For many fortunate individuals, going to college often serves as a young person’s first true taste of autonomy. With such blissful freedom, the question of how one will choose to explore their new world comes into play. At a school like Muhlenberg, the tight-knit community and active social life makes it seem like the whole world is right at your fingertips; so much so that students, specifically first-years, don’t need to leave campus for much. On one hand, we are incredibly lucky to have such a strong home base. However, students often get too wrapped up in campus life to venture outside of Muhlenberg’s bounds.
Mulenberg students are given free access to the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) bus system, a vast network that services the Lehigh Valley. For over 50 years, the LANTA bus system has provided over 5.6 million rides annually to Pennsylvania commuters. Alongside the LANTA bus is the transit app, which allows riders to view where bus stops are, as well as when buses are arriving or departing. From sitting in Java Joe and asking random students about their knowledge of the LANTA, I came to learn that unfortunately, a large portion of Muhlenberg students are unaware of the fact that they have access to the bus system. Amongst those who are aware of the LANTA bus, few said that they have ever chosen to utilize this resource. Even on the times my friends and I took the bus to a concert at the PPL center or to shop in Bethlehem, we rarely, if ever, saw other Muhlenberg students.
I was inclined to wonder why Muhlenberg students choose to not take the buses, whether that be out of fear of public transportation, confusion regarding the process, or a lack of desire to know the greater Allentown community. I asked students further questions, such as if they knew of any restaurants or businesses in downtown Allentown, or of local events or politics of the area, many of which knew little to nothing about the city. Especially for first-year students who are not allowed to have cars on campus, the LANTA bus is the most accessible and affordable method of transportation that would allow students to explore the Lehigh Valley.
Personally, having the control and ability to take myself wherever I want is the true measure of freedom. As a native New Yorker, I didn’t have much of a choice to develop my own sense of independence, as self-sufficiency is embedded into the culture. As Paul Krugman states in his New York Times piece, “An Ode to the New York Subway,” public transportation “brings one into regular, if casual, contact with people of different economic classes and ethnicities.” With public transportation, I was granted autonomy: a tangible measure of my capability and independence. With this came a greater depth of understanding of the communities in which I’ve inhabited throughout my life.
For students that grew up in less urban environments, or those who grew up with less individual freedoms, the idea of taking public transportation can be terrifying, and understandably so. Fear-mongering on the news perpetuates the idea that cities are terribly dangerous places, which creates an intense stigma. Oftentimes, this stigma is rooted in misinformation and prejudice, as crime is an unfortunate factor within much larger and more diverse communities. Although cities and public transportation systems are not devoid of harm, unfortunately, danger exists in every facet of life. To a fearful student, I would suggest taking a group of friends with you on a LANTA adventure to Giant, or even on a simple two-stop trip to a new location and challenging yourself to make it back to school. These small acts will create a portfolio of minor victories that will inevitably lead to a strengthened sense of independence.
I feel incredibly privileged for my experiences, as I developed not only a complex understanding of the true meaning of community, but my own capabilities. Early childhood experiences of taking the Queens city bus to the library to do my homework or to the playground with friends after school led me to feel confident in the fact that there was no destination out of my reach. This confidence in my individuality has seeped into every aspect of my life, whether that be seizing unfamiliar opportunities, making spontaneous decisions, or simply scheduling my own doctors appointments. For this reason, I implore Muhlenberg students to take the leap into adulthood and travel somewhere new, as you’ll never know what your community truly has to offer until you seize the opportunity to explore it.
