I woke up around 6 a.m., when the sun was just beginning to rise, its bright, bleeding orange stretched across the horizon. I tried to convince myself that being late and unable to find a parking spot was a good enough reason to never show up for class, but I still had an hour of driving ahead of me.
I bought $30 worth of gas and two Red Bulls for the road. I made my way down I-5 as the world began to wake up. At that point, I’m wired on caffeine, my hair is wrapped up in a clip and I’m cold from the morning air. I’m exhausted, tired, irritated and everyone around me is going to pay the consequences.
Students who commute often struggle to complete their schoolwork, maintain or build friendships and find a sustainable job. Some stand shoulder to shoulder with strangers on the bus, transforming the pursuit for education into a modern-day odyssey.
There are many challenges commuting students face — productivity is one of them. It not only affects the quantity of work being produced by a student, but the quality, as well.
If a student is commuting an hour back and forth to school, that’s ultimately two hours spent on travel that could have gone toward studying. Lacking the time to spend on homework can affect a student’s grade and even spiral into a problematic lack of motivation.
Driving to school is not only mentally and physically exhausting, but also highly dangerous.
According to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Administration, 24% of all fatal automobile accidents occur during morning and evening work commutes.
Things can get a little intense early in the morning when drivers are still waking up, but are still in a hurry.
Driving out of Red Bluff at 6:30 a.m. in the slow lane, a Toyota pickup truck passes me in the ditch on I-5. I’ve already witnessed an accident and a truck on fire on my commute since the beginning of the school year.
The parking at Chico State is also a shared difficulty for students. Parking lots are often full by 9 a.m. and remain packed until the end of the day. In order for students to secure a spot for themselves, they need to arrive very early. I try to arrive at the parking lot by 8 a.m.
Each student who commutes is sure to find their own struggle, whether that’s biking, driving or walking. But there are positive ways to look at commuting that may help with the grind.
The best ways I’ve learned to live with my commute are to try new restaurants, eat at 7-Eleven on my breaks and adventure to places I’ve never been. Since the beginning of the semester, I’ve tried a few new restaurants and plan to try more on my route, even if it is expensive. I’ll try new places as a way of gaining experiences and to break the monotony, since I may not be getting as exciting of a college experience as students who live close to campus.
Adventuring is vital when it comes to commuting. Traveling the same route every day is repetitive. On days off from college, it is extremely beneficial for me to go on nature walks or to unknown places, even if it may be farther than my usual college commute.
It’s important to me to take time in quiet places to hear the birds chirping, the trees swaying and water rushing. It reminds me that life isn’t as fast as I think it is, and even in the rush, I can still be at peace with the chaotic nature of being in college — let alone commuting to it.
Allisyn Shaw can be reached at [email protected]
