BY COURTNEY DIBIASIO // FEB. 16, 2012 //

Freshmen at Curry are not allowed to keep their cars on campus. The policy seems to exist for two main reasons: 1. So first-year students become more involved in on-campus life, and 2. There aren’t enough parking spots to go around.

So, as a freshman who’s car-less on campus, I know exactly what it’s like to feel stranded.

Fortunately, Curry offers a lot of on- and off-campus activities. These activities are not just for freshmen either; any Curry student can attend them. The best part is most of them are free. These activities range from volunteering in off-campus food pantries and shelters to just attending a sporting event. Choosing what activity you want to attend just depends on your personal interests and skills. All campus activities can be found in the Curry Calendar.

On March 3, Curry students can take a discounted trip to Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire.

Curry also offers a daily shuttle bus (on weekends, too) that travels off campus to places such as T stations, South Shore Plaza, Cobb’s Corner and downtown Boston. But whatever you do, make sure you plan accordingly! You don’t want to get stranded at the place you traveled to with no way back to campus—it’s the worst feeling. There is a printable schedule for the shuttle bus on the My Curry Portal.

Within the next month, the Curry College men’s hockey team will wrap up its regular season with one last home game against Johnson and Wales University. Shuttles will be available for transportation to the game, free of charge with your Curry ID. Puck drops at 4:35 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. On Saturday, March 3, the men’s lacrosse team will host Mount Ida. The home-opener starts at 12 p.m. at the football field.

If you’re a skier or border, there’s a good chance you’re already bored with the bunny slopes at Blue Hills. I recommend taking the skiing and snowboarding trip to Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire. The great thing about this opportunity, also scheduled for Saturday, March 3, is that it’ll save you money. This trip costs only $40 and includes transportation and a lift ticket. For those of you who don’t know how to ski or snowboard but want to learn, there are lessons available along with rentals for extra costs. The shuttle leaves Curry at 7 a.m. and will return to campus by 8 p.m.

And for those who have non-freshmen friends, take advantage of the fact that they can have their cars on campus. If you want to go somewhere, ask them for a ride and pay them with gas money. I do it all the time!