Brandon Lee
By Brandon Lee
SYLP student
When I finally got my driver’s license, I loved the freedom of being able to go anywhere I wanted to. However, when I signed up for the Summer Youth Leadership Program (SYLP), my parents did not think that it would be efficient for me to drive all the way down to Seattle from Everett during rush hour. They told me that I would have to take the bus.
My first thought was, “OMG!”
No longer did I have the choice of leaving whenever I felt like it. Rather, I now had to set my schedule around the bus times. I dreaded losing my freedom and had bitter thoughts. My first time taking the bus, I didn’t know what to expect. The only thing in my head was annoyance at having to wake up super early and losing precious sleep.
Summer Youth Leadership Program (SYLP) students, volunteers, and coordinators on a bus to one of their field trips in the community
When my bus arrived, it had a variety of smells that disgusted me, but I proceeded to find a seat. Luckily, my stop was the first one, so I could pick any seat I wanted. I tried out different seats, the sideway ones, the window seats, and even the raised ones in the back.
Gradually, my thoughts about taking the bus started to change because there were so many benefits. First, I no longer had to worry about traffic or accidents while commuting.
Second, I was able to sleep on the bus or do other things that I wouldn’t be able to do if I was driving. Third, I was able to look around and see Seattle at my leisure.
Transit may seem discouraging for people at first, but the benefits are amazing and I wouldn’t mind taking it during rush hour. Any other time, I would definitely take my car. ♦
Brandon Lee can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
(The stories in this issue are written by SYLP students, not Northwest Asian Weekly staff. Opinions herein do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the newspaper.)