Welcome to the spring semester! I cannot believe that it is already here. This is my last semester at the Heller school and time has flown by. While it is the midst of winter here in Waltham, I want to talk about commuting to campus, in my time at Heller, I have explored quite a few methods of commuting to campus and my personal favorite method - biking.
I am fortunate to own a car, which is great for the cold season and early sunsets. There is also a commuter rail stop just a short walk down the hill from the Heller school, however, from where I live, it is more flexible and easier to drive or bike, when the weather allows of course. For students who live in near Brandeis in Waltham, there is a shuttle which is a really easy way to get to campus, especially since it is already scheduled around our course times. During my first year, I did not live in Waltham, but I was able to commute to campus via public transit. I had a short bus ride and then got on the commuter rail to the Brandeis stop. Riding the commuter rail was a relaxing way to get to campus, and even gave me extra reading time. There are also student ticket and pass discounts available.
Most days during the fall semester, I was able to bike to campus. There is a river walk and bike path, called the Charles River Path, that I am able to bike along for most of the ride. If you are up for a challenge, this path goes all the way into Boston and can be connected to several other paths found in the Boston metro area such as the Minute Man bike path and the recent Somerville Community path extension.
At the end of the path, I hop onto the main road, but stay off to the side. The road is narrow, but I have never felt unsafe biking up the hill. While it is not recommended, there is a sidewalk if needed. There is ample bike parking at the bottom of the hill, which is where I leave my bike before walking up to the Heller School. Biking for me is an easy way to get around and builds in a little workout and time spent outside between courses and assignments. Biking is also like graduate school – it's tough at times and really pushes you outside your comfort zone, but then the easy riding comes and when you look around it's amazing to see all your hard work behind you that has gotten you to where you are.