Although biking and driving to campus have been the most reliable forms of transportation for Chico State students, walking might be more efficient.

Driving to campus has proven to be difficult because of unpredictable transportation time, the cost of gas and the outrageously expensive parking pass prices that don’t guarantee students a spot. Opting out of purchasing a parking pass for the semester will still break the bank with all the constant coin meters and the occasional parking ticket because classes ran four minutes too long.

Substituting a bike for your daily transportation fixes most of those problems, however it also comes with it’s own issues.

In 2015, Chico received a silver award from The League of American Bicyclists for being a bicycle friendly community. However, there is also a bike theft epidemic in Chico, which has steadily increased.

Not only do you have to worry about your two-wheeled transportation getting stolen, but numerous others factors like where you’re allowed to park it, when you can ride it and how to stay dry with these wet weather conditions.

Junior Bianca Anderson said that she uses her bike as her primary mode of transportation, except when it rains.

“I’ll wear a big hooded-coat or I’ll walk,” Anderson said.

Nobody likes sitting in class all day soaking wet but when riding a bike, it’s almost unavoidable. Students’ bikes across campus can be seen with plastic bags covering their seats.

Riding your bike might save you a few minutes compared to walking to and from class, but can also contribute to more stress in the long run. The costs for paying for bike locks, maintenance and replacements for stolen parts all add up when on a college student’s budget.

These are still significantly cheaper than the price to drive a car to campus. Walking might just be the best option in terms of cost effectiveness.

Not worrying about when the parking meter will run out or if about locked up a bike’s frame and wheels before rushing to the first class of the day is a major relief. The health benefits from commuting when walking can help eliminate the time spent at the WREC.

Although not completely avoidable, there is also less risk of crossing paths with crazy drivers when you’re not riding in the lane beside them.

Sure, you might have to wake up an extra 15 minutes earlier to make it to class on time, but having less to worry about when considering the bike theft problem in Chico or the impossible to find parking spots is worth setting a couple more wake-up alarms in the morning.

Sophia Robledo-Borowy can be reached at [email protected] or @TheOrion_News on Twitter.