It starts off like a normal afternoon. The last bell of the day rings, and you head towards the buses. You quickly realize you left your swim clothes in the cafeterias and go to get them. Walking back to the bus, you see one of your friends and instantly strike up a conversation.

Before you know it, you miss the bus.

This exact situation happened to me. I’m not old enough to drive. My mom was unable to pick me up, I live a good three miles away, and I did not want to walk home with my twenty-pound freshman backpack on.

So I took the middle school bus home.

Staples High School is conveniently located right next to Bedford Middle School, which gets let out at 2:45, a half hour after Staples does. The bus driver and kids didn’t bother me at all, unlike those in the stories of people who have been yelled at by the driver for taking the middle school bus home. I’m short enough to pass for an eighth grader and maybe the middle school students didn’t care that I was there.

Personally, I don’t see taking the middle school bus as a bad thing. On the contrary, I see it as a benefit. Staples students like me who don’t have cars, or whose parents can’t pick them up, or who live too far away from school should be able to use the Bedford buses. Even if you are waiting at Staples for someone to pick you up, you can’t get your homework done. You might need textbooks or your computer, both annoyingly located on your desk at home.

Taking the middle school bus should be seen as an advantage, not a nuisance. Yes, I can understand that Bedford buses may become crowded if Staples students take them. But every single Staples student isn’t taking the buses every day. The middle school being so close to the high school can really help students that are stuck like I was.