Finding My Way

Spatial relations are not my strong suit. And, unfortunately, this includes maps and directions.

When I first learned to drive, I had a hard time figuring out how to get around my teeny town. When Claire and I went to Europe for our month long sojourn, we made a perfect team: she did the maps, I did the communicating with non English speakers (unlike spatial relations, languages are a strong suit). I'm not so idiotic that I can't ever read a map, it just takes me a while. I can't be handed a map a quarter mile away from a possible exit on the freeway and be expected to get us around the traffic jam. I won't be able to do it, and it will lead to yelling and probably crying. I can do it, I just need a minute. I don't have that intuitive sense of direction or where places are in relation to one another. I can get from A to B. I can get from B to C. But I often have trouble getting from A to C without going directly through B.

But I am doubly cursed because I hate this about myself. I hate asking for directions. I hate appearing as though I don't know where I am going or how I plan to get there. So, with grad school orientation beginning next week, I knew I had to do something. I couldn't risk getting lost on my first day, thereby showing up both Late and Flustered and probably Sweaty. Even at Muhlenberg, I wasn't always sure how to get from one building to another my first year, and Ohio State can fit the entirety of Muhlenberg in its Oval alone. So I decided to do a Trial Run.

In addition to finding my way around campus, I also needed to learn to navigate the bus system. The public bus is free with my "Buck-I-D"--parking on campus is not so free. But how long is the ride? What stop do I get off? Do they announce the stops, or do I have to pay close attention? There is a bus stop very close to my apartment, so I consulted COTA's online schedule, but my stop wasn't listed! Wha? In a near panic, I called the nice lady at Customer Service and she told me that the #18 would be there at :01 after the hour. I couldn't imagine that the bus was running precisely on schedule, but I wasn't about to risk it.

In the intervening time, I took a quick shower, got dressed, brewed tea for my to go mug and packed a bag with a book, water, and wallet. As I stepped out of my building door, I checked my cell phone so I could time the walk to the stop. At a very leisurely pace, it took me 7 minutes, but I also didn't have to wait to cross Kenny, a pretty busy road, so I made a mental note to leave at least 10 minutes for this portion of the trip.

I was purposefully early, so I sat on the bench and waited, feeling pretty silly that I was the only one there. Much to my surprise, at 12:02, the bus arrived. I flashed the driver my red ID, and chose a seat. Google maps had said the ride would take 40 minutes, but we rounded the corner onto High Street in nearly half the time. I had overheard a conversation that we were somewhat rerouted due to Game Day--the two roads nearest the Horseshoe get closed, I assume--but nevertheless, campus was looming in the foreground. Someone pulled the little string and got off near the building most of my classes are in, so I took note but stayed on, since at the moment I was headed for the Union.

I got off at the next stop--I didn't want to overshoot the Union--and walked along the street, watching the hordes of undergrads dressed in red jerseys find the nearest bar to watch the game with their friends. Once I got inside, I walked up to the Help Desk and declared proudly "I don't want to sound like a lame-o, but...do you have a map?" The nice work study girl opened it up for me, and I turned down her request to help me find my destination. "I'll try to do it myself," I said with a not so confident smile. I found a seat and began the process of searching for the necessary buildings by name, number and location on the map's grid. Confident I had figured it out, I folded the map and walked out the back door of the Union, muttering encouraging words to myself.

About 10 minutes later, I was already lost.

Despite wanting to end up at the library (a positively gorgeous building with a beautiful view from the eleventh floor), I ended up near Mirror Lake--the once spring-fed lake on campus which you're supposed to jump into the night before the Michigan game. I had some pretty choice words to say to myself, but then I realized that it wasn't a huge deal. So what? I sat down on a pretty bench, consulted my map, corrected my mistake and continued on, this time successfully finding both the library and the building I need for my first orientation meeting.

On my walk back to catch the bus home, I was smiling. The sun was out, but it wasn't hot. I heard OSU score a touchdown, heard the pep band playing the fight song, the fans cheering. A few campus squirrels scampered about. I called my mom and left a message that she should come to visit before early December so she can see how nice it is while the weather is still pleasant. I was smiling and proud of myself.

Of course, on the bus ride home, I jumped the gun and got off one stop early. But, you know, I was close.