While commuting students enjoy a wide variety of advantages by staying at home, it can be difficult to maintain a balanced college life on campus since you still have to go home at the end of the day. Since the start of the fall term, I’ve been learning how to effectively approach college with the perspective and abilities of a first-time commuting student. Here’s a compilation of tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way that has helped me establish a strong foundation at UCF, and which I hope can help you succeed on campus as a commuter.
1. Plan an efficient class schedule
The time you spend commuting to and staying on the main campus depends on how far you live from campus, how often/long you have to be there, and what responsibilities you have both inside and outside of college. An efficient class schedule that works with, not against, your current living and travel situation can go a long way in making your college life easier to handle. Some factors to consider when planning your class schedule include how often your classes are offered per week, whether or not you can stagger/stack/spread out your classes, professors’ office hours, the flexibility of your class content (are lectures recorded, can quizzes be taken online, do papers have to be submitted in person, etc.), and so on.
For example, if you live more than half an hour away, it may be easier on yourself to be on campus only for 2-3 days a week with multiple classes per day than from Monday to Friday with 1-2 classes per day. This allows you to have open days out of the week on which you can work, study, or attend to other matters without having to worry about going to class.
2. Maximize your time on campus
Knock out as many birds with one stone as possible by filling your on-campus days with meaningful and beneficial activities. UCF offers a plethora of opportunities that serve many purposes, so take advantage of them! Instead of lazying about and watching Netflix for two hours before your next class, you could go to the gym for half an hour, have lunch with friends for another 30 minutes, and use the last remaining free hour to attend a workshop where you learn how to manage money or attend a club meeting that offers professional networking. I highly recommend exploring UCF’s website to find out what and when opportunities are offered.
Just as planning an efficient class schedule helps you academically, planning an efficient out-of-class schedule can help you establish a strong foundation on which you can build a balanced personal, social, and professional life.
3. Know the best places/times to…
You may not have the luxury of casually exploring the campus without the pressure of time, so learn the best places and times to do anything you might need to do while on campus. Knowing where certain facilities are located can help cut down the time you spend wandering around, and knowing when the peak hours for a certain location are can prevent you from being caught up in a long line or crowd.
One thing I learned early on is that the all the parking garages fill up by 9-9:30am, and the worst time to leave campus at the end of day is between the peak hours of 5:00pm and 6:00pm. Plan accordingly and learn as much as you can so that you can make the most of your day.
4. Stay focused, you can do it!
Being a commuting student can be difficult and stressful. Always keep your goals and responsibilities in mind, but don’t forget to take care of yourself. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself after taking a difficult exam or finishing a hard day’s work. You may not have some of the advantages that come with living on campus, but that doesn’t mean you cannot be successful or not have a good college experience. As the popular saying goes, what you get out of college is what you put into it. Keep your eyes focused on what you want to achieve, work hard and work smart, and you will find that you can succeed no matter what!
(Photo credit 1)