Every day, students across Atlanta face one challenge: finding the best way to get to school. Each student has a different method of arriving at school, some being more difficult and time-consuming than others. Regardless of the constraints against some students, getting to school on time is the goal. However, one question lays in mind: What is the best way to get to school? 

Sophomore Elle Aferiat is an avid fan of driving to school and she finds it as a more liberating way of avoiding the crowded-ness and annoying noises of a bus ride. She drives an Audi A6 and is grateful for being able to transport herself to and from wherever she needs to go. “Driving to school definitely gives me the freedom I want,” she said. “I don’t have to deal with missing the bus or standing outside waiting for one.” 

Anna Greer is a school bus rider, and although it’s not her favorite mode of transportation, she’s accepted that it’s what she has to work with. Her appreciation toward the patience of bus drivers goes a long way, since on a few rare occasions, they have to deal with issues that don’t directly involve them. “The bus can get pretty chaotic,” she said. “I applaud bus drivers for being there to situate things when they get out of hand, even though that isn’t their job in the first place.” 

Sophomore Annie Kim alternates between riding the bus and carpooling to school. She feels as though both methods of transportation have their pros and cons, and acknowledges that not everyone has the gift of having two modes of transportation. “Catching a school bus can be a hassle sometimes, but not everyone has or will get a car in the future, so to me, the best option is the bus,” she said. 

Getting to school, even from a crowded bus to a hand-me-down Ford truck, is an essential part of what enables students to obtain their education. Not every person is as fortunate to have this, as some don’t have ways to get to school, much less a school to go to. Being appreciative of what one does have, even if it’s not much, can definitely go a long way. Saying “thank you” to your bus driver for getting you to where you need to go, or being grateful to your parents for giving you a car — even if it’s not the one you wanted — is a high representation of one’s character and respect. The answer to the question of best commute is, therefore, undetermined. The best way? That’s under debate. But here’s what’s not under any debate: You still gotta come to school.