A Commuter's Guide to Survival in College

It was the first week of college, and I was doing great. I had met a few nice people, and we were talking among each other before class. Then came the inevitable question: “Which dorm do you live in?” I reply sheepishly that I live in Brooklyn, at home. And suddenly everyone is talking about their dorms and I quickly find myself being excluded from the conversation. Being a commuter in college is not always east, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare.

The first step to happy commuting is to move out. If you can’t get your own place, at least get your own room. Chances are, over 17 years of living with your parents and/or siblings was enough for you. You need to be able to have your all-nighter cram sessions in peace. 

Since you are not simply walking from a dorm to your class, you need to take into account complications and delays that are inevitable when you’re taking the train or bus (or even driving). Accidents and malfunctions happen, and traffic is almost a way of live – both on the roads and on the tracks. Leave home at least 10 minutes before you need to, just in case. Make sure you know more than one way to get to class (especially if you take the B train…). It also helps to inform the professor or instructor of your first class that you commute in the beginning of the semester – that way, they are bound to be more understanding if you’re ever late to class because of a delay along your commute.

As for the matter of your bruised social life - your college most  likely has a group or a department that deals with commuter issues and holds meetings and events for people like you. Here you can get to know fellow commuters, find people who will understand your complaints about that unreliable B train, and maybe even be treated (bribed) with free food. You might find someone who you can take the train with every morning or after classes. Having a companion on the way to school can make the day (and year) pass quicker and much more pleasantly.