First time commuting to or from campus? Here is your Go-to Guide to all things commuter. As someone going into their third year of commuting, I feel qualified enough to give some tips and tricks to make this transition as seamless as possible for you. This guide is based on the many challenges that I, and my fellow commuters, have experienced, and hope to share some helpful advice!
Am I going to make any friends?
This question haunts commuters, specifically incoming freshman and transfer students who are new to campus. The number one concern most students seem to have revolves around their fear of not making any friends, and as a commuter, it can sound even more daunting. However, I guarantee you, you will make friends! Although it may be a bit more difficult since you are not on campus 24/7, there are plenty of opportunities to meet and connect with new people. Participating in Welcome Week is a great first step into meeting people, as well as orientation, classes and clubs. I met one of my best friends during orientation for our major, and two of my closest friends in a random sociology class during our fall term of freshman year. I am a firm believer that the people you are meant to meet will come into your life one way or another, so do not stress!
I have so much time in between my classes, where should I go?
As a commuter, there can be many long gaps between your classes with nowhere to go, especially if you are a freshman who is not in control of creating your schedule. Not to worry! Thankfully Drexel is a pretty big campus so there are plenty of places to sit down and relax. If you want to sit down, get some work done or even close your eyes, there are a couple of places you can visit such as PISB and Korman. If you prefer to enjoy the weather and sit outside, you can visit the volleyball benches, race lawn, Drexel Park, Lancaster Walk, Paines Skating Park, Schuylkill River, Cira Green and much more! If you have time and energy, I would suggest taking a trip to Center City with friends and exploring. You can take the SEPTA or the campus shuttle bus! And if you do not feel like lugging a bookbag all around the city, bring a lock and leave it in the gym lockers. If you are feeling hungry there are plenty of dining options on and off campus, make sure to check out food truck alley. But I would suggest packing a lunch occasionally because eating out can get expensive fast.
I’m worried I’ll be late to class.
As someone who hates walking into class late, as a commuter, it’s inevitable. Sometimes there are things beyond your control and all of a sudden it’s 8:45 am at the train station and you’re frantically emailing your professor that you will be late to your 9 am. However, there are a couple of things I would do to ensure that this is rarely the case. My tip? Double your commute time. If your commute is roughly 30 minutes, leave the house an hour in advance as a buffer. Public transportation can be very unreliable at times, and you cannot always depend on the schedule that is shown, always factor for delays! If you are driving to campus, you must consider traffic and parking. I highly suggest leaving the house earlier than you need to, especially the first couple of weeks, to establish a routine and see what works best for you.
As someone who has successfully navigated commuting to campus for years, junior biology major Anum Hassan shares some insight regarding her experiences.
When asked about maintaining a work-life balance as a commuter, Hassan claims, “I’ve had days where I’ve had a final at 8 p.m. and another one at 8 a.m. the next morning, and I’ll always lose some time for studying when commuting. So what I do is study in the car or train, and always leave my house 15 minutes earlier than any normal school day to be extra wary of delays so I’m not late for my exam.”
Hassan recounts feeling disconnected from campus life her freshman year, “Students living on campus get to see a different aspect of college and experience things like dorming and staying out very late for events, but I don’t think I care anymore partially because I don’t have as much time lately to go out. But I definitely put myself out there by staying late when meeting up with friends or attending random campus events once I realized I was limiting myself. It helped that I had friends trying new things with me and exploring Philly. For social life, a lot of my friends live on campus so they know most people, and it’s easy to quickly make connections, have people to go to fun spots in the city with, and try out new clubs so I don’t think I’m missing out on much anymore.”
Do not forget to take care of yourself!
Commuting is hard, and can even take a toll on someone mentally and physically. You can spend up to 8-10 hours on campus between classes and club meetings, and by the end of the day, you still have to commute all the way home. Waiting endlessly for the train, or using valuable time that you could use to study or decompress, to instead commute, can be draining. But, it is important to remember that commuting does not define your college experience, you do. Your experience is what you make of it. So, remember to take care of yourself, find a balance and make the most out of your time at Drexel.