littleOne19

It's amazing the things you can find to do when you have homework. I think I sat down about an hour ago to do this blog, and I have suddenly thought of all these things I need to do on the computer, seemingly much more important than this blog. But the idea of this blog has been in my head for the entire week, and I found it hard to find something that I really care about, that I would really like to see changed. As I wrote the last sentence, I just thought of more ideas. Where should I start?

Well, I just transfered to the U of M campus, and I think about the way the campus is set up. I read another blog with the same idea and I wanted to build on that. I think that the campus is poorly built. I live about as close as you can to campus (without actually being on campus) and am still walking long distances to class. I can normally take the 16, which is nice, but take our class for instance. It's located in the Bell Museum, which is right off University. But what bus takes you there? I walk 3 blocks to get on a bus that only takes me about 4 blocks closer. And then I walk another block from 4th Street to get to class. How is this functional? I constantly remind myself that I'm getting exercise and that it's good for me, but then I think of those -10 degree days, when I'm practically a walking popsicle. I like to envision the idea of the skyways in downtown. Although the the campus does have underground systems (which actually is really nice), it still doesn't fix the problems people face getting from point A to B. The bus system is something to be desired, but I think that better ways to get places needs to be in order, otherwise a better design of the campus. I also don't understand the St. Paul campus, why is it so far away? Before I transfered here, I didn't even know there was a St. Paul campus. I do think the campus connector is handy for that, but I have yet to experience classes on the St. Paul campus. Although I have happily left behind Duluth, there are things I thoroughly enjoyed about its campus. First, parking was close. Sparingly, but close. One building always led to the next, and time between classes were not spent getting on a bus to go across a river or into another city. Everything was connected. Even the dorms were connected. I distinctively recall waking up about 15 minutes before class, throwing on some flip-flops (in mid-winter), walking to class, and never thinking anything of it. It was a luxury, but it was smart. Who's crazy enough to go outside in Duluth anyway? I fully understand that the U of M campus is more than two times the size of the Duluth campus, but I can't help but thinking that a better design would be much more efficient for students, faculty, and anyone just trying to get somewhere faster.