Vi’s View: Becoming a Commuter 

Typically, I would participate in Welcome Week activities, but I had no time this year because I spent what felt like an eternity unpacking. Seriously, it took me a whole week and a half just to get settled in my new off-campus place. I knew I had accumulated some stuff over the past two years, but it was still a reality check. Perhaps, I shouldn’t have picked up a mini fridge left behind in the trash as I was moving out… (just kidding, and it’s working perfectly fine!)

In comparison to my friends who still live on campus, it took them about four hours to unpack, tops. It’s not like they had less stuff than me, I just kind of forget that furniture is something you have to purchase. Needless to say, I am someone who is now appreciative of dressers and laptop trays for beds! 

But, the decision to move off campus wasn’t an easy decision to make. As much as I would have loved to continue living on campus, I had to take into account the financial implications of doing so. Even if I don’t dorm on campus anymore, I practically live on campus anyway, given that I have classes, work, extracurriculars, friends to see, etc. that take up 95% of my time.It felt like starting all over again like a freshman, as I have to navigate balancing between the comfort of my off-campus place and the hustle of campus activities. 

Now that I’m a freshly minted commuter student, I totally get why commuting isn’t exactly at the top of anyone’s favorite things list. For one, there’s the awkwardness of realizing you’ve left something crucial behind—like your laptop charger—right when you’re about to start a class. Then comes the frantic decision: Do I waste precious time running back home to get it, or do I just wing it and hope my battery lasts? The spontaneity of campus life, like dropping by the library to study or grabbing a quick bite with friends, suddenly feels like a logistical challenge when you’re a commuter. But, the silver lining is that I have a sense of more freedom and a bigger room. 

In the end, I’m slowly figuring out this whole off-campus, commuter student thing. I mean who expected an out-of-state student to suddenly become a commuter? But hey, it’s all part of the adventure.