Students at Sacred Heart University who live in dorms at various locations either live with roommates or prefer to have a room for themselves without the need for companionship. Most students who live in dorms would not understand what it’s like to be a commuter student struggling to get by at SHU.
Source: Daniel Passapera, Sacred Heart University
Commuters use different methods to get to class on time and to catch a ride back home.
“When I was a commuter last semester, my father would drop me off at the Meriden Train station, and from there I would either take a train or bus,” said freshman Creflo Botwe.
“I usually plan by checking traffic and giving myself extra time in case anything comes up,” said freshman Reagen Wiltsie. “I drive myself every day.”
“As a commuter, I would use my car to get to campus on time for all my classes and to catch a ride back home,” said graduate student Melanie Martinez.
Being a commuter student affects daily routines and schedules.
“It makes it significantly difficult to balance classes, extracurriculars, and a solid social life,” said Botwe.
“Commuting takes up extra time, so balancing a job, classes, and studying requires good time management,” said Wilsie.
A big disadvantage of being a commuter student is that when school work gets overwhelming, a student must get everything done on top of commuting to SHU daily.
“One disadvantage is missing out on some campus activities or events, especially if they happen later in the day,” said Wiltsie.
“A big disadvantage for me would be parking being fully taken at times and the traffic to get to classes from home,” said Martinez.
“You never truly have a place to study or get work done or just take a nap if your days are significantly long and arduous,” said Botweh.
Another difficulty of being a commuter is not having time for yourself or for doing the things you enjoy and a lack of free time between classes.
“As a commuter and having a part-time job, it was being fully taken, and the traffic to get to classes from home,” said Martienz.
“I was heavily involved in choir and theatre, and I would stay on campus for longer than any other commuter would usually do, which made it hard to budget because of only having $500 dining dollars,” said Botweh.
While being a commuter does come with some issues, there are some ways for students to make their experiences at SHU worth remembering.
“I would enjoy the drive to classes mostly because the view on the Merritt Parkway was nice,” said Martinez.
“I loved the fact that the cost was significantly easier to manage when working out expenses with mom and dad,” said Botweh. “If the cost were in the 5-digits, the financial burden would be extremely daunting.”
Being a commuter does come with benefits, and the great experiences are what make it count.
“Meeting other commuting students and sharing that experience made a big difference for me because it has helped me feel less like I was missing out on the traditional on-campus experience,” said Martinez.
“Some fun memories include spending time with friends between classes, getting food on campus, and making the most out of the time I am there,” said Wiltsie.
