Since I have been to USI, I have noticed an undeniable analogy between life and the university bus.

At first, I was blinded by my narrow-minded view of the bus.

All I saw it for was a simple bus that picked people up and dropped people off.

In life, you will meet people who always have something to smile about. These people always bring a little more joy and sunshine to whoever they meet. In the same way, the bus represents such a person.

For instance, James Putnam, a bus driver here at USI, waves at every passerby as he drives his route, and offers a fist bump to every person that enters his bus.

Putnam is one of those rare people you occasionally meet in life that are simply friendly because they enjoy seeing other people happy.

In life, we are often given an opportunity. If we do not act fast enough, that opportunity will pass us by. In the same way, the bus has been the cause of many missed opportunities.

For instance, you can see the bus in the near horizon, and you are jay-walking as fast as you can while simultaneously trying not to appear like a frantic lunatic running after the bus with your backpack slamming against your back.

But you didn’t quite jay-walk fast enough and you hear the sickening sound of the bus doors closing as it sputters away. You are left to wallow in the sadness of a missed opportunity.

In life, you sometimes have to step outside of your comfort zone.

If you have ever ridden the USI bus, you know your levels of comfort are exceeded every day.

For instance, there is the unspoken one-seat distance you must sit from any person on the bus. However, some people do not heed to this rule. While pretending you are not in immense discomfort, you simultaneously try touching the person sitting right next to you as little as possible.

In life, you will have to wait. While patience may not be the strong suit of most, the USI bus teaches the lesson of waiting to even the most impatient.

For instance, it is 8:45 a.m. and your class begins at 9:00 a.m. and you are wondering whether you should walk. After doing the impatient dance for a few minutes, you finally hear the familiar sound of the bus in the distance.

Tragedy avoided.

To some, the USI bus may just be a bus. But for others, the USI bus is a way to learn life lessons.