There’s enough said, written and shared about living away at university: we known almost everything there is to know about “the best time of your life!”. And yet we continue to ignore the life of the university commuter, and their everyday struggles. It can be pretty tough to travel back and forth every day, especially when deadlines are approaching, your societies have fun events on, or when the universe simply isn’t on your side. This post is for you, commuter! I’m sure you can relate to all of these things below.
1) 9a.m.s In The Winter
Whether you commute or not, we all know that feeling of dread that comes around on the cold December morning throwing you into your 9a.m. start. Except when you commute, your day starts much earlier than 9a.m., with your alarm ringing in your ears as early as 5:30a.m.! Its already difficult to leave your warm bed for an 11a.m. class, so this feels so much worse. And it’s definitely not a good night’s sleep before that: your mind is buzzing, you’re tossing and turning to try and fall asleep early enough so you don’t feel groggy when you wake up at the crack of dawn. Except you do. Every morning. And when you walk in at 9a.m. after hours of already being awake, that feeling of deliriousness and sore eyes makes you feel as though you’re not even in the room!
2) The Race Against Time…And Your Hunger!
It’s a sad day when the commuter first realises that they must skip breakfast in order to catch their train. It’s an even sadder day when you’ve sacrificed breakfast for a train you’ve missed by seconds, and you watch the doors shut right before your eyes, never to be opened again. You bid both the train and the breakfast that could have been a short goodbye, before rapidly panicking about how you’re going to get to your lecture on time with the next train arriving 15 minutes too late and your stomach reminding you that it needs TLC that you just can’t give right now!
3) Being On Time For Nothing
Somehow, quite strangely, the day has worked out for you. You’ve had a fulfilled night’s sleep and you’ve managed to wake up on time, have had some breakfast and feel ready to start the day! Life couldn’t be better! As you make your way down to the station, you decide to check your emails, and that’s when your entire world breaks down:
YOUR 9AM CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
YOU HAVE NOTHING FOR THE NEXT 4 HOURS.
YOU ARE SITTING AT A STATION FOR A TRAIN THAT NOW MEANS NOTHING TO YOU.
YOU ARE FREEZING COLD.
YOU COULD HAVE SLEPT FOR LONGER.
What do you do? Where do you go? What does this all mean? You feel nothing but anger and rage, and your frustration at both your lecturer and at yourself for being so happy about a 9a.m. is building up. You’re ready to explode, but instead you decide to head home and sleep for a bit longer, only for you to feel the same grogginess and misery that you would’ve felt if you didn’t get up in time. Nothing hurts more than that.
4) Torn Between Events And Getting Home In Daylight
For uni to be “the best time of your life,” taking part in clubs, societies and other events will definitely feed into those exciting memories that you want to build. Head back to halls to get ready, and get back to the event after a rest. A nice and chilled out night. Except when you’re commuting, it doesn’t always work that way. Waiting around at uni in time for an event is never fun, especially when you have to lug around a backpack with 6 library books and a laptop inside that bulges out like a turtle shell and you simply cannot get rid of it. But if you don’t attend anything, you’re a bore and you’ll be feeling absolutely miserable scrolling through all the snapchat stories and wallowing in regret. And yet, coming home in daylight after leaving your home in winter darkness just feels so good!
5) Commuter Meets Rush Hour, And Rush Hour Meets Transport Strikes!
Unfortunately, it’s true. You have to leave during rush hour, and the strike you’ve been dreading has gone through. You’re smushed between people, your bag feels as though it’s falling off, it’s hot, it’s sweaty, you’re hungry, you’re tired. It’s packed and your favourite seat has been taken. You’re standing and holding onto a pole for the entire commute. People give you the side eye as you shove past them to get off in time before the doors close. It’s lethal, and it makes you question even going to uni in the first place. Delays and red signals leave you hanging on by a thread, thinking that if you huff and puff enough, you’ll start moving again and get to your lecture in time. Will I ever make it? Is there even any point?
But you plod along. It’s only 5 more stops. And now 4 more stops. And now 3…
It’ll be over soon!
6) Making Yourself Too Comfortable On Public Transport
Seeing as 70% of your uni day is taken up by travelling, you may as well get comfortable. Battling for a seat is tough, but once you do, you care for nobody. Didn’t get enough sleep last night? You catch up on your Z’s, cautious not to miss your stop or end up leaning your head on the person next to you. Forgot to do the reading for the day? You manage to catch up and make notes before getting off. Didn’t get time to put your makeup on? The skilled commuter is usually found with a travel bag of products, and a mirror to aid in application…and you don’t flinch a single bit. You know the bus driver and he knows you, as you give each other a nod of recognition before tapping your Oyster and getting to the same seat that waits for you every day.
The struggle is real when it comes to commuting to and from uni, and it can sometimes feel horrible. But you’re a trooper, commuter, and hats off to you for the dedication and motivation to drag yourself out of bed and to uni in time. You know all the travel hacks, you’ve memorised the tube line, and you’ve done all the hard work of travelling for the rest of us; we can trust your expertise to guide us on all of our transport journeys, and for that we are eternally grateful!