For many, college is a time in which they can at last move out of the house and into a dorm, finally gaining their long awaited independence from Mom and Dad. For others, however, it isn't. As you probably know, some students choose to either live at home, or somewhere else off campus, and commute to school for classes. For these students, both new advantages and challenges arise. One thing commuters must learn to adjust to is a greater sense of time and organization than that which a student on campus would necessarily have. Campus students have the advantage of being relatively close to their classes, while commuters can live up to two or three hours away. This means they must use their allotted time more effectively. If your commute allows it, make sure you do something school related while you travel (if you can). This will buy you back some of the valuable time you waste moving from place to place. Commuters must also learn to plan their schedules around not only the average commuting time, but the abnormalities that could arise on the trip. Because they lose time traveling, commuters must adapt to being more efficient once they get home. They must make sure they're constantly aware of the time and how it's being spent. Since commuters usually cannot realistically go home if they forget something, they must be more responsible with what they bring along with them to school. Forgetting a paper at home can be catastrophic to a commuter. Depending on the commuter's route, there may also be safety precautions that he or she must take. If your college is in a bad neighborhood, you probably don't want to be leaving the campus too late. One resource that can be invaluable to a commuter is a dorming buddy whom he/she can count on to stay over a night or two. If you're a commuter, do yourself and cultivate one of these relationships. There will most certainly be times when you want to stick around for something on campus that is taking place late at night, and you probably won't want to commute home after it. As a commuter, it is important you use all your time spent on campus effectively. In between classes, make sure to make an attempt at getting some school work/studying done. A commuter also sometimes has a greater need for on campus facilities than dormers do. Make good use of the library (for reference and a quiet place to study), gym (if time permits), and computer labs (if you don't have a laptop, which, by the way, you definitely should as a commuter). If you're a commuter, you must also try harder to make social connections on campus. Extracurricular activities are crucial for commuters, because other than classes and parties, they'll be the only places you can comfortably connect with other people. Just remember, commuting doesn't have to be a negative aspect of the college experience.
