Long commuting days start early and end late, with no room to return to between classes. Here is how to find the places colleges set aside for commuters and how to plan a long day so the gaps between classes work for you.
Places set aside for commuters
Many colleges keep a commuter lounge with seating, microwaves, a refrigerator and outlets for charging. Some rent day lockers or term lockers, so you can leave a coat, a laptop charger or lunch behind instead of carrying everything. The student union, the dean of students office or a commuter student services office can tell you what exists on your campus.
The library is the other anchor of a long day. Ask whether it has bookable study rooms, quiet floors and late hours during exam weeks. Some libraries lend laptops, chargers and calculators by the day, which helps when the thing you forgot is sitting at home an hour away.
Rest, washing up and staying well
If your student fees cover the recreation center, its locker rooms and showers are usually open to you, which matters after an early bike ride or before an evening class. Some health and counseling centers have quiet rooms where you can rest for a short time. Ask at the front desk what is allowed, since rules about resting in shared spaces differ from campus to campus.
Pack for the length of the day rather than the length of one class. Water, a refillable bottle, snacks, a charger, any medication and a layer for cold lecture halls save trips and spending. Keep a spare set of essentials in your locker if you have one.
A two-hour gap is long enough for real work if you decide in advance what it is for.
Planning the gaps between classes
A two-hour gap is long enough for real work if you decide in advance what it is for. Use the gap after a lecture to review notes while they are fresh, or book a study room with classmates from the same section. Tutoring and writing centers often take drop-ins at midday, when most commuters are on campus anyway.
When you build next term's schedule, look at the whole week rather than single classes. Grouping classes onto fewer days can cut the number of trips, though it makes each day longer. Your academic advisor can help you weigh the two against your travel time.
Steps to take
- Find the commuter lounge and its hours
- Ask about renting a locker for the term
- Check whether your fees include the recreation center
- Pick one task for each gap in your schedule
Who decides
Your college's dean of students or commuter student services office
A locker, a lounge and a plan for each gap turn a long commuting day into usable time.