The costs of college never seem to cease.
Tuition, books and living essentials all help keep students'wallets thin.
Many Ball State students, however, choosing to bring their carson campus, increase these costs even more. For some it is anecessity; to others it is just another burdening expense.
"Convenience was the main factor in why I brought my car,"freshman Whitney Sprinkle said. "I'm able to leave campus whenver Ineed without having to rely on the bus."
Convenience is especially important to those students opting towork like sophomore Ginny McCoy. McCoy said she found this to betrue when her search for an on-campus job came up empty.
"If I didn't have my car, I wouldn't be able to help pay forcollege or have extra spending money," McCoy said.
However, students may find that the extra spending money beingearned will be spent to maintain the car. According to Ball State'sparking service regulations, any student who brings a car on campusmust first purchase a parking permit that allows them to park onlyin specially designated lots. However, freshmen living on campusare only permitted to park at the stadium. Students that don'tcomply with the parking regulations often have to deal with ParkingServices.
"When school first started, I forgot to move my car for thefootball game and ended up with a $40 ticket the next day," McCoysaid.
Ticket expenses, along with sky-rocketing gas prices andinsurance bills, are reason enough for some students like New Yorknative freshman Lindsay Schaffner to opt not to bring a car oncampus.
"I decided to leave my car at my dad's house in Indianapolisuntil I really need it. Everything I need on a daily basis ispretty much located on campus," Schaffner said. "If I can't findwhat I'm looking for on campus, it's pretty easy for me to bum aride to Wal-Mart from one of my friends that did bring a car."
While not having a car on campus doesn't phase Schaffner, bothMcCoy and Sprinkle said the independence and convenience thathaving a car brings is well worth the expenses in the long run.
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