Shannon KeoughIf there is one thing [as a commuter] that bothers me the most, it is when I hear people saying that commuters do not get to have the college experience. This is really not the truth. I commute a distance of about 40 to 50 minutes a day from North Whales, Pa. and I know I am experiencing college just as much as a resident.
In my opinion, it is up to the student, whether they are a commuter or a resident ,if they get involved or not. Students who do not get involved around campus won’t get to experience college.
As a commuter, I am extremely involved around campus and I know that other commuters are very involved as well. I can’t see why someone wouldn’t want to get involved. There are so many clubs and organizations to choose from.
Commuting is not difficult besides the occasional traffic jam, in which I thank God for the radio. Like a resident, a commuter has to accept a lot of responsibilities in order to be successful. Commuters need time management. We have to know when we need to be on campus and we have to allot time to get work done after class. Some of us have to balance time between holding a job and a social life.
I am currently a sophomore at Cabrini and I have been a commuter since freshman year. I quickly learned time management and am actively involved around campus both in and out of my major. In my major, I am obviously involved with the Loquitur, which is a big time commitment. I am a part of the production crew of Loqation, which is the online news webdition of the Loquitur. I also have two different radio shows at WYBF. One is an hour show in which I play music and give news that is compatible to my format. The other is a 30-minute talk show in which three other students and I report on Hollywood and local news.
Outside of my major, I am involved in the theater. I am a part of the stage crew during pre- production and a part of the cast during the performances. Rehearsals are always in the evening during the week, which means I do not leave campus until late in the evening. I am also involved in the commuter club on campus, which plans events especially for commuters at early afternoon hours so commuters can attend before work or leaving for home. I am in the college chorus and the select choir. I drive back to campus every Sunday evening to sing at mass in the chapel as well.
I know that if I did not get involved, I would not be getting the college experience. There are days when I think I am receiving too much of a college experience since I am always busy and some days are extremely stressful.
Even though I am a commuter, I never pass up an opportunity to hang out with my friends, who are residents, either on a weekday or a weekend. If my friends decide to see a movie in Wayne on a Saturday night, I do not hesitate to drive back to the Radnor area to have fun with them. They always include me whenever something is planned and they give me plenty of notice.
I also have other friends who are commuters and they are extremely involved around campus as well. One friend who is an education major balances her time between her social life, class, work and field experience. Another commutes the same distance as me and is involved in most of the same activities as I am.
Just because one decides to commute does not mean they are going to miss out. I hate it when I hear someone who lives 10 minutes away from the school say they chose to live on campus because they were afraid of missing out. You are responsible for what you choose to miss out on whether a commuter or not. Commuters do not miss out on anything.
