1. If you don’t try to get involved you won’t be.

When you don’t live on campus you do miss out on things. Even if it’s just late night food runs with friends, there are a lot of shared experiences that you won’t have. As a commuter, you have to make a conscious effort to be a part of campus life. Attending events and getting involved in clubs is a really good way to do this. Getting a job on campus is also good. On-campus jobs are pretty flexible so it’s easy to work before or after classes.

2. Parking and walking is a struggle.

Every commuter understands the struggle of parking in the commuter lot and walking all the way to the building where your class is located. Some days it’s hard to find a parking spot. Sometimes it’s raining, snowing or just cold. Either way, you’re walking. (At least to the shuttle). I also would like to say that I have a personal goal of never riding the shuttle as long as I am in school. So far, so good. Call me a legend if you want.

3. Traffic is unpredictable.

Depending on traffic you can either be early for your classes or very late. As a commuter, I have gotten really good at knowing how to time my drive to make sure I get there right on time. Leaving at 7:35 for my eight o’clock class will be okay. Leaving at 7:40 will not.

4. Good wifi is not something to take for granted.

Sometimes the wifi on campus doesn’t work at all. In these instances, it’s really nice to be able to come home to a fast connection and do homework… or stream Netflix.

5. You can leave campus whenever you want to.

This is especially nice in my opinion. People can get pretty annoying if you spend all your time with them. Being able to come home and have a break is awesome. Also, shoutout to the friends that let me spend the night with them on campus. Really, I have the best of both worlds.

6. Appreciate that you don’t have to eat caf food all the time.

Variety is the spice of life. Only eating one meal a day in the caf means getting to have different options at home too. Want breakfast for dinner? You can do that when you live off campus. Also, if caf food is especially bad one day, no problem. Just go home.

7. You get way more homework done at school than you do at home.

There’s something about being on campus that makes me more productive. Staying later on campus to finish assignments definitely helps me to stay on top of homework. Being home means relaxing and de-stressing. This is probably my favorite thing about living off campus. I can leave work and school on campus. I also get to use my time at home to catch up with my family.

8. You have to be intentional with your family.

Since I’m gone so much, it’s easy to feel like a stranger in my own house. I miss dinnertime conversations, things that break around the house, and my sibling’s life events. You have to put forth a conscious effort to still be involved with the lives of your family members. Despite this, it makes me more appreciative of the time that we can spend together when we are able to. Being able to come home and complain to my family after a rough day at school is a real blessing.

Here they are. Nine things I have learned as a non-resident at my college. Although commuting has it’s own challenges, there are also advantages. So next time you want a home- cooked meal, just reach out to your favorite commuter with a family. The commuter life isn’t all bad.