Hello everyone! My name is Noura and I am a second-year student in International Relations who commutes from Chertsey. Here I’ll share with you what it’s like to be a commuter student at the University of Surrey.
When most people envision university life, they picture halls or late-night parties. For me, my university experience starts on a train every morning and finishes the moment I get home from my classes.
During my first year of study at Surrey, I lived in student halls, but I decided to commute for my second year. In this blog, I explain my motives and the challenges I face as a commuter student.
The reasons that pushed me to commute were quite simple. First, I initially decided to commute to cut the cost of accommodation and food, as the prices of private accommodation in Guildford are quite high. I figured that commuting would be a great alternative, as I would only have to handle the cost of transportation. I use the train, and the ticket cost in itself is not as high as I expected it to be, mainly because I only have classes 2 to 3 times a week.
Moreover, during my first year in halls, I was feeling extremely alone and homesick during the days when I did not have classes as I was not able to bond with my flatmate as I wished I would. Also, one thing about me is that I am what can be considered a “home buddy” because I enjoy staying home and doing indoor activities such as cooking or watching new movies. This is one of the main reasons why I was not very involved in nightlife when I lived as a student.
However, in contrast to what most people may think, commuting doesn’t stop me from having a social life, nor does it negatively affect my academic life. In fact, during your everyday commute, it is not uncommon to meet students in the same situation as you, these people can easily become your friends! I personally also participate in a lot of activities during the days I am on campus where I keep on meeting new people (either in societies or during those organised by the university).
As a commuter nothing stops you from going to either the pub with friends on evenings after classes to catch up and spend time together, or in one of the cafés or restaurants on campus, like Hillside or Wates. You might not live in the same town as your friends but you still have the ability to make it work.
When it comes to my academic life, as someone doing social sciences, it is true that not having the library at my disposal most of the time (for books, etc.) is an issue that affects my ability to access some resources. Fortunately, however, most of the material I need in my course is available online, so it is not an issue that affects my grades.
With this blog, I hope to change people’s views on commuting. It is true that it has many drawbacks and challenges but it also has many advantages that vary from one to another!
