My first semester in college I was a normal freshman. I lived in the dorms at SUNY Brockport and it was the worst 3 months of my life. I hated the food, the bathrooms, my roommate, and living 2 hours away from home and my boyfriend. Even though I was miserable, I thought I could push through and do it for the rest of my college career. Then, I made a decision to change colleges and possibly commute. Long story short, I transferred to Fredonia and started commuting to college, an hour drive each way. People thought I was crazy, but I came to find out that this was the best decision I have ever made. This is why commuting is better than living on campus as told from someone who has done both.
1. You have more privacy.
You no longer have to sit in a stall next to someone else as you are going to the bathroom every single time you need to go. That inconsiderate roommate who never cleans will not be a worry of yours anymore.
2. It's less expensive.
Room and board accounts for the majority of each semester's bill. Tuition alone is way cheaper, especially if you go to a SUNY school.Even with the extra expense of gas, it is still less expensive to commute. Also, you can rely on your parents to buy groceries and your wallet thanks you.
3. You get alone time in the car.
In total, I drive 2 hours each day I go to school. I get time to relax, think, and most importantly jam out to some awesome music. This gives you a solid amount of time to stop thinking about school and the massive amount of work you have.
4. You get more homework done during the day.
I only go to school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and have multiple breaks during the day. I don't have a dorm to go back to, so instead I do homework. I rarely have homework to do the rest of the week which is an added bonus.
5. You don't have to worry about transporting all your stuff.
No, you don't need to pack a bag to go home for the weekend. And no, you don't have to pack your car full of all your things every semester just to move back and forth from home.
6. You can spend more time with family.
For me, family has always been a very important part of my life, even when they annoy me. Family has always been more important to me than any friend could be. Being able to spend more time with them is definitely a perk.
7. You get to see your dog more.
That's self-explanatory.
Commuting to college was just what I needed and I couldn't be happier with how things turned out. You should never rule out commuting based on driving time because you never know how much more you'll enjoy it compared to dorm living. Dorm life never felt like home to me, but now I am home.
