1.) Parking is a bitch.
You would think that before a school decided to let in a ton of commuting students, they would ask themselves "do we have enough parking spaces for each student". But no, that would make too much sense. You're forced to: get to class super early just to find a spot, park a mile + away from your building because that's the only spot left, or miss class because you can't find a spot anywhere. You'd think that with the price of parking passes (and tuition) you would be able to find a reasonable place to park.
2.) Everyone's gonna ask "why?"
Some people commute for financial reasons, some commute in order to work while going to school, and some people (like me) just didn't want to live at school. Whatever the reason you decided to commute was, people will pester you to find out why. It's frustrating to have to repeat the same story over and over again, but it's important to understand that these people aren't judging you, they're just curious- as that's OK.
3.)Keep and umbrella, and a change of clothes in your car.
I can't stress this enough!!! In New Jersey, the weather changes in a blink of an eye. You could come to class in sweatpants and a hoodie and by the time you leave you're ready to jump in the ocean it's so hot. The same thing goes for rain, there is nothing worse than a sudden downpour while you're on the way to your car. When you commute, you don't have the luxury of running to your dorm to change, so it's better to be safe than sorry and keep clothes and an umbrella in your car in case of emergency.
4.) Getting involved is tough.
I'm not gonna lie to you, it's hard to be present on campus life as a commuter. You're typically the last to know about on campus events- seeing as you don't have an RA or roommate to tell you whats going around at school. Especially if you were used to being super involved in high school, it's definitely an adjustment. But, if you make an effort, and stay up to date with events and activities, it's a great way to meet people besides your classmates.
5.) It can be super tiring.
Nothing is worse than waking up at 6 a.m. to leave at 7 a.m. for your 8 a.m. lecture. If you're lucky and only have class twice a week, you're still at school for potentially 8 hours on those days. It takes a lot out of you. Make sure to prioritize sleep, especially on those days where you have to drive to school early. No one wants to drive when they're drained and tired.
6.) No one will judge you if you eat, sleep, or watch Netflix in your car between classes.
It's tough to be a commuter with down time between classes- especially if it's not worth it to drive home in between. When you don't have a dorm room to go back to, and you either don't have homework or don't want to do homework- what are you supposed to do? Your car is basically a mobile dorm room. I've seen plenty of people go to their car in between classes, pull a blanket, pillow, and lunchbox out of their trunk, and nap in their backseat. It's totally normal, and a really good idea tbh.
7.) If you tell your professor that you're a commuter, they'll be more lenient with your lates, and even your absences.
Traffic sucks, and sometimes, no matter how early you leave, you can't beat it. I've been in situations where I had to miss class because the highway was backed up for miles. Professors understand that shit happens. As long as you don't abuse their kindness, they'll cut you a break if you let them know that you had traffic or car issues which prevented you from being on time or going to class.
8.) The college experience is bullshit.
This is so important to realize especially as a commuter. You made the choice that made sense for you, that is YOUR college experience. Just because you don't live in a dorm does not mean you aren't having the "best years of your life". You can still have so much fun as a commuter, and you can have YOUR version of the college experience. Don't let some stupid stereotype make you feel bad about your decision.
9.) However... you will have FOMO from time to time.
Am I making the right decision? That question has crossed my mind so many times since i decided to commute. I'd be lying if I said i didn't get a little bummed when I see my friends going out for Thirsty Thursday while i'm at home in my childhood bedroom. But as you make more friends you can stay at their dorms and go to parties on weekends, all while having the comfort of home to return to after the parties are over.
10.) You're making a great financial decision.
Money isn't everything, i'll be the first person to tell you that. But it does make me very happy to see how little my bill each semester is compared to that of my residential student friends. I'll be coming out of college with a degree, and minimal debt because i decided to just take a 20 minute drive a few times a week. Trust me, your future adult self will thank you when they aren't drowning in debt.
