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Shocking: This Senior Knows All the State Capitals in the United States but Has Never Taken SEPTA

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Photo from Pexels / CC0

Trevor Courtland (W '18) is a bright young man and an accomplished student. He holds a 3.82 GPA, was a finalist for the National Geographical Bee in high school, and is passionate about American History. He is well-liked by his professors and by his peers. On paper, Courtland is a model student and citizen.

Except for one thing. Courtland, in his four years at Penn, has never taken SEPTA. When asked about how often he takes public transportation, he said: "I mean like, what even is SEPTA? How do those little cards work? I don't understand where the MFL train even goes!" How strange, considering that Courtland has dedicated hundreds of hours of his life to memorizing the capitals of every state in the United States.

"Plus, 44th street is like, SO far. Who even goes there? Is it safe?" he asked. Shocking! For a student so passionate and well-versed in history and geography, he doesn't seem to be familiar with the local geography of his own school.

We revealed to Courtland that SEPTA conveniently has many stops in Center City, and is perfectly affordable, costing only $2.50 per ride. He replied, "I mean, I think I'll just Uber. It's still way cheaper than a cab!"

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