No, my name is not Ulysses, but I did go on a daily odyssey while living in Flushing, Queens, NYC and attending school at Brooklyn College on Flatbush Avenue, yes. In Brooklyn, NYC, from September, 1959 til June, 1961. (God, I’m old ). Very few young New Yorkers had their own car in those days.
Why?? Couldn’t afford one; parking was a bitch; traffic was ridiculous; and most of all, you didn’t need one. The public transportation options in the Big Apple were many and excellent.
Some of my friends had frequent use of their dad’s car. I bummed rides from them and helped with gas costs when a car was needed (e.g. going to Jones Beach)
So—- what was my daily odyssey? My God, it’s Monday morning. Got an 8am class. So, I leave my house at 194-01 37th Avenue, Flushing, NYC at 6am. Yes, 6 freakin am. I walk 5 blocks and wait for the Q28 bus to Flushing, Main St. Just a 5 minute wait to catch bus.
By 6:25 I’m walking to the subway on Main Street Flushing. I catch Flushing line subway to Times Square. Sometimes I get a seat. Sometimes I stand and hang on to overhead strap with my book and paper-laden attaché case in my other hand. The subway ride is a tour of the borough of Queens, NYC. From Flushing to Corona to Jackson Heights (where my cousin Nancy has lived for at least 60 years) to Woodside to Long Island City and then under the East River (hold your breath) to the East Side of Manhattan and Grand Central Station then finally to Times Square. My odyssey is just getting underway.
It’s now about 7:10 am. I catch the E train to Flatbush Avenue and Avenue U in Brooklyn. About 25 minutes or so mostly underground. 
So at about 7:40 or so I come up into the morning sun, rain, or dew of Flatbush and walk a few blocks to the BC campus; find my class and start my school day. Oh, by the way, it’s Monday so my first class is Air Science, my Air Force ROTC class. I’m also in my uniform as a Cadet Major, since I hope to graduate in less than 2 years and start my career as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force.
For the next 8 hours or so, I’m in class, at lunch, in the Student Union or in the library at BC. At about 5PM I catch the subway back to lower Manhattan to my part time job at the Church Street Station of the US Post Office. After grabbing a bite of dinner at the Co-op Cafeteria nearby, I start my PO job at 6. I’m guaranteed at least 2 hours, but usually work 4 hours til 10 pm. Then, it’s about 1 1/2 hours of more subway and bus journey before I get home.
Hi, Mom. G’night, Mom. Tomorrow, I catch a little break. First class not til 9 so I can start tomorrow’s odyssey at 7.

Sometimes, I didn’t go home at all.
I was in an AFROTC honor fraternity, called Silver and Blue Society and we had a frat house near the BC campus.
It was actually the finished basement of the parents of one of our cadet brothers. So it didn’t cost us much.
Many times after work, I’d stay there, especially if I had an early class. I always let my mom know if I wasn’t coming home for the night. Sleep was on a cot, on the floor, or even on a pool table. Whatever was available.

So that was my daily odyssey for my last two years of college. You can certainly understand why I thought I went to heaven when I reported to my first Air Force assignment at James Connally AFB in Waco, Texas, where I had normal duty hours. Enuf.