If you dorm at college, you know that being independent is a must from the moment your parents leave you on move-in day. If you commute to school, you understand that you need to be even more independent. I have had the "opportunity" to be in both situations and they have each taught me so much. There are different pros and cons of being on campus 24/7 and being able to commute while living in New York City.
Dorms vs. Home- Social Life
As soon as you finish moving your things into your dorm room, you are basically forced to interact with neighbors on the common floor. It's not a bad thing, since these are the people who will become your potential friends away from home. Over time, these friends who were once strangers can introduce you to other people they've met, and vice-versa. As a commuter student, you quickly realize that you will only formally meet people in classes and by joining clubs. If you travel to classes, allowing time to socialize is crucial if you wish to have a memorable college experience. There is a wide variety of interesting clubs to join depending on your interests.
Dorms vs. Home - Getting Work DONE
From personal opinion, the library is the LAST place I want to be as a commuter. I avoid it at all costs because it is full of people trying to print out papers last minute or racing you to the next available computer. As a commuter, you are barely home if you work on the side, so university printers and desks are efficient. Now, on the flip side of dorming at school, the library was much more peaceful. The dorm room desks aren't all that spacious and you need a break from the room every now and then. The library while dorming is a peaceful way to study because everyone has their own thing going on. At a commuter school you will notice that a lot of students just use it as a place to nap or catch up while "studying."
Learning to be independent as either a commuter or resident student is very similar but so different all at once.
As a commuter, you need to learn how to wake yourself up with enough time to get ready and travel to class. You have to go home, go to school, back home, and sometimes back to school for club events or advisement meetings. If you work, it is vital that you have a planner and learn time management if you have not already done so. Without it, your day can go from great to terrible in two seconds.
As a resident student, your room is at most ten minutes away from your classroom. You can wake up and go to bed in pajamas -- though you should shower and look presentable. Your nasty dining hall food is a few floors below you and you can go visit your friend in the residence hall twenty feet away from yours. You need to be independent or else you may notice a pattern in thinking you can leave everything to the last minute.
Either way, being a student is an opportunity that should never be taken for granted, no matter the circumstances. Make it work whether you commute or dorm, and make adjustments to make your college experience one that you are proud of.
