It's standard. It's expected. It's the way things are done.
You graduate high school, you have one last summer at home, and then you pack up and move to college.
But that isn't the reality for a lot of people. Some people attend their local community colleges for the first couple years, some people don't start college for a while, and others commute to university instead of living there.
Many of my friends and I, fall into that very last category. I began college the fall after graduating high school, like most people, but was definitely not in the majority when I chose to stay at home instead of move on campus. My university is a 20-25 minute drive from my house, and I just didn't see the point in packing up and "moving out" like I was going across the country.
So I stayed put, until trying campus life the spring semester of my junior year. It went pretty well, but I decided to live my senior year at home, and that's where I'm currently sitting writing this article. I'm in my bed, with my fuzzy Christmas reindeer socks on, with my M&M blanket that I bought in Vegas this past summer draped over me.
Commuting as a college student is both good and bad, just like living on campus is. Just like everything in life is, really. But for those who want to know more, these are the perks of commuting in college.
1. You properly jam out every morning on your commute to school.
The most fun aspect of commuting while in college? The commuting itself. I put on my sunglasses and my favorite playlist and jam all the way down the I-17. It's a good time.
2. You're all cute and commute-y with your Blender Bottle or iced coffee on the way to class.
Honestly, it's a right of passage as a commuter to walk into class or work with your chic Starbucks venti something-whatever that you picked up on the way in or your healthier Blender Bottle option straight from home.
3. You save thousands and thousands of moola.
Perhaps the biggest perk to living at home during college: the money saving. It's no secret that living on campus is a huge expense, with board plus meal plans being a required purchase. The financial statements from the semester I lived on campus compared to the other ones from my commuting semesters were a huge wakeup call.
4. You get to see and cuddle your pup every day.
LITERALLY LOOK AT MY GORGEOUS PUP! How I survived going a whole week without seeing him every week, I have no idea.
5. You might be more involved than an on-campus student.
It sounds insane, but I really think I'm more committed to being involved on campus than most of my on-campus friends. I was lazier when living on campus, and most of the time I would rather chill on my couch dorm or nap than go to a game when it was just a two-minute walk.
Now that events are a 20-minute commute, I make an effort to go and had perfect attendance for the entire basketball season when many of my on-campus friends only made it to three games.
6. Your diet is healthier and more varied.
I gained my freshmen fifteen my spring semester of my junior year living on campus, which of course was just fantastic. I'm still working on losing it. Chick-fil-A on a daily basis does that to ya.
7. You get to be bra-free and naked whenever you want.
NEED I SAY MORE?
8. You have alone time. Real, actual alone time.
Yeah, having alone time is kinda possible on campus, but there's always someone around at any given time. Whether it's your suitemates or just loud and annoying people chattering down the hall, quiet 'me' time isn't really quiet.
9. You have your own room and can decorate it however you want.
This is so important. Who doesn't love NOT having to share their space? Nothing I do while living at home has to sync with someone else's taste or wishes. It's good stuff.
10. You don't have to worry about packing up your whole dorm or apartment the week of finals and graduation.
This is really such a perk. Seeing grads on graduation day rush from their dorms not fully packed yet to the arena to graduate and then back was so sad last spring. I did not envy them and am so glad I am avoiding that huge stress myself.
11. Commuting is a vibe.
Yes, it has its moments that are hard and stressful, but if I were to go back and change anything about my college experience, commuting for the majority of my four years would not be one of them.
