Five Tips for Commuter Students
By: Cody McHale
Attending college as a commuting student is a great option. Commuting separates school life from life at home, is generally a cheaper option than living in a college’s residence halls, and if you’re living with your family, you most likely won’t have to worry about budgeting for things like food.
That being said, commuting can be seen as a daunting task. As a sophomore at Roosevelt University, I have been commuting on the Rock Island Metra Rail most weekdays for almost two years. Here are some things I have learned to make my life as a commuter as easy as possible.
Tip 1: Have a Backup Route
As a commuter, there are bound to be delays, so commuters should know all their options. To best adapt to delays, download apps like Ventra, if you use public transportation, or Waze, if you choose to drive. Before leaving home or school, check these apps for alerts. If it is seen that delays are unknown, you should consider taking a different route that can be used to get to the same destination. For example, if I see that my normal train, the Rock Island, is delayed for an unknown period of time, I would probably take a different train, like the Southwest service. This option might normally take ten more minutes, but it is a safer bet than unknown delays.
Tip 2: Use a Five Subject Notebook
At Roosevelt University, a student is considered full-time if they are taking between twelve and eighteen credit hours. With most classes being worth three credit hours, many students take five classes at a time. These classes can be scheduled every other day or once a week. As a commuter, it is important to take necessary supplies and readings to class on the right day. A five subject notebook makes this task much easier. Five subject notebooks, which often have built in folders and calendars, eliminate the need to take multiple spirals and folders to and from school, and reorganize supplies every day. A five subject notebook effortlessly makes a commuters life more organized.
Tip 3: Utilize Your Resources
Roosevelt University has multiple student support systems to make sure that their students succeed. Services for first generation students, low income students, and students from underrepresented groups are located in the Multicultural Student Support Services Office in the auditorium lobby. Disability services and peer mentoring are housed in the Academic Success Center in the library. Tutoring and computer access are available in the library’s Learning Commons. This emphasis on student success also applies to computers. All Roosevelt students receive a CTA U-PASS. That U-PASS cost $153 per semester, which is a great deal since CTA monthly passes cost $100 per month. The U-PASS will allow commuters to ride the “L” and CTA buses. The University also has lockers that commuter students can rent for one or two semesters at a time. These lockers can be rented from the office of physical resources, which is located in WB B16A.
Tip 4: Get a Nice Coat!
Chicago is the windy city, and a commuter has to brave the windchill. Whether it is a five minute walk to the Harold Washington Stop or a twenty minute walk to Union Station, a nice coat is going to make a commute easier by making it bearable. It is certainly best to get a thick coat with a hood to make the walk to and from the train station, bus stop or parking garage as warm as possible. Other commuting necessities are gloves, a scarf, and a winter hat.
Tip 5: Budget Your Time Wisely
It is always important to remember that time spent commuting is not time wasted. For those who take public transportation, the commute could be used to read for clas, organize and write an essays, or study for test. If a student drives to school, the commute can be spent listening to class readings on audiobook or listening to news podcasts. In courses like economics and political science, current events often correspond to the subject being discussed in class. Listening to the news could give the students an edge in class. The commute could also, of course, be used to relax, listen to music, and de-stress.
