Commuter students. The struggle is so real sometimes. This is my first semester commuting and while I enjoy it most of the time, there are times when commuting is the worst. Here are inevitable truths that all commuters know to be true.
1. The one day you didn't check your email - class is canceled and you put on pants and drove in for nothing.
2. When your school doesn't have a commuter lounge and you begin to feel awkward sitting in all of the same places.
3. Eventually your professors will get tired of you hiding in their office - even though they say that 'It's cool.'
4. When you aren't able to schedule your classes all back to back and you have to find something to do to occupy your time. (because doing homework makes too much sense.)
5. When you feel a bit lonely because no one around you understands the commuter struggle.
6. You have a local restaurant you frequent when you are tired of awkwardly hanging around campus or are forced to stay for an evening activity. They know your face and your order when you walk in.
7. You fuel your car with prayers when the gas light turns on and it hasn't even been a week and a half yet.
8. You've been known to nap in some interesting places from the library, to your car, to the local McDonalds and you feel no shame about it.
9. Somehow you feel more mature than the other students around you just because you are a commuter...maybe it is the daily drive, who knows?
10. Your car is almost always a mess because you live out of it from Monday - Friday. #noshame
11. It can be hard to make new friends. (especially when most of yours have graduated)
12. You aren't really involved in campus nightlife if you want any chance of sleeping.
13. You are the master of making it to campus with a scant 10 minutes of 'life-happens' room. #winning
14. If you happen to oversleep class is just not happening that day.
15. You keep ramen and easy mac cups in your trunk in case you aren't feeling making a lunch that morning.
16. You keep a change of clothes for every possible weather change in your car because you made the mistake of wearing shorts on a warm morning once and you never forgot the frostbite.
17. If you happened to get stranded on the side of the road you could live in your car comfortable for a few days.
18. You keep a pillow and blankets in your car.
19. You've considered getting one of those weird car air mattresses.
20. Some days you feel like you spend more time on the road than in the classroom.
21. When a teacher lets you out early you just get frustrated that you came and didn't even get a full class of learning out of it while everyone else is excited.
22. You are more likely to take summer classes which means you will graduate on time or early, but at the same time you feel like you are in school year-round (because you are).
23. Your windshield makes you look like a bug serial killer no matter how often you clean it. (especially if you have any night classes)
24. If you forget something at home your day is ruined.
25. When all the commuter parking lots are taken by non-commuters (your parking stickers are a different color guys!) you begin to (half) seriously consider murder.
Being a commuter has its ups and downs, but overall I wouldn't change it for the world. You do what you have to do to get through your college years with the minimal amount of student loans and if commuting helps with that then go for it!
