Being a commuter is like any other college experience. You can either make the most of it or not. There are some who argue that college is best experienced by living in a dorm but that’s only because that’s what they did. You can have the best four years of your life without stepping foot inside a dorm room but that’s only if you really want it. Here are a few pointers I can offer to you as a commuter to make the most of college. My first word of advice is to make friends. It sounds so simple but to many it’s not.
College is one of those transitional periods in which you define who you are. Your friends can either help you or distract you. As a commuter, it’s going to seem like even more of a challenge to meet new friends because you’re not living with them but it’s most certainly not impossible.
The best way to meet new friends in college is to just be open and talk with different types of people. Put aside all high school prejudices. This is not high school. That being said, no one cares that you’re a freshman.
Some of my best friends freshmen year were seniors or at least upper classmen and having friends like that is invaluable. They can easily guide you to make better decisions and give you advice because they were in fact there.
In addition to making friends, getting involved with extracurricular activities is a must because it gives you an opportunity to interact with and be a part of the college community. I feel bad for the students that pick up and leave after their classes are done because they gain absolutely nothing from college that way.
This campus may be small but whether it is cheerleading, acting, sports or science that strikes your fancy, Cabrini has the right niche for you.
Extracurricular activities also look good on your résumé so what’s the harm? In addition to friends and extracurricular activities, remember that Cabrini has a reasonably sized commuter population and the college typically caters to our needs. Student Engagement offers commuter events as well as snack shacks and breakfast bars that provide you with free food!
These are the types of things that get me excited about being a commuter. I get free food! What’s not to like? In any case, being a commuter might be a little more difficult than living on campus but if you are open to meeting people and getting involved as I havedone you’ll fit in just fine. Godspeed!
