What Is The Best Way To Navigate Campus?

Sadly, there isn't a straight forward answer to this question. There are many different ways to get around campus: some people bike, while others use their own two feet. Everyone has their own way that works best for them. I'll present a few of the most popular ways I've seen people get around campus and also the way I get from place to place:

• Campus Buses. If the university is big enough, it may have its own bussing service. For Michigan State, this is the good old trusty CATA Bus. CATA has routes that run all over campus and to some parts off campus; it will be able to get you to wherever you're going. Some CATA routes run periodically throughout the day while others not so much. CATA bus rides are $0.60 each and they sell semester passes for $50. 
• Positives to the bus:
• Weather proof. buses runs all day everyday regardless of the weather outside.
• Relatively quick.  While you may have to wait at the bus stop, it's always faster to take the bus.
• Negatives to the bus:
• Tons of preplanning. It takes some time to become "bus-savvy." With tons of different bus routes and different departing times, mastering the bus takes some time. I'm pretty sure CATA has a route planner on their website. You pick a starting point and an ending point and let CATA show you how to get there. Some people don't like the website and instead have a route map taped to the wall in their room.
• Crowded. Buses can be very crowded at times. Especially on the most popular routes.
• Biking. They say the best way to see campus is on two wheels. Bikes are fast ways to get around campus. They aren't as fast as the buses, but they'll get you where you're going in a pretty short time. Bikes are also one of the most popular ways people get around campus. Some streets on campus even have side lanes created for bikes.
• Positives to biking:
• Quick travel. Biking allows you to get to your destination in a pretty short time.
• Negatives to biking:
• Rendered useless in crowds. If you come up on a crowd of people getting out of class, you're probably going to have to hop off your bike and walk it until you escape the horde of people.
• Easy to steal. Every time you go to class, you leave your bike outside and unattended. I had my bike stolen within 5 days of being on campus. If you do want a bike on campus, be sure to bring one you can afford to lose and buy a U-lock. The chain locks (what I had) are easy to cut.
• Not good in the rain/snow.
• Skateboarding/Longboarding. This is my favorite way to navigate campus. I took up longboarding as my primary means of transportation. I never saw a longboard before I came to campus, but after riding one for the first time, I knew it was perfect for me.
• Positives to boarding:
• Great leg workout. Every time you push off, you're essentially doing a lunge. 
• Longboards look really cool. Many longboards have really cool designs on them as well as different shapes and sizes.
• Negatives to boarding:
• Slower way to travel. Sadly, longboards don't get up to bike or bus speed.
• Very weather sensitive. Longboards are only good when the weather is dry. Mixing longboards with rain and snow isn't a good idea.

These are somethe most used ways I've seen people go from place to place while on campus. If you don't think these are for you, there's always walking. Walking is by far the most popular way to get around campus. I also see the occasional rollerblader every now and then.

Thanks for reading!

~Anthony