[commodore]

It certainly isn't necessary to have a car, but it sure is a nice luxury. It does depend where you live, but things like grocery shopping and just getting out of town are made much easier with a car. Here in New Haven, most students don't have cars. I'm sure they do fine without one, but I wouldn't want to live without mine. I drive to Wal-Mart to shop, to the next town up to go to church, and to go to the department on weekends (it's a 15-minute walk, and I'm lazy). It really depends on personal preferences. I'm from Texas and I have always gone everywhere in a car, so to me trains and buses seem inferior forms of transportation. Other students disagree, though.