Around 85% of college students commute, whether that is a five-minute walk down Court Street or an hour-long commute. Commuting is common. Despite this, when I started college as a commuter, I felt like I was stumbling through an empty field with no direction or help.
Truthfully, I winged a lot of it; however, now that I’m graduating in December, I’ve mastered my own commuter survival guide that will, hopefully, guarantee a smooth college experience.
Ignore the misconceptions
The word “commuter” carries along many stereotypes. As a senior commuter, I’ve heard it all: “You’re missing out on the college experience,” “Is it worth it” and “I couldn’t stand living with my parents.”
Although sometimes the common misconceptions can be disheartening, know being a commuter is overwhelmingly common. It’s easy to feel like you’re on this journey alone, but you aren’t.
Pack and plan accordingly
One of the biggest mistakes a beginner commuter can make is thinking commuting is like living on campus with an extra drive; however, this is not the case.
Unfortunately, commuting can add a lot of additional factors to consider when scheduling classes, planning hangouts and more. Factoring in the walking distance is also a must. Many places on campus take over 10 minutes to walk to, which can add up.
Be mindful of how long things take. The days often fly by in college, and it quickly becomes a late hour and the commute home is looming. There have been many times I’ve lost track of time and don’t get home until after dark.
My biggest tip is arriving on campus early, even if classes don’t start until later. The extra time in the morning is perfect for studying or emotionally preparing for the classes ahead. It can also save you in case something happens on the commute to campus.
It was the day of my last final. I had made it a habit to come to campus hours early to study. On my way in, I got a flat tire and lost around an hour. Luckily, I didn’t miss my final because I gave myself that extra time.
Packing carefully is also an important factor. It’s essential to pack snacks, hygiene products and all of your supplies. Since home isn’t a five-minute walk away, I often found myself overpacking, which has saved me more times than I can count. Nobody wants to spend $25 at CVS on an essential item you already have but forgot to pack.
Don’t be afraid to get involved
My biggest fear with commuting was not having the time to make friends. It’s easy to feel disconnected when your home life is far away, and in my case, 30 minutes away.
Although I struggled with this tip for a while, getting involved is a great way to make college feel more fulfilling.
There are a lot of opportunities at Ohio University. BobcatConnect is an excellent resource to find clubs. Ohio University’s GivePulse is also a great tool to find volunteer and internship opportunities.
Sometimes I want nothing more than to drive home after a long day of classes; however, I try to push myself to do things to keep involved in campus life. Without some form of involvement, commuting can feel isolating. So, get involved.
Feel good about commuting
You don’t need to love commuting or college. As someone who has commuted my entire college experience, college felt overwhelmingly average, and that’s okay.
The college experience looks different for everybody, and the feeling of guilt that my experience didn’t play out like some cheesy 2000s romcom was inevitable because commuting can feel unglamorous. The early mornings, the morning commute and isolation can definitely be humbling.
Despite those feelings, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Commuting has saved me time, energy and so much money. It’s important to feel secure and happy with your decision, if commuting works for you; there’s nothing wrong with that!
Haylee Leasure is a senior studying journalism. Please note that the opinions expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk about the column? Email Haylee at hl125421@ohio.edu.
