Commuter life, it's not anyone's ideal plan when they start applying to college. In the minds of most, if not all, high school seniors the plan is to get out of the place they grew up in. Despite this goal / plan you originally formulated in the fall you find yourself a commuter student. As a commuter your life functions entirely different than residents, and these are some of the things I've learned in my first month as a commuter student.

1. Five Minutes Does Make A Difference

As a commuter five minutes can be the difference between getting to class on time and being an hour late. If you are five minutes early to the university, you are doing a victory dance in your head as you walk down the halls. If you are five minutes late, you are shoving your school ID in the face of the security guard as you run by.

2. Afternoon Classes Are The Best

God bless whoever came up with the idea of afternoon classes. As a commuter, no day is better than the day/s you have afternoon classes. You get to wake up late, take your time getting ready, and drink Starbucks. On top of that, you aren’t the human embodiment of the Grinch when you get to campus.

3. You Still Make Friends Even Though You Aren't Living In The Dorms

Yes. I know it’s actually possible, who knew? When you get to college you realize that everyone is really nice, and it’s not that hard to just start up a conversation with the person sitting next to you. So even though you don’t dorm you do still get to have friends. Spread the word guys, because no one really understands this one.

4. When You Get On The Subway: Move Into The Sides

This one only applies to city commuters. After a couple rides on the subway, you realize that everyone tries to condense themselves into the middle of the train by the doors, while the rest of the subway lots of room. If you stand in the middle and you’re a small human, like me, you can literally drown in the people. Everyone is way too close and it's not a comfortable feeling, so honestly do yourselves a favor and move to the sides.

5. Coffee Is Life

This one is pretty self explanatory

6. Yes, You Have To Take Everything

After you’ve hauled all your school supplies, your laptop, and everything else back and forth a couple of times, you want to leave some of it at home. So you start thinking of cheat methods and come up with reasons for why you really don’t need to take your textbook to school. It sucks to say, but you do need to bring all that to school, and you’ll realize that when you get a bunch of assignments that require the stuff you left at home. Yes it sucks, yes it's brutal, but you gotta bring everything with you back and forth. Every. Single. Day.

7. You Can Get A LOT Done On The Commute

No matter if you have a 15 minute commute or over an hour commute like me, commuting is a great time to get stuff done. I can’t tell you that amount of math packets and textbook readings I’ve gotten done on the train. Don’t think because you have a small commute that you don’t have the time to do some homework, you may not finish but you’re closer to finishing, and if you do then it’s one less thing you gotta do.

8. The Library Isn't Actually That Bad

In high school I rarely went to the library in fact the thought of me in the library to do work would be pretty funny to anyone who knows me. In college that all changed, mainly because I live over an hour away from my school. The library has become a sanctuary where I am ensured to get things done. There is something about being around the books and the productivity of those around you that makes you work without temptation of distraction. If you live close to your school you may not need to do this, but if you live far you know that by the time you get home you’re too tired to do your homework. So the library is not an option.

9. You Need Time To Breathe

Let me say it louder, YOU NEED TIME TO BREATHE! When you first start college, you get into this mode of go go go. Your life is literally running from one location to the next: class to clubs, clubs to the library, library to public transportation, public transportation to your house your house to work etc. At first you barely feel it and everything is exciting because it’s the beginning, but then it sinks in. You’re tired, like really really tired, and changes must be made. You have to schedule your time more or maybe you have to change your work hours, maybe you even have to drop a class. This comes with the realization that you are not superman/ superwoman, and you need time to relax and recharge.

10. You Aren't Going To Be Able To Do Everything You Want

You don’t live on campus, so although you have almost the same opportunities as the residents, you’re not on campus always. This means you probably won’t be able to do all the events you’re so keen to do at the beginning of the year. As the weeks go on the evening events suddenly become too late, and you are too swamped with homework to be a part of all the clubs you originally planned to be in. Don’t be sad though because the clubs you really want to be a part of you won’t give up, and the activities you really want to go to you will go to. So it’s really more sorting out what you absolutely can not miss and what you don’t really care about.

11. You Have To Schedule Everything

You literally have to schedule social time, if that shows you how much scheduling must be done. Now that you’re a college student you have a lot on your plate just like everyone else, but yours is topped off with the commute. Your life becomes a very scheduled and planned out series of tasks. It’s so packed with school, work, and extracurricular responsibilities that you have to schedule time to hang out with friends, and usually it's a set limited time.

12. It's Honestly Not That Bad

There's such a stigma around commuting to college but as someone with a long commute: IT'S NOT THAT BAD GUYS! There are a lot of pluses. For example, if you’re an introverted extrovert like me you don’t have to constantly be socializing the way you would have to in a dorm. You get to see your family and the best thing: YOU GET TO KEEP YOUR BED! I love my bed and from my experience at overnight orientation dorm beds are not comfortable at all! So although commuting is at times a major pain, it’s honestly not the worst thing in the world.