College was never a goal for me. It wasn't in my plans, it was never a dream, and it's still so surreal that I'm half way through my junior year. Making the decision to go to college is a huge step for anyone to go through and there are so many factors to consider. For me, the most important factor was location.
As someone who started the college game a little late, the idea of living on campus or in a dorm was a little weird to me. I felt like I was too old for that. It was important for me to find a school that I could drive to, that also wouldn't require me to be in the car for hours each day. I don't regret my decision to start school late, but I do think about how fun it could have been to get to experience college living.
I went to community college for three years before graduating with my associates degree. Community colleges are meant for commuters so there was always traffic and issues finding a parking spot. I never really made any friends there because we all went to class and then went home. The only friends I did make were because I played on the softball team. However, it all felt normal. I never felt the need to get to know people, I never felt left out. I went to school and I went home and I did that every day.
I now attend a university (that I absolutely love) and I am about to start my second semester there. Not only am I a commuter student, but I am also a transfer student. I'll never forget that first month and how absolutely terrified I was. I was scared to talk to people, I was always lost, I kept to myself, and always felt out of place. I was too scared to even stand up to throw trash away in front of people. I spent a lot of time sitting alone or leaving campus to get lunch and not going back until class was about to start.
Everyone around me talked about campus life and the fun clubs and things to do each week. I live and also work 30 minutes away from school so I never participate in any of the events. It wasn't until about a month into the semester that I finally started to open up and get over my fear. By the end of the semester I managed to collect a small group of friends that I talked to daily and spent some time with. I even planned and signed up for classes with some of the people I got close with!
Although life a commuter is very different, I probably wouldn't change my decision. I still get to see my family each day when I get home, I get to spend time with my grandparents each week, and I never have to plan visits with friends. I didn't have to leave my job or find a new job in a new town. Sure, I sit in traffic every day and put way too many miles on my car, but I still have my own room and I'm not stuck on campus without a car.
I'm definitely not knocking campus life, I know that it is probably a blast and that it's much easier to make long lasting friendships. I know that I'll never get the chance to be assigned a roommate, and I'll never live in a dorm where I'll become best friends with all of the girls on my floor. But I do have a home cooked meal every night and a place to do my laundry that doesn't require me to walk up and down flights of stairs with my underwear in a basket. For me commuter life was cheaper and better for my lifestyle in the long run. I would have had to make so many changes to my life in order to live at a university.
Maybe I'm that girl that will never leave her hometown and learn to live on my own until after graduation. Maybe I'm missing out by choosing to commute every day rather than waking up and walking to class. But I know that I saved a lot of money and I'm much less stressed by getting to come home to my parents each night after a long day.
When it comes to making your college decisions, make sure you look at all the factors to decide what is best for you. Neither option is right or wrong, it all comes down to what will benefit you in the long run. Commuter life can be a little awkward, but there are so many great things about it and I am so thankful that this is the path I decided to take.
