Financial limitations, a desire to remain close to family, privacy or overbearing parents – no… Financial limitations, a desire to remain close to family, privacy or overbearing parents – no matter what the reason, living off campus and commuting to school is an option that many students have to consider.

In many ways, commuting is an advantageous option. Students are able to save money that would otherwise be spent on rent or room and board. Those who live at home with family generally do not have to worry about when or where to eat. And studying and staying focused on schoolwork is often much easier in the comfort of one’s own home.

But commuting also has its disadvantages. Students find it difficult to get involved in campus activities or to attend parties late at night. Getting up early in the morning is a must for those who need to catch the bus to campus. And, without roommates, making friends can be a daunting experience.

As someone who has commuted to and from campus for the majority of her college career, I have experienced these advantages and disadvantages firsthand. I’ve also learned that amid the independent and sociable college environment, commuting can force you into a bubble where you will inevitably find yourself detached from campus life. And unless you take the initiative to do something about it, your college experience is bound to be unpleasant.

Here are seven tips that will help ease your commuting qualms:

1. Get a campus job. A campus job will not only allow you to make some money, but it will ensure your involvement and integration into the University atmosphere. During my freshman year, I got a job as a student worker at the Biomedical Science Tower where I did simple clerical work and made deliveries all over campus. The position allowed me to become familiar with campus buildings and Oakland in general. In short, I felt that I was a part of Pitt even though I didn’t live nearby.

2. Visit the Commuter Student Lounge in Nordy’s Place in the basement of the William Pitt Union. This is a great place to meet fellow commuters and make friends. Meeting other commuters can also open the door to carpooling opportunities.

3. Get involved. I know, easier said than done, right? Those of us who rely on the bus to get home know that it is next to impossible to match your extracurricular schedule to your bus schedule. On top of that, many activities and group meetings are held in the evening, forcing students to either stay on campus for hours on end or to shuttle back and forth between home and school many times a day.

But unless you are content with secluding yourself from campus life, you’re going to have to endure these difficulties and try to get involved despite them all. Oftentimes, you’ll find that, as a commuter, you’ll have to go out of your way to get involved. But that’s all part of the commuting package. If you cannot attend late meetings, speak to fellow group members and try to participate in a different way. Attend the events that do meet your schedule and follow up on the ones that don’t. Who knows? Your enthusiasm might compel the group to change its meetings to a more convenient time.

4. Visit Pitt on the weekends. Just because you still live at home doesn’t mean you should stay there. One of the best ways to feel part of the college atmosphere is to come to campus on the weekends, whether it’s just for studying at Hillman Library or to attend weekend events like the Bigelow Bash in the spring.

5. Take the bus. With limited parking and high gas prices, public transportation is the smartest commuting option. For Pitt students, a flash of your ID will get you a free ride to anywhere the Port Authority buses will take you. These long bus rides are also perfect for catching up on reading, homework or simply relaxing with headphones on.

6. Take a load off and use the lockers. The average college student usually doesn’t need to lug all of his or her books to every class. But for a commuter, more than two classes a day translates into a two-ton book bag full of the day’s textbooks, notebooks and binders. What most commuters don’t realize, however, is that the University offers lockers to students who need them. Getting a locker is as simple as visiting the ticket window at the Union and requesting one.

7. Get some sleep. Early to bed, early to rise. For most college students, Benjamin Franklin’s advice falls on deaf ears. But for a college commuter, it’s everything. Because many commuters take the bus, they often have to wake up as early as 6:30 in the morning to make it to the stop on time. Because of this, I sometimes found myself getting less than six hours of sleep a night. While this might not seem like a big deal to college students who have the option of taking naps at their dorms or apartments in between classes, it’s a huge problem for commuters. For commuters, lack of sleep means you must either make up for it in class or settle for looking like an over-caffeinated zombie for the entire day. Try to arrange your schedule to fit an adequate amount of sleep. Oh yeah, and stay away from all-nighters.

While commuting can be difficult, it doesn’t have to be an impediment to enjoying college. But it’s your responsibility to make it work.

Need some commuting advice? E-mail Elham at [email protected].