It is vital in college that students learn independence. In fact, that is why living on-campus is such an important part of the college experience. Young adults need to live on their own and make their own decisions in order to become responsible and independent adults.
Not everybody chooses this path. Some students live off campus and still develop the same sense of responsibility that residents do. There are non-resident students who live in apartments while some stay with their families. Although living with Mom and Dad may seem like an odd way to achieve independence, even arrangements like this force commuters to become more responsible while developing a strong sense of independence.
Staying at home
“I have a room to myself,” Dana Gagliano from Clark Community College in Vancouver, Washington, explains. “I don’t have to share my living space with anyone else.” Commuters like Gagliano are able to stay in a comfortable location while they face one of life’s major transitions. Living with their parents also provides students with a sense of security that would be difficult if they lived away from their families. In addition, families can save money which is especially important these days.
But naturally, students who live at home face the very thing that many students hope to avoid in college: lack of independence. Gagliano admits that living with her parents can sometimes be a nuisance. When asked about her relationship with her parents now that she’s in college, she says that they still treat her like a kid. “It’s stressful and I feel smothered,” Gagliano explains, “they don’t let me live the way I thought they would.”
Commuting
Although living in a comfortable and secure home is good for commuters, there is still the matter of commuting. It’s difficult for commuters to plan their lives around bus and train schedules. Rising gas prices also don’t help. Gagliano, who drives a Honda HR-V, feels the pain at the pump even with an efficient compact. And because commuters have to allow time for transportation, it impacts other aspects of their lives.
However, some commuters find good things about commuting. Some actually enjoytheir rides to and from school everyday. It gives them time to wake up before classes and alsospend some time de-stressing before getting back home.
Commuters have to exert a different kind of effort. Non-resident students have a different approach to their education, along with their lifestyle, due to their living situations which create different challenges. Commuters become more independent because they have to be on top of their game in the classroom, take the initiative to get themselves there, and to allow time for personal care and recreation. Those living off-campus live without parents to supervise them, which makes it all the morevital for them to learn to take care of themselves.
Commuters become responsible even under their parents’ roofs. With hours dedicated to commuting every week, students learn to prioritize their social life and school responsibilities.