With the frigid temperatures and winter weather State College has been experiencing lately, the buses on campus have been packed, and understandably so.

This increase in bus riding has made me realize how self-absorbed many of us are when it comes to riding the bus. Especially at this time of year, the Loop and Link buses are almost always standing room only during the day and early evening hours. Quite frequently, bus drivers have to leave people standing out in the cold because there is simply no room for them -- or so it seems. Just today I was riding the White Loop from downtown to North Halls, and over the course of the ride we left at least 15 people to wait for the next bus in the 20-some degree weather.

The people standing in the back had plenty of room to squeeze together a bit more and fit another three or four people, but nobody even made an attempt to move farther back.

It might not be an extremely comfortable bus ride, but it's better than leaving someone out in the cold. Just be a little more considerate; move as far to the back of the bus as you can. Oh, and the bus drivers are people too. It's okay to say thank you when you get off the bus.