Soo, I haven’t quite been working for a month yet, but I’ve learned a lot about big city public transit in a very short amount of time. Hoo boy.

I commute up every morning via the commuter train, and then I can either walk to my office (with my friend) or I can take the metro. On the way back, I also have the same options (only in reverse order). Theoretically, it should go something like this:

1. Morning train commute = 40min

2. Getting from train station to office

• walking = ~25min
• metro = 15min

3. Reverse for getting back home

HOWEVER, when you rely on a system that is horrendously overused and under-supported, shit happens, as it usually does. It’s pretty much gotten to the point where I expect delays; if there are none, I consider it a miracle. So on average, a day ends up closer to this:

1. Morning train commute = 15+ min delay waiting for the train + usual 40min

2. Getting from train station to office

• take the metro, outbound delays due to malfunction on the line ahead, wait 10+ minutes literally FIVE FEET from the station, get to the office later than my friend who walked

3. Decide to walk back to train station for some air; miscalculate length of route and time needed, run the last 3.5 blocks (VERY large blocks) to the train station with less than 8 minutes to spare (and if I miss the express I have to wait half an hour for the next one, which makes more stops)

Granted, I’ve never encountered all three conditions in one day (so far—god forbid), but yeah, I can definitely say that commuting to a full-time job is an…interesting experience, to say the least.

tl;dr:
Public transit, if you want us to take you more often, Y U NO BETTER?!?!