Who Needs A Car Anyway?!?
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Posted by: Hopkins Insider | 
December 5 2011 | 
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Name: Leah
Hometown: Bowie, Maryland
Class: Class of 2012
Majors: Biology and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology
Hello everyone! My name is Leah and I am currently a senior in the class of 2012 at Hopkins and pre-med, double majoring in Biology and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology.
I grew up in the suburbs of Maryland and driving around with my friends was one of my favorite things to do in high school. So when I visited the campus and a Hopkins tour guide told me there wasn’t official student parking, a part of my soul literally died. I thought to myself, “What on earth could you do without a car?!.” (Now for those prospectives either chuckling at my pitiful story or reaching for a Kleenex because you know exactly what I mean, let me just stop you because there is a happy ending.)
What I learned is that I had been deceived by the campus—in a good way. In other words, the beautiful campus with its federal-style architecture of red brick buildings, marble steps, and grand white columns made me believe that I was in the middle of no where. In fact, I had completely forgotten that this illustrious campus was in the bustling city of Baltimore and that I had ways to get off campus that didn’t make me wonder if my car’s side mirrors would be there in the morning!
By being in the city, we have access to taxis, city buses, and even water ferries. But as broke college students, these can add up and empty our wallets so let me reveal to you my list of “Top Five Cheap Ways to Get Off Campus”. This list has taken me 3 years of personal experience to compose but I think its time that I share my tricks with you. (Disclaimer: All the places that I mention below are in no way a complete comprehensive list of all the possible things to do in Baltimore. They merely scratch the surface so you’ll have a chance to be adventurous and discover new corners and coves to pass on to future “prospies”. )
Now, starting from the bottom and workup upwards, the Maryland Light Rail is a train that shuttles throughout Baltimore and its surrounding cities. For only $1.60 you can hop on the Light Rail and go to Camden Yards for an Oriole’s baseball game, BWI airport to catch a plane ride home for the holidays, or Hunt Valley Towne Center to see a movie and grab dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, Noodles and Company, Outback, and much more! This beats taking a cab to the Inner Harbor which can rack up to $14 one way or to the airport which can cost almost $50! As a hungry college student, I always think in terms Chipotle burritos so by saving you $50 that’s worth like six steak burritos with guacamole.
Moving on to the next option is Zip Car—a membership-based car sharing company providing automobile rental to its members. The best part is that you only need to be 18 years old and have a safe driving record to join. Zip Car has parked dozens of new Honda Civics, Toyota Priuses, Mazdas, and more throughout the city and around campus. Depending on the car, it can cost as low as $7.25 to rent the car for an hour, and it includes free gas! These are perfect for doing large grocery runs or maybe even a day trip to the beach with friends!
Third on my list is the Collegetown shuttle and one of many reasons is the “f word”. No not that word. I’m talking about the word “FREE”. The word “free” rings sweet bells in anyone’s ears college student or not. This shuttle takes students to any of the half dozen universities in the area while also taking them to Towson Mall for some shopping or the Inner Harbor for a nice dinner and movie.
Now, I must admit that the top two on my list—the JHMI shuttle and the Charm City Circulator—tie and I’ll explain why. First of all, they’re both free but they are each fantastic in their own way and I can’t actually place one above the other. (Can you tell how my list is getting cheaper and cheaper as we reach the top?)
The JHMI shuttle stands for the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute Shuttle and it takes both students and faculty to the Hopkins School of Nursing, School of Public Health, Peabody School of Music, and the Pennsylvania train station. (In case you’re wondering, the train station is not located in Pennsylvania. It’s actually just a few blocks down the street.) Thanks to it being timely and free, the best word to describe the JHMI shuttle is “reliable” and it allows students to take classes at Peabody, conduct research at the Medical school, take classes at the Public Health school, and much more. By going to the train station with the JHMI, you can catch a $7 commuter train to visit Washington D.C. for the day or take the Bolt bus with your friends to check out New York City. To satisfy your fine arts palate, a short walk from the train station will take you to the Joseph Meyerhoff for a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performance or the Lyric Opera House. If you’re not into classical performances, then don’t worry because the Meyerhoff also hosts events like “Shaolin Monk Showdown”, “tribute to John Williams”, “Drumline Live!”, and so much more. (Student rush tickets are only $5!)
Meanwhile, the Charm City Circulator (CCC) is a fleet of 21 free eco-friendly hybrid shuttles that travel three routes in Baltimore City, serving the city residents and tourists. With the circulator, students can explore the fun coves of Baltimore. The shuttle comes every 15 minutes to each stop and it can take you to Fell’s Point—a historic maritime district—for a great bite to eat and people watching, Federal Hill—a historic brick neighborhood—for a beautiful view of the city, and Harbor East for fine dining and a movie!
And there you have it—my thousand-word crash course on all the great, cheap, and easy ways to get off campus and explore the wonderful city of Baltimore! Now, get out there and try my list!
