In high school, many of my friends
talked about the college experience. “I want to live in a dorm,” they would
say, “so I can get the full college experience.” Who determined that every
college student must live on campus? Living in a dorm never appealed to me, for
both social and financial reasons. When exploring colleges, I researched
institutions that allowed me to live at home and commute. At the end of my
search, I settled on the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, a 20- to 25-minute
drive from my house.
After informing my friends of my
decision, I could not ignore the looks on their faces that suggested I would
not receive a “real” college experience. They equated commuting with (gasp!)
community colleges, which they saw as inferior. Contrary to their belief, there
is absolutely nothing wrong with community colleges; many are perfectly competent
institutions. Based on their views, I wondered what disadvantages I would
experience while attending a commuter college.
I am now in my second year at UNH
Manchester, and I love it here. There are advantages of commuter colleges that
I never realized during my college search. Therefore, in this blog I will share
the good and bad experiences of commuting to college. If you are considering
commuting to college, or already do so, I hope this blog can help you feel more
confident with your college decision.
Photo courtesy of: http://content.wow.com/wiki/University_of_New_Hampshire_at_Manchester
In my future entries, I will discuss the
challenges and hidden surprises I encountered during my first year commuting to
college. Some of the topics will include: deciding where and when to study;
eating meals on campus; finding time to work and play; getting involved; and adjusting
to overall community. My goal is that this blog will help ensure that your
college experience is an investment that pays dividends in enjoyment and
success.
