For commuter students, school and social life routines are completely different than an on-campus student’s. Here are some typical commuter probs that only my fellow commuters will understand!
1. Getting mad at students who say they are commuters when they are “off-campus residents.” There is a BIG difference in our eyes. Yes, they may have to drive over to campus, but living 2 minutes vs. 20 from campus is a completely different situation.
2. Being scared of the Commuter Lounge. There are two types of commuters in this world, the adventurous and those who “keep to themselves.” The CLC is a great place to go hang out between classes and to meet new people. But if all you want to do is work on your homework in peace and quiet… you’ll probably end up in the library… alone.
3. The morning commute. East, West, North, South, we all hate the treacherous words rush hour. Commuters know the real struggle of an 8:00 a.m. class better than most. Not only do we have to be at school by 8 a.m., but that also means waking up and leaving an extra hour early to beat the morning commute. So, next time you hit snooze to avoid walking the 2 minutes from the dorm to class, remember the commuter who has already been sitting in 30 minutes of traffic trying to get to that 8 a.m. calculus class on time so they’re not late, again.
4. Shhhh… It’s the library. But really though, be quiet because it’s where we sleep. If there isn’t a long enough gap to go home and you’re feeling a little draggy, why not take a nap? Whether it’s reclining the seat in your car or turning the chair towards the wall in the library, it’s easy to casually get some shut eye without making it obvious. Bet that makes your XL twin sound pretty cozy, doesn’t it?
5. Your car looks like a closet mixed with a bookstore. Those days when it’s cold in the morning and warmer in the afternoon leads you to changing outfits between classes, so you have to always have your car prepared. That also means your trunk is the sacred home for those heavy textbooks you don’t want to carry to every class.
6. Why aren’t the parking lots any closer? Remember when your parents used to jokingly say, “I had to walk to school uphill…BOTH WAYS!” Well, living in Cincinnati makes that feel like a reality; everywhere you look, there’s a hill.
7. When you need to change, you can easily turn the bathroom into your personal dressing room and vanity. Even though you get strange looks for hogging up the sink, it’s the only easy-access spot to plug in your curling iron! Or choice #2 is to put a blanket up to block the windows of your car or hope that nobody walks past as you causally strip and change into your next outfit.
8. There are more adventurous commuters who are highly involved and can meet others, but then there are also those who are not. This brings me to point #8… Nothing makes the day drag longer than just being lonely. You see others talking and having fun and you even try to talk to them but usually end up getting brushed off. So, in the end, you decide you’re better off just keeping to yourself since you can’t relate to much happening on campus.
9. You want to be involved, but with living away from school and having a part-time job, there’s just no time (or you’re just nervous you won’t meet anyone). It doesn’t help that most events or meetings are at night since that’s when most students don’t have class and can come. But when it comes down to staying on campus for 12 hours or going home to relax and get ready for the next day, choice two always seems better.
10. You never know what you’re going to need, so your backpack gets heavier and heavier for the “what-ifs” of spending a full day on campus. If you don’t want to spend extra money on your lunch, why not shove that in the side pocket?
11. Every time you meet someone in a class, you know that once the semester ends you’ll be back at square one looking for a new friend. Until you meet people in your major that you have multiple classes with, it’s an endless process.
12. Forgetting your textbook at home. Enough said… it’s not worth driving all the way home for that thing.
Commuter life is different for each student. If you’re laid-back and quiet, like me, it can be a little tough some days. Whether it’s being lonely since it’s harder to meet others, adding mileage to your car from all the driving, or spending hours wasting time for that 4 o’clock meeting on campus, we all have our struggles. In the end I wouldn’t change being a commuter – we can all stick together sleeping in our cars, going home to eat mama’s homemade food, and fighting through the rush-hour traffic together. But, to be fair, saving $12,000 a year isn’t too bad either. College life from a commuter’s perspective is truly original. If you don’t know many people, more than likely you won’t see or hear of activities going on in the dorms and parties off campus but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun!
We just all need to be thankful we have a place like HCXU to keep us in the loop for what’s happening on our campus!