than they get out of it </p>
<p>I need to stop and say that this thread might be giving the OP a false impression of how most students, especially freshmen, get around UT. The OP’s question was posed in terms of traversing campus. His question about whether it is “okay to mostly walk to classes” highlights his unfamiliarity with UT. The fact is that the VAST majority of students walk once on campus, and the vast majority of freshmen do not bring a bike, nor a car. And as big as campus may feel, unless you are heading to opposing edges of campus, walking will still be faster than taking the bus. The only person I know that takes the bus every chance they get is a self-proclaimed “lazy person”.</p>
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