Being a commuter student has its perks such as having a huge bed and no roommates. We also have well balanced meals from home. There is a number of aspects that make commuting enjoyable. However, we face daily struggles that leave us feeling like we should have lived on campus instead. If you are a commuter student, here are some well-known struggles:
1. Parking.
There's no worse way to start your day than by running late and then not finding a parking spot. We circle around campus a few times, hoping that someone is leaving campus and we can take their spot. Some days, we make our own parking spot and hope to not find a parking ticket on the windshield -- if we do manage to find a spot its in the middle of nowhere. By the time we actually get to class, we are completely out of breath.
2. Napping in the car.
It's not uncommon to be in the commuter lot and find students sleeping in their cars.
3. Breaks between classes.
There is nothing commuters hate worse than long breaks during the day. Turning around and going home isn’t an option. We just hope that our friends living on campus aren’t busy.
4. We live out of our backpacks.
As commuters, we don’t have time to stop to our dorms and drop off our textbooks. We put our textbooks and other essentials in to get through the whole day. Our back pain is real.
5. We dress well.
It’s not a secret that most commuters dress well. We put time and effort into our appearance without interrupting a roommate in the morning.
6. Waking up early.
There is nothing more annoying to a commuter than hearing a resident student complaining about their early class. Don’t even get me started on how early I have to wake up for class. Even the days we wake up earlier than needed, it seems we hit every red light or get stuck behind every person going below the speed limit.
7. Flaky professors.
Nothing gets us more irritated than driving to campus to find a class cancelled. My biggest pet peeve is professors who wait until the last minute to send an emailing canceling class.
8. Living at home.
Yes, we live at home with our parents and we still have rules. Yes, I have a curfew. Sometimes living with our parents can drive us crazy. Living at home has its perks though. I never eat bad -- my meals at home are much better than whatever the dinning hall is serving that night.
9."I can't, I have work."
No, I cannot go out with you Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. Most commuters have to work near home during the weekdays or the weekends.
10. Becoming friends with students that live on campus.
Being a commuter student can leave us feeling detached from our school. Making friends with people that live on campus is the best. You always have someone to eat with, or hang out on the campus green. They invite you out on the weekends and let you stay over. They try to get you involved on campus and make you feel included.
