I am a transfer student at Uconn in my junior year. I started at a private school that I thought would be my pathway but instead, it drained my finances leaving me 65,000 in debt over a span of only four semesters. On top of the finances, I was unhappy in my environment and realized that there wasn't even a program for what I wanted to do with my life. I was a communications major who wanted to be a journalist and at that school there just wasn't a place for my passion. This is one of the many things that led me to realize I actually love being at home with my family as crazy as that may sound to some. This is when I had come to the conclusion that commuting was the right choice.

I live in New Haven County leaving me with an hour commute every morning. Unlike many, I do not have any problem with it because first and foremost I'm saving a lot of money in student loan debt. Another reason is that I think it will help me to become a flexible employee in the future. This will also give me an opportunity to gain more driving experience and become more independent. Now, you must be thinking I'm completely crazy. I swear my hearts in the right place and I'm not being naive. I know it won't always be an easy thing to be doing but for me, it will be so worth it in the long run.

Room and board is a hefty price to pay, especially when you're like me and you don't like all the partying and loudness of a dorm life. When I was living away from home I was constantly missing my own bed and just the vibe of being home. I'm overall happier when I'm home and surrounded by people who care about me. The whole college experience doesn't have to be living in a dorm or joining a sorority. Sometimes it's just making friends and studying what you love. For me, college is my time to study and figure out how to use my passion as a full-fledged career. I love the vibes of a college campus and walking around seeing both people you see every day and maybe haven't seen a day in your life, but I like the idea of going home in my own bed afterward.

The other point I wanted to bring to attention is that doing this "Crazy" thing is going to give me so much emotional and physical growth. If you think about it, you don't always get lucky with a job 20-30 minutes away from home. Sometimes its a 45-60 minute commute for your desired job. Would you decline your dream job if it meant a commute over an hour? I know I wouldn't. Learning how to cope with a long commute now will help prepare me for what I might need to do for my career in the future. Commuting to school also forces me to start my day early and increase my daily productivity. Since I've only been driving around a year this experience will help me become a better driver and help me drive more confidently! In the end, for me commuting an hour has way more pros than cons. I'm going to the school that has everything I could ask for and I will love it just as much as an on-campus student does.