Whether you come from Downtown, Mount Pleasant, James Island, West Ashley, Johns Island, or even North Charleston, there is always a possibility of getting stopped by a train. While some believe that there are only specific days trains come, I personally think that their schedules are completely unpredictable which makes them all the more miserable. However, sometimes these trains can be a blessing in disguise. Maybe you are looking to get out of a long boring lecture first block or even get some extra time to look over your notes for your quiz first block. In this case, you would definitely have an excuse! Don’t get me wrong I am not a fan of trains nor do I wish to present myself as one but at the right time sometimes they can be helpful. But, if you completely disagree and are always trying to get around the trains as fast as possible here are some unique opinions from students that might even offer a new outlook on trains.
1. “I always wait for every train to pass.”
After speaking with Elizabeth Hample (12), she explained that no matter what time she gets stopped she will always wait. She says, “I get to North Charleston early enough to the point where I have time to wait for the train to pass”. She also mentioned how she “just doesn’t care how long it takes” because she “can’t be bothered by them”. While this is a very reasonable reaction to getting stopped, this strategy might not work for those constantly worried about missing first block. I aspire to be this level of nonchalant when it comes to trains and I might even have to give this a try sometime.
2. “I drive on the other side of the road and race the train on a road that runs parallel to it.”
This anonymous student provides a very different approach to tackling the train. They explain how although “sometimes it might be faster to wait if it is a short train” they always win and take their chances to outrun it. I don’t think I can promote this strategy due to the obvious fact that it may have legal repercussions so try at your own risk…but I won’t be! Nevertheless, it surely is an interesting and memorable strategy.
3. “I went to Orange Spot instead because getting stuck behind a train was just my sign I wasn’t meant to be there.”
Isla Todd (12) reports her story of when she was thirty minutes late to school and on top of that, stuck in tons of traffic. She explains “I decided to try to go a different route because of the traffic and then there was a train.” Wow, the only thing that explains that is just bad luck! She says “After that, I just decided to go to Orange Spot since I knew I would just be waiting behind the train.” She also made sure to emphasize that she was able to make it to second block and does not think students should completely skip school because of a train.
Hopefully, these new strategies have been eye-opening, and again, PLEASE only try at your own risk!
