Hi, my name is Georgie (she/her), I am a second-year commuting student studying Biology at the University of York. I live about 13 miles from York and commute by car to campus 4 or 5 days a week. I chose this lifestyle to save money on accommodation, stay close to family and friends (especially my dog), and keep some balance between student life and home life.
Why Commute?
There are a few reasons behind my decision to commute. Firstly, living at home helps me save a lot of money on rent and bills. I also already had a job, which reduced the stress of trying to find one at university. This made the transition to uni a lot easier, as I wasn’t uprooting my entire life to a new place. For some people that works, but it just wasn’t for me.
The luxury of driving to university gives me a lot of flexibility too. I can travel in early to get some extra studying done or meet friends, and I get to travel in comfort. The drive from my hometown to York takes about 30 minutes. While traffic can be unpredictable (especially with roadworks and tractors), I’ve got a solid routine now that works for me. Plus, with a good playlist or podcast, the commute often feels like a nice break in the day.
Is Commuting Cheaper?
For me, monthly petrol costs around £100, plus insurance, MOT and servicing add up to about £125 a month so in total, I spend approximately £225 a month (Of course, this depends on your car and insurance, as those can vary a lot!). A parking permit for me costs just £35 for the year, which is a huge bonus for being able to park on campus. A potential downside is the unpredictable car maintenance costs, which in my first year, I had to get a new clutch, which was definitely expensive. But again, this really depends on the age and condition of your car.
Thankfully, there are also bus routes from my hometown to York, which is a great backup when my car’s in the garage or if I want to socialise and not worry about driving. A single ticket is just £3 (https://www.eastyorkshirebuses.co.uk/ps3-or-less-east-yorkshire-buses-fare-updates), which makes uni more accessible too. In total, my estimated annual cost for commuting is around £2,700. Compared to the cost of university accommodation, it’s a lot more affordable, which is one of the main reasons I chose to commute. Of course, there are still extra student life costs to consider, like society and sports memberships, eating/drinking out, and groceries for packed lunches.
Staying Focused While Commuting
Long days can definitely be tiring especially when you have a 4 hour break between lectures or workshops. But I’ve learned to use those gaps to my advantage by studying, grabbing some lunch and catching up with friends. One thing that’s really helped is joining a sports team that trains during those long breaks. It keeps the day interesting and gives me something to look forward to. It’s also a great way to make new friends, which can be harder as a commuting student since you sometimes miss out on spontaneous activities in my experience.
Making the effort to plan things in advance really helps reduce that feeling of isolation, whether it’s going to a social event, grabbing coffee with course mates or studying together in the library between classes. I actually met my closest friends at my very first workshop in first year. We’ve stayed close and always plan things like meals out or shopping trips in the city centre. It made me see a whole new side of York, even though I’ve lived nearby my whole life and my wider family lives in York too.
The Reality of Commuting
As a commuting student, travel can sometimes be unpredictably delayed, but staff have always been understanding. It’s also really helpful that lectures are recorded, so catching up isn’t too difficult if something unexpected comes up. I always leave extra time when I’ve got lab practicals, because those are harder to catch up on and it’s important to be there from the start to fully understand the protocols.
Of course, there are downsides to commuting like earlier mornings, petrol and less spontaneous campus life. But overall, commuting has let me keep a foot in both worlds, saving money at home while getting the full academic experience at York. If I had to give one tip to other commuting students, it would be: Get involved in as much as you can on campus and make time to socialise, you don’t have to miss out just because you commute!
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