Whether its being held up on an over-crowded train, walking in between a throng of people, or just waiting for your bus to come, a New Yorker’s commute can really determine if you’re going to have a good day or not. In my morning commutes I try my best to find the fastest, most time efficient ways to get to school. Being the fast walker I am absolutely dislike to be held up by foot traffic, especially if I’m running late to class. Therefore, I mapped out several routes that I can take to and from school that won’t have me feeling drained or put me in a bad mood for the remainder of the day.
The first route which is the first route I began taking and probably the worst is the Jay Street route. This route is fast but only in the mornings. After school you would have to deal with people coming out of school and to and from work. It’s busy and the sidewalks are packed. This route starts off by leaving the Namm buildings main entrance and walking south of Jay Street. I usually take a shortcut to avoid the large amount of people walking on the narrow sidewalk. This shortcut is a little pathway that leads under a walkway that is used for the Marriott Hotel. At the end of the pathway is Rocco’s Tacos restaurant which is at an intersection on Adams Street. Crossing Adams Street will lead up to elongated steps which lead into Columbus Park, which is where the Kings County Supreme Court is located. I take the 4 train which is accompanied by the 5 train on Borough Hall which usually doesn’t take too long to come. Consistently having to bop and weave people, and the petrifying smell of the second hand smoke that you receive from cigarette smokers isn’t worth walking down Jay Street, so I had to find an alternate.
The second route is the the B41 route. This route is more convenient if you need food in the morning or after class. If I don’t eat breakfast in the morning, it’s very difficult to pay attention in class and I tend to fall asleep. A healthy breakfast in the morning is how you get your vitamins and nutrients to help fuel your day. I learned that from reading the article “Benefits of eating a Healthy Breakfast” by Karen Fifield. Without knowing this I would’ve continued to eat junk food such as waffles which provides nothing for me but sugar, which actually increases my chance o crashing in class. Now I indulge in an orange with a small bowl of cereal , which helps energize my walk to the bus. The bus stop is a about 3 blocks away from my house, and that travel alone is tiring. Taking the B41 straight from my neighborhood all the way to Livingston and Nevins. This route is a little more time consuming but its worth it. Getting off the bus you would be right down the block from Fulton street. Fulton street has a variety of places to eat, you got McDonalds, burger king, shake shake on the farther end of Fulton street and many small pizzerias and Chinese spots. If your not in the mood for that, continue walking down Fulton until you approach Jay Street. Yes I know, for the several reasons on why Jay Street is not a preferred street to walk on this is only if you really want lunch a little more pricey . If you continue to walk down until you hit the Jay Street Metro-tech train station there is a Chipotle and Five Guys just around the corner. It’s usually busy around the afternoon hours , but Chipotle is life right? After enjoying your Chipotle meal you would have to endure that dreadful walk on Jay street where you can enter City Tech through the main entrance. It’s important to ensure that you’re well fed throughout the day because hunger leads to lack of energy and lack of energy leads to tiredness.
The third route, which is the most alluring route and the route I take now is the Columbus Park Route. After getting off the 4 train on Borough Hall I walk straight up Columbus Park. Admiring the Statue of Christopher Columbus and walking freely with way more space than Jay Street sidewalk. Barely anybody walks this way and I love it, If i’m in a rush I wont have to worry about pedestrians getting in my way. You can take the same route if you’re coming from the 2 or the 3 station as well. It’s mostly quiet , the most noise I would here is from a dog barking from playing fetch with it’s owner. This route is perfect for the morning when all you need is a clear mind. Finding a better route can help exercise your brain, as well as preparing you for the day you have ahead of you. I wouldn’t have known this if it weren’t for the article “Top 10 ways to improve your commute” by Alan Henry. As you continue to walk straight through Columbus Park, you begin to notice several statues, whether it’s the Robert F. Kennedy statue, the Christopher Columbus statue, or the Henry Ward Beecher statue. Finally you should come across Johnson street where you should make the right turn which eventually leads to Adams Street. Cross Adams Street and the main Namm building will be right there, you can enter through the Adams Street entrance, which in my opinion is more convenient since its already on the 1st floor as oppose to being on the ground floor. I’m really lazy in the morning so this really comes in clutch. I noticed that ever since I started taking this route I wouldn’t be as tired as if I were to take the others. I also notice that my performance in my classes are far greater.
Going to a community college in the downtown area of Brooklyn can be a drag, especially with the throng of people, slow walkers, and “boagie” smokers all around can upset anybody. This is why its beneficial to have more than route to avoid all that exasperation. With the aid of my English professor I was able to establish this new found route to get to school that has relinquished my hatred for commuting to and from City Tech.
Works Cited:
- Miller, Brian. “Extreme Commuting” New York Times, July 21, 2017
- Neff, Michell “Tips for staying healthy in the fall” MSU Extension, September 26. 2017
- Tarbell, Elizabeth. “You have a bad commute? Try Four Hours and Three Trains” New York Times, July 21, 2017
- Fifield, Karen. “Benefits of Eating Breakfast.” MSU Extension, 22 Mar. 2013,
- Henry, Alan, “Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Daily Commute”, Weekend Roundup, September 9th,2016
