Observation # 3

For my third and final observation of bus riders using UNC-Chapel Hill's campus buses, I decided to get the whole experience by riding the P2P around 10:45pm. Before I could even enter the bus, I had to wait outside the bus to let some of the current bus riders off because there was only one door unlike the two doors that other campus buses have. As I was standing there, I heard a girl on the bus yelling to some of her friends who were leaving, "See ya bitches!!". Already there was a different atmosphere compared with that of previously observed campus buses. Even though there were not that many people on the bus at the time, soon many more would follow. Yet being so, I made my way to the back of the bus. Honestly, I was afraid of someone noticing me writing and doing homework at the hour when many others were probably on their way to Franklin to party. So I was afraid of being made fun of and wanted to be out of the way so not as many would see me. But it also allowed for me to observe the majority of the bus without people noticing too.

The first thing I notice once I sat down and could being my observing was that there was music being played in the bus. Music that was probably from the radio. This was more than likely what allowed for people to talk so freely. Yet a group of 4 girls were being uncontrobably loud and obnoxious. My conclusion was that the music made no difference to welcome them to talk; the alcohol they drank earlier did. With this being said, the bus was obviously more laid back and chill than the buses that ran on campus during the day. Yet also like the other campus buses, the people who did not choose to talk, fell silent, texted on their phones, stared out into space, or just did whatever they could do to not make eye contact. Another commonality was that everyone, the silent, and potentially drunk, thanked the driver sa they left the bus.

As the P2P was making it's rounds, it seemed to me to be driving too fast and being reckless for a bus. I know it made me motion sick and possibly a boy infront of me who had his eyes closed for a period of time. It could have either been from being tired, or being motion sick as the bus whizzed around corners. I wouldn't be surprised if it were the later.