One Student's Perspective

For many, college is a time to get away from home and be on your own. For a few, college is not a very big change because they never leave home. For these, few the college world is very different and difficult. Some try to move on campus right away, others will live out their time at home. In America these students are called commuter students and for the most part are the portion of the college's population which is constantly left out.  These are a few tips that may help commuter students to enjoy college a little more

• While you may develop many friends make sure they keep you in the loop. A lot of the things that happen on campus is random planning and being a commuter you really try to either be there or have someone who will call you if there is something going on. Your friends may not mean not to include you in things but this will happen quite frequently.

• Drive time is important even late at night. You need to always be aware of the weather and road conditions. This will allow you to get to and from school in the safest way possible and still make class.

• Keep your car clean. As a freshman you may have one of the few cars that your friends will have access to so keep it clean. Also, your car is part of your identity so having a car that is clean can be something to say who you are and may help you get a roommate later on.

• Try to eat with friends. This is a difficult thing to do always because the campus eateries are quite expensive and many commuters do not have meal plans. On a side note, do not eat in your car because you will just feel even worse about being a commuter.

• Join many activities. During my time researching, I found that the best way to have a social life is to join many different organizations. For three years, I was on the crew team and now I joined a fraternity. In these, there are many events that are scheduled so you can plan your time better and also you can have a reason to be on campus.

• The library is your friend. This is something that every college student should know too, but for commuters it can be a home away from home. There are many places for doing homework and sleeping.

• Get plenty of rest. It is quite difficult to function if you are tired. Also, driving tired is something that definitely is not a good idea no matter how well you know the way. Just don't do it.

• Get a PDA or Laptop. When many people go back to their rooms to do work the only place for a commuter to use a computer is in a lab. While this may be a good alternative, it can also be quite a nuisance. For the most part the labs each have cookie cutter computers, which you cannot change to suite, your needs. I prefer a palm because of its size and versatility.

• Keep a book and music with you. This can help you pass the time between classes when you have already finished your homework. During the first three years, I finished the Dune Series and the Hitchhikers Series.

• Spend time with your family as well as your friends. Spend at least one evening a week with them. You have this great advantage over many college students in that you always will have mom's cooking. They are also a great resource because they can read your work and help you proof papers and such.

I hope this helps those who are stuck being commuters or going to be a commuter in the near future.