Hi, I’m Soph, a postgraduate taught student living about 30 miles outside of York. I decided to commute to uni because I live fairly locally anyway, and I save a lot of money by not living on campus. The best part is being able to do some uni work while I’m on my way home – meaning I get to spend less time at my desk in the evening!
My commute
I usually catch the bus to campus four days a week, taking about an hour and a half each way. Sometimes I’m able to car-share with a friend, which is really handy as it’s about half the time and takes me directly to campus.
Thankfully, when I do have to catch the bus, the stop is only a couple of minutes’ walk away from my house, so it’s easy to get there on days when I have to dash out in a hurry. Especially in winter or when it’s raining, it’s nice not to have far to walk before I’m on the bus!
I usually get off the bus somewhere along Hull Road in York and walk the rest of the way to campus. Because of the route my bus takes, it’s easy for me to walk to either Campus East or Campus West, taking around five or ten minutes. I also work on campus, so I try to plan my working days around my classes so I don’t have to travel extra days – and I save on bus fare!
Feeling part of uni life
Luckily, I made close friends during the induction events for my course, and we study in the library together after lectures and seminars. I try to stay on campus or make use of the time between classes as productively as possible.
Sometimes, I remain on campus to attend events or plans with my friends. I can use the postgraduate lockers in the library to store my bag while I’m out. So, even though I don’t live in student accommodation, I still feel like I get to have fun and feel part of university life.
The pros of commuting
One of the most important factors for my decision to stay at home was the financial benefits: not having to spend money on rent and accommodation means I can save it for the things I enjoy and put more money aside into savings.
If you already have a part-time job, commuting means you can still start or continue your studies without having to look for a new job or miss out on the income. The flexibility of staying at home to study also means you can balance other commitments like community ties or family responsibilities. Plus, you can stay with your pets, which is a great way to de-stress!
As well as the financial benefits, there are some academic and personal advantages to commuting, too. For example, I find it much easier to switch off and relax when at home, because there’s more of a separation between ‘home’ and ‘uni’, with the travel time as a break in between both.
I also have a much more structured routine, and it’s easier to get work done when I have to stay on campus or in the library between classes or longer in the afternoon. The familiar environment of home with family and friends also means it’s easier to get some support if I’m struggling with deadlines or stress from uni work.
The disadvantages of commuting
However, commuting also has some downsides. Sometimes you can feel like you miss out on some social events or plans with friends, such as nights out in town or last-minute meetups planned after you’ve already headed home.
Depending on how you travel home, like if you are limited to catching the last train at 8 pm, it can be hard to get involved with some societies if they meet late in the evening or plan a pub crawl. But many societies also plan daytime or sober events, so there’s often something for everyone.
It can also be quite tiring if you have far to travel to campus, especially when you have to wake up extra early to be in time for a 9am lecture. Long gaps between classes can also be annoying, since it isn’t as easy to head home for a break. At least those gaps give a perfect opportunity to knuckle down to some work!
Top tips for commuting students
If I were to offer advice to someone thinking of commuting next academic year, I’d say plan for travel disruption to avoid the stress of being late, use university support available if you’re feeling lonely, isolated, or stressed, and make use of the university’s facilities, like microwaves or postgraduate lockers in the library.
Try to take advantage of the commute time productively, by doing readings for your seminar or reviewing lecture notes – the time spent working on the way back means more time to relax in the evening at home!
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