This year as a fourth-year student, commuting was a whole new experience for me. I found myself beginning my day on the Purple Line after three years of living close to school, walking to class, and being surrounded by the constant busyness of college life. Despite the fact that it sometimes seems like a long commute, my first year of commuting has turned into a journey of contemplation, endurance, and calm determination.
I start my mornings at around 6:30 a.m. I leave the house at 7:20 a.m. and head to my town’s train station. Watching the town awaken while I wait for the train in the early hours of the day has a slightly relaxing effect. It takes approximately one and a half hours to get to campus on the Purple Line, but I’ve come to use that time to get ready for the day, get some busy work done, and place any budget requests for the clubs I am a part of.
I commit to this trip four days a week while balancing two online classes and three of my major biology classes. It’s almost like entering another universe when I go onto campus. Everything about it, the hustle of lectures and the students hurrying between lectures, is both familiar and uncommon at the same time.
I stay until the 7:42 p.m. train most days, so I don’t get home until about 9:20 p.m. The campus becomes empty once the sun sets, and I frequently find myself studying with friends or doing assignments at the ISC. Between classes, time alone has evolved into a type of safe place where people can concentrate, reflect, and take a break. Sometimes I am reminded of how much I have changed when I compare and contrast this semester to my last semester. I feel like I am doing so much more work this semester and am really invested in doing well. It is exhausting but I am glad I am more on top of things now.
I have learned how to adjust and find balance in the middle thanks to my commute, which has taught me more than simply time management. The train rides have evolved into reflective times for myself. Despite the hours I spend traveling, I’ve come to the realization that I’m still making progress, both in reality and practically. There are some days where I sometimes begin to judge my decision about why I decided to take this route, but it has been beneficial in some ways. I no longer have to pay rent to live in Boston and I can come home and just get ready for bed rather than staying up to finish homework.
Being a commuter means more than just getting from home to school; it involves setting up your own schedule and pace in the middle of the chaos. Not only has the Purple Line served as my commute to class this semester, but it has also come to represent my determination, development, and path to becoming the person I want to be for the future.