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Does commuting strip a person of their college experience?

My sister who is a dormer has always lamented to me how important it is to dorm and move away from home. She emphasized on the key phrase "college experience." Instead of listening to her, I am opting to commute because of the internships available for my major in the city. I am wondering if commuting will undermine my college experience as well as development of skills like independence. #college #college-admissions #college-bound #college-selection #college-advice

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Ken’s Answer

Hi Esther!


I have both lived in a dorm and commuted. Living in a dorm is not what it is hyped to be, especially if and when you are teamed with people who do not share your values and your privacy and your boundaries.


Commuting gave me the advantage of being apart from those distractions and gave me some time alone during which I could listen to music or recordings such as class notes, etc.


Commuting can also open up new worlds and acquaintances. Many times you can meet people who also commute with whom you could share rides. Often Student Services has a sign sheet or board for people who commute and special social events for commuting students to allow them to form a community and participate in college life. If you are bold enough. you could just stand up in a class that you enjoy, and ask if anyone commutes from your area. Through sharing a ride you can share life and college experiences, and, if you get to share a ride with an upperclassman, you can learn much more about your major and about the college.


Best of luck! Please let me know if and how this helps. Keep me informed. I would like to follow your progress.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the links! I find the second link from themuse.com to be the most helpful. The situation and author's social difficulty are somethings I can identify with. Esther
Thank you comment icon You are welcome. Best of luck! Please keep me informed of your progress! Ken Simmons
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Simeon’s Answer

If you are able to prioritize your internships, those will be the most important in terms of opening up doors long-term. You can have your own experience that you make on your own by being pro-active in reaching out to people and trying out new social settings. Plus, I'd recommend hosting some of your own events if you're worried about having the social life experience. You might even find yourself one of the favorite places if you do it consistently. College students often love the opportunity to have adventures off-campus.
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Sheryl’s Answer

A residential experience is life -changing. You have the privilege of studying day and night with kindred spirits in a communal setting. As an on-campus resident, you have an abundance of cultural and academic experiences, the opportunity to meet friends and experience dorm life. There really is no comparison. I had a student once who commuted as an undergrad and his job dominated at that time. Later on, he stayed on campus for grad school. He quickly realized the missed opportunity the first time. His experience was significantly different. He is so glad he was able to experience campus life.
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Jill’s Answer

Dorms aren't for everyone. Try staying in the dorm for the student orientation. You will get a good idea if you will like it.

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