Attending college is exhilarating.

We have this perception about how college is through different forms of media like movies, television shows, and recently, social networking sites. Many people believe that in order to enjoy the full college experience, you need to shell out thousands of dollars to live on campus. However, that is not always the case. Many state and private schools accept commuters. Deciding to live on campus can make your college experience a bit cheaper. Commuting to college has numerous benefits, but it does require a lot of work in the long run.

My main issue with commuting to classes is having to pre-plan out my schedule far in advance. This means making sure I'm up in time and ready to learn.

This can be stressful if I did not get enough sleep the night before. In many cases, making it to an 8 AM class on time becomes a mundane task and can ruin your whole mood for the day. If you do not choose your classes and timing wisely, you will begin to feel like your whole life is a boring routine. Unlike your classmates who can wake up 10 minutes before class and walk there, you really need to prepare accordingly. My suggestion is to pack your bag the night before with all of your homework, books, and agenda. One important thing to remember about college is that your professors expect you to be there on time and technically 8:01 is late in their eyes.

A major benefit to commuting is the amount of money you will save. Most tuition doubles when you live on campus. If you think about it, your lives are in the hands of the administrators and they want to make sure they get their money's worth. On top of just room and board, expenses you will need to pay for include a meal plan, books, and healthcare services. One major reason why I decided to commute is also the size of the dorms.

Personally, I like to have a lot of space for myself and I could not imagine sharing a 30x30 room with someone I barely know. I don't think it's right that the colleges have you pay so much money just to share a little dorm the size of a closet. Sadly, there are many cases where commuting is not an option. It would not be logical to commute to a college an hour and a half away. If you have a dream school in mind and it's very far from home, living on campus may be your only option.

If you do choose to commute, just remember that if you want to build strong friendships, you will need to put yourself out there more than usual. People who live on campus have it a little easier in the friends department because they are so close together. How could you not make friends when there are a hundred people in your building?

It's so easy to recluse into your shell and simply go to and from classes, but I think it's important to seek out people and join your community. This might sound a bit cliche` but JOIN CLUBS. The best way to make friends as a commuter is to seek out a club you might enjoy and attend a meeting. If you hate it, move on, but make sure you are always trying something new. Do not allow the cycle of college to bring you down, go out there and be the best you can be.