Commuting to university as a student
Are you missing out by not staying in halls of residence?
When I told people I was planning on commuting for university and living at home, everyone warned me against it. The two people I knew who had done a commute: one to London and one in the US told me they hated it. Alongside them there were many people with little or no experience with commuting to university advising me to go elsewhere or to just go in even more debt for student accommodation.
Despite what they said, I chose to do it anyways, and I love it.
I have less debt in maintenance loans than my peers, a great circle of friends and I love my course. So why did it work out so well for me?
The key here is- What do you want out of your university experience? Would you be willing to trade going out clubbing every night for the chance to experience some of the best food, drinks, clothes and attractions a global city has to offer? Are you okay with putting yourself out there more to make friends if they’re from all over the world? It’s something only you know if you want.
I’m writing this because theres none online who talks about it. There’s no day in my life influencer on Tik Tok who shows what it’s like to commute. Now I’m not going to reinstall that app, my screen time is awful already, but I’d like to provide some perspective that I wish I had.
I want to preface this by saying that this isn’t a choice for everyone. If you don’t live walking distance to a train station and if the bus system isn’t really an option for you; it really can just not be worth it . I also understand that many are desperate to leave home for various reasons. Although I go on and on about how great it is, I don’t want anyone feeling left out. At the end of the day, it’s what you try to make out of your experience and what you have, I just want to help people who commute to get even more out of theirs.
I commute in London via train. It takes me 30 minutes or 1 hour (much longer than average but hey-ho) to get there depending on where I’m staying. It costs me about £50 a week. For reference, the average price of student accommodation in the UK is £166 a week, and in London it’s around £220 a week. Financially, it’s the much better choice.
“What about the university experience?” You object!
Okay yes, it is not the typical university experience but it is still a fun one. 90% of my friends are on my course (or adjacent) and 10% are in societies. I have a flatmate- like circle of friends, 6 of us that go to lectures together (when they feel like showing up!) and then friends from group projects, societies, people I just happened to get coffee with, etc. etc.
Most of my friends are fellow commuters. About half of all students commute, most who don’t are internationals. Admittedly, they don’t commute for nearly as long as I do- the max I’ve heard is 20mins- but they don’t have that safety net of flatmate friends- and they’re doing great!
I’ve visited 2 campus based universities actually. I know how the other side lives. If I’m being honest, it seems fun- for about a month. Then I’d get bored because there’s nothing to do! There’s one: cafe, bar, club, sports center and no shops, fancy restaurants, parks and other options for socialising- like mini golf, ice skating or Christmas markets.
There’s a reason when people come back home, they visit London, because it’s got everything.
I do have to say that yes, hypothetically you can live in student accommodation and have all these perks- but it will cost you a lot. Don’t we all have enough student debt already?
But alas! I don’t go out clubbing. But hear me out! A pint will cost you £6 and I can’t even look at the eye-watering price of the cocktails. Also, a lot of my friends happen to be muslim, and I don’t want to be the only person drinking so I just leave it.
I mean, I have friends who do, but there are many more in campus universities. They’re mostly men, and if they’re not they always walk home with a guy they know. Which, unfortunately, brings me to my next point.
I would be lying by omission if I didn’t state the main reason though- it’s just unsafe. One of my friends was needle-spiked in London, and statistically it is much more dangerous to be a woman, alone at night, on public transport in a big city. When my mother used to live there she got mugged a few times. Even one of her friends was kidnapped. Everyone’s got an horrific story. I still don’t know the city well so I’ve decided to hold off to mitigate the risk of something bad happening. It’s not forever, but it will always be something in the back of my mind.
It’s expensive, it’s dangerous, and none of my friends are into it.
I do still go out mind you, just not in London, when friends are back for the weekend. I go out with them in the local pubs and bars, where I know the area, it’s around once a week, which I get isn’t enough for some.
“But it’s tiring!”
That is true, I don’t have much of a rebuttal on that. You do get used to it, but it makes the adjustment period longer. Don’t feel bad for finding it hard, one time i took the wrong train and ended up in Croydon!
“What about learning to be independent?”
Nothing will teach you how to be independent more than trying to find your way after the train you normally take home is cancelled for the day in freezing November. Half-jokes aside, you still have to take care of yourself when living at home. I pack lunches, I clean, do laundry, go to the gym, manage my time between my part time job, this newsletter, revision, assignments and somehow remember to leave the house on time for the right train.
If being independent isn’t juggling a million commitments you made months ago when it sounded like a good idea, I dont know what is!
So, if you’re in the position where you’re thinking about commuting to university, I’d say go for it! I wrote this article because I don’t want people to be afraid to start. I was really anxious about not having any friends because of all the comments people made. I’m glad I didn’t listen because I met some great people and have had some really fun times!