Growing up in Northeast Philly, I had always seen Septa buses (public city buses) rush past my house or my car while driving around the city. Septa buses weren't new to me, but I hadn't ever actually been on a Septa bus until I was 14 years old and my parents said, "If you think we're driving you to school then you're shit out of luck". I was so nervous my first couple weeks of school, standing at the stop on my block with my bus pass in hand, going through all of the awful scenarios in my head.
What if I missed the bus? What if I get on the wrong one? What if I get off at the wrong stop? What if I forget my bus pass? What if I have to sit next to a stranger? The list could go on.
All of my expectations for public transportation were negative. I never knew that there would end up being so many positives to taking a public bus to school:
-I didn't know I'd had so much time to study on the bus for my early morning exams.
-It taught me manners and respect, like when I'd have to give up my seat for someone older than me or someone with a baby.
-It showed me how to manage my time in the mornings.
And when I DID miss the bus, oh well! I was walking!
If the bus was late, then so was I!
And everything was always okay.
Some of my funniest high school memories happened because of taking the bus. I remember getting on the bus in full halloween outfits at 7:20 am because my school was dressing up. Sometimes when the bus was so packed, we had to stand in the isles so close to each other, and when the bus was full, it'd drive right past us! I learned how to speed walk to school to make it perfectly on time after this had happened a few times.
When I had finally gotten my driver's license and was passed down my cousin's 1997 Honda Civic and began driving to school, I would something miss waiting for the bus with the woman who waited at my stop and always asked me how I was doing each morning. I missed people watching and saying hi to the regular riders and screaming "BACK DOOR" when the driver forgot to let us out.
I always tell my younger sister how she should take the bus to school, but she never listens and gets a ride anyways. I know it builds character and self-reliance, and I know I wouldn't be who I am today without that crazy public bus.