At least it’s good practice for having a real job after graduation.

Being a commuter student at Barnumbia is not for the weak. Technically it depends on how far away you live from campus, but in general, college life is not designed for the demands of a ridiculous commute. As a commuter student myself, I’d say that if it’s even remotely an option for you, live in a dorm. However, if you do commute to campus, I’ve compiled some tips for you below.

There are several main concerns for any commuter student, namely, commuting, dealing with outside housing, having financial worries about your housing and commute, finding a job to pay for that housing, making it to meetings for clubs or with professors, and finding time to juggle all of the things you have to do in a day with the potentially ridiculous amount of time it takes you to get to college. Then there’s the envy of knowing that most of your year is not having to trek three hills and a swamp just to get to an 8:40 Calculus III class. But my personal favorite perk is the peace in knowing that you at the very least have a shower you don’t have to share with a floor of sweaty teenagers. 

I have the convenience of not having to pay for housing, at least not in the traditional sense. I live with my parents which means instead of paying rent in money, I pay in freedom. If you do, however, need to pay for housing, rest assured that you can find either an on-campus job (with restricted hours), or an outside job or internship through the help of the on-campus career service offices. Columbia has the Center for Career Education (CCE) and Barnard has Beyond Barnard. Resume help, career evaluation exams, higher education consulting, and more are all available only if you are able to overcome the mortifying ordeal of asking for help. 

Assuming you’ve managed to handle your housing concerns, you then have to deal with actually being a student. If you have a long commute, like me, do not take classes early in the morning or later in the day. You’re going to want to go home, I promise. I have never felt more jealous of dorming students and their beds within walking distance than after a particularly rough Data Structures assignment that left me in shambles. In a similar vein, if you schedule a lecture class for your 8:40, (my advice, don’t take an 8:40 at all; just because I did it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea), don’t be surprised when you sleep through almost every lecture. And that’s assuming you even show up. Final class scheduling tip—don’t take classes on Fridays. You’re going to have to, because every language taught at this institution has class on Fridays, but don’t do it. If you do have to do it, (which you will), plan to do other things while you’re on campus. It’s not easy convincing yourself to show up on campus on Fridays, when most people are already done for the week, just to take a single hour and 15 minute class. And on that note, make sure you have at least one person in every class you take who you can rely on to ask for notes, missed information, and help with assignments. And please, please, please do not be scared of your professors. They like talking to students and there is no better resource if you want to show your commitment. 

Orientation week is going to be your first introduction to college, and it’s probably going to be overwhelming and lonely. It’s lonely for everybody, but it’ll be uniquely lonely if you don’t have the pleasure of sharing sleeping quarters with all of your classmates. You’re probably going to show up morning after morning, baffled at how seemingly overnight everyone is in an established friend group, except for you. If you do, I’m here to tell you that what you’re experiencing is normal and not at all a representation of how much other people care about you. Also, as you progress further through each semester, work will ramp up and people won’t be hanging out with each other in the evenings as much as in the beginning. 

I’m also going to let you in on a secret—almost all of the people you see and meet during orientation week you will never talk to again. And that goes for everyone. Your friend circles are going to shift and change and grow as you pass through college. Don’t take it personally if someone drops off the map, but don’t wait for someone else to do the work for you. College is hard, but it’s easier if you have people to complain with. It took me most of my freshman year to accumulate a group of friends I genuinely enjoy talking to and being around. It may take you longer than that, or not nearly as long. Both are perfectly normal and fine. First-year core classes are probably your best bet at making some friends with built-in interaction time. Those classes are designed to foster connection, even if that connection is built on hating classical literature together.

Clubs are a significant part of many people’s time at college. Being a commuter student makes it harder to be a part of them. Club meetings are often later at night or on weekends, times that the average commuter won’t be on campus. And honestly, I’m still trying to figure this one out myself. But I can say that if there’s something you want to try, there’s a million different ways to get there and so many people down to help you try.  And hey, worst case scenario, join Bwog! It’s perfectly possible to be a staffer at Bwog without ever making it to a single meeting. I’m living proof. 

In the end, college as a first-year commuter student is probably going to be hard, but also, college for everyone is going to be hard. Take solace in knowing that you don’t have to sleep on a school-issued mattress and be smart about when you schedule your classes. You’re gonna be fine. I’ve made it this far—I’m sure you will too. And maybe next year you’ll be writing this article for your incoming underclassmen. Good luck!

Your trek to campus via Bwarchives