I chose to go to FIU because I did not want to move away for college. While I don’t regret my decision whatsoever, commuting can be such a bummer. There are plenty of disadvantages and advantages to being a commuter student, here’s a list of the ones I relate to the most:
- Disadvantage #1- Traffic
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Living far from FIU means dealing with traffic every single time I have a morning class or a class that ends around rush hour. There really seems to be no way around it. Not to mention dealing with traffic brings out the road rage demon inside of me.
- Disadvantage #2- Missing out on the ‘real’ college experience
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Not moving away for college does give you a whole different experience than the ‘typical’ college experience. It can be harder to meet new people when you are a commuter student (not to mention being at a school that is primarily made up of commuter students). I would be lying if I said I didn’t get FOMO from time to time seeing other people living it up away at college.
- Disadvantage #3- Parking
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I think everyone can relate to the stress that is finding parking at FIU. Since I can’t just walk to campus, I have to battle for parking everyday that I have class (the struggle is real.)
- Advantage #1- Saving money
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Living at home means that I’ve been able to save more money than I would if I were away for school. I’ve chosen to have a job while being in college and this has given me more financial freedom than I have ever had, and this I am very grateful for.
- Advantage #2- Mom’s cooking
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Not gonna lie this is the biggest advantage to me. Since I can’t cook absolutely anything, being able to come home to food already made for me is a privilege that I will miss the most when I move out.
- Advantage #3- Having my support system around me
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Not moving away means that the people I care about the most are still very much involved in my life and I get to see them whenever I want. This is what I hold the closest to my heart, because without my loved ones I don’t know what I’d do.
Being a commuter student for college isn’t for everyone, but there are pro’s and con’s to making this decision. Weighing them out can help you decide whether its for you or not.