They say you don't get the full college experience unless you live on campus. Maybe that's true, but commuting does have its perks, like home-cooked meals and a comfortable bed to sleep in (as opposed to those picket fence beds in the residence halls). But, like everything else in life, there are drawbacks. Here are 10 things that only commuters will understand. (And in case you're wondering, yes, most of them have to do with parking.)
1. Parking
Especially at William Paterson, if you have later classes, you're absolutely screwed when it comes to parking. Not only are there not enough spaces in the commuter parking lot (ironic since WP has more commuters than residents) but you're literally riding around for almost an hour trying to find a spot. Good luck dealing with those professors that don't accept the "there was no parking" excuse for being late to class.
2. Parking in inclement weather
It's even worse in rain or snow. In rain there are puddles everywhere and you have to watch out for those drivers who think the parking lot is a highway, or else get drenched from the water. Don't even get me started on snow — half the time the parking lot isn't even shoveled properly, which means less available space for parking. It's especially fun when you get caught mid-snowfall and come back to a car loaded with heaps of that slushy mixture that you have to brush off.
3. Having to take all 8 a.m. classes in order to get decent parking
Remember when they told you that you get to choose whatever schedule works for you in college? Commuters don't exactly have that option. If you want to get a remotely decent parking spot, you will most likely have to pick the earlier classes, which means getting up early and leaving the house early. Speaking of which...
4. Getting up early for classes
Residents are fortunate. They have the luxury of waking up half an hour before class starts, throwing on something to wear and still being able to make it to class five minutes before the professor arrives. Not commuters, though! We usually have to get up two hours before class starts to allow enough time to get ready, drive to school, and find parking before we even think about walking to class.
5. Not having anywhere to nap in between classes
Have a gap in between your classes? Feeling a bit sleepy? Oh well! You'd better find an open couch somewhere in the student center or library, because you sure as hell don't have a dorm you can go back to to catch a couple of z's. Don't forget your blanket!
6. Cancelled classes
This is every college kid's dream. In all honesty, it's mine as well, especially if it's a class that I'm totally not interested in. But when a professor decides to flake at the last minute and cancel class without warning, it's super frustrating for a commuter. Especially when you woke up two hours before class to get ready and rode around for almost an hour looking for a parking spot. All of your efforts have gone to waste. And since we're talking about waste...
7. Having to use the bathroom
And I'm not talking about number one, folks. I'm talking about number two. As a commuter, you can't exactly go back to your dorm and do your business. And going back home would not only be inconvenient (especially if you live 30 minutes away), but it would also mean the loss of your decent parking spot that you woke up so early for. So you're forced to suck it up and use a public restroom to do number two. (See my article "25 Things I Hate About Public Restrooms" for more info as to why this is a problem).
8. The sign-in process in the residence halls
If you have a lot of friends that dorm, like I do, then you'll probably know that the sign in process for guests is really annoying. You have to hand in your student ID, and then your host has to pretty much sign their life away to let you in. You're also not allowed to enter the building without a resident signing you in, and you must be accompanied by your host at all times. (Don't even get me started on overnight guest forms.)
9. Gas prices
Residents don't really have to worry about gas prices since they pretty much walk everywhere. But us commuters use up a lot of gas going back and forth to school. We panic when we see the gas prices rising, because that means our hard-earned money is going toward gas rather than something we actually want, like a new pair of shoes or a night out to dinner with friends.
10. Having little to no friends
I don't really have this problem, but I have heard fellow commuters complaining about it being tough to make friends since they don't live on campus. I can sort of understand, since commuters usually spend more time at home. The solution to this problem is joining a club or two. That's what I did and I've made even more friends that way.
