To some people, the bus ride is a simple trip. To me the bus ride is a journey. If you are attending your local school, your ride is not long. If you are like me and were accepted into North Point’s STI program, then the bus ride can be hectic. All together, I have four buses that get me to and from school. There are two buses in the morning and two buses in the afternoon.
In the morning, my bus comes from my neighborhood to Thomas Stone High School. My mornings can be really long and tiring. When I hear my alarm clock go off at 5:30, I always regret not going to bed earlier. As I leave the house around 6:50, I have to manage hauling bags up the five minute hill to my bus stop. Paige Wood (’14) faces a similar situation. She said, “When I have soccer and science fair it’s a lot of stuff to tote from bus to bus.”
When I get to Thomas Stone, I quickly walk to the side of the school. I stand closest to where I think the second bus will stop. The bus finally stops and all the North Point students crowd around the doors to be the first one on. I feel like I’m fighting for food in the wilderness when I’m just trying to get an open seat. No one wants to be that last person trying to squish themselves in a seat next to a person they barely know. This twenty minute bus ride sometimes feels like forty minutes, and sharing a seat with one person can feel like sharing a seat with two people, thanks to my bags. We arrive at school minutes before the bell. Shoaibur Qureshi (‘13) said, “I have to stand here and wait for my bus whether it is raining or snowing. You get here thirty minutes before school starts.” Some people like how we get to school early. Daniel Steele (‘13) said, “I get here really early to work on robotics.”
My afternoons are not that much better. After a long day of hard work at school, I just cannot wait to get home. I get out of school at 2:50 p.m. knowing that I will not be at home until 4:15. Christian Walker said, “Its long, I have to switch buses and go to an elementary school.”
Sharing a bus with elementary kids is probably one of the hardest things of the bus rides. They are always so excited after school. You can never just get some peace and quiet. I feel like I accomplished something when I make it up my long steep driveway and head in the door.
There are some good things that come from riding the bus. Cody Corbin (“13) mentioned, “I can do my homework on the bus.” If I am not sleeping during the afternoon ride, then I’m getting some homework out of the way. Qureshi said, “I get to see people from Westlake. I can meet people I use to hang out with at Mattowomen.” My best friend goes to Thomas Stone and it is nice to see her every once in a while. These things make the bus rides way better.
Each day I experience a long morning, a long day at school, and a long afternoon. Every night I get ready to do it all over again.
