Time to Hop On and Off the Metro
By Zoe Giacomini
This is an independently submitted op-ed and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Tower.
It’s safe to say, “finally.” Finally, we have a Metro U-Pass. I’ve only been here for a year without one, but it was a grueling year without it. It seems to be that everything is looking up now!
Washington, D.C., is an incredible place to explore, and the Metro is the best way to get around. It’s easy to learn, accessible, and convenient. So, why not be able to access that all at a discounted price? Now, we have the ability to explore as students at Catholic University. The price of the new U-Pass is built into the price of tuition for all students, so now every student at Catholic has a Metro U-Pass.
As you can tell, I am beyond ecstatic about this and take full advantage of the U-Pass. I’m not sure if I use the Metro more every day or every other day, but it is very often that I use it. Whether it’s riding all the way down the Red Line to Shady Grove just for kicks, or going to NoMa to visit Union Market, I don’t have to worry about that extra charge. I don’t have to consider that $2.50 or more charge just to get from point A to point B.
Every week last year, I was constantly reloading my Metro pass and was sick and tired of seeing that charge come out of my bank account. Because what am I going to do? Not explore this amazing new city I get to live in? No way.
It’s not even a thought in my brain anymore. Seeing that purple light flash when I tap to go through the Metro is truly the best feeling. It’s like getting off the escalator right when your train is arriving. Or when someone pays for your coffee. Or when Chick-fil-A is made quickly and fresh. Just one of the best things.
Catholic University’s students have been fighting for years to approve a student Metro U-Pass. It has not been easy, and there was definitely pushback long before I was here, but finally they decided to go through with it starting in Fall 2026.
I can understand why some students might not like the idea of having a Metro U-Pass built into tuition if they do not use public transportation. Your tuition rate goes up without you benefiting from it. Whether you have a car on campus or just choose not to use public transportation, this can be seen as useless to you.
With that, in my opinion, I think it just makes sense to use the Metro since we all have a U-Pass. There is no harm in using it because now it is “free,” in the sense that the money used for it is built into the tuition price.
That is how I like to think about circumstances like this. If I can’t see the price coming out of my bank account, then it is free. Obviously, that is not true, but it makes me feel better to think about it in that way.
Ultimately, I think giving the students a Metro U-Pass was one of the best decisions to be made because now there are so many more things to do and places to explore!
