Commuting cannot be as bad as traversing the seven seas on a small canoe with a broken paddle, right? Okay, maybe not as bad as I make it seem, but commuting can be enjoyable and productive if you make use of the time. Now, we all have different times as commuters, with some people being 30 minutes to one hour or more away from campus by public transport. Many of you commute by car, in which case traffic may be a big issue provoking you to plan in schedule for those delays. I will go over my experience of commuting to Stevens for the first two months and if I still have the energy to commute for the following years.
My commute would take no more than an hour and 15 minutes on bad days, and although I have this time carved out, I always plan to add another 15 minutes to account for any delays. That said, of course, my classes are not completely early in the morning as I want to leave some time for me to wake up later than usual. One of my best helpers is the app that I have on my phone for the scheduled times for the path trains. It is useful because it helps me decide if I need to sprint to get to the next train or if I should take my time. I also realized how crazy it was for me to commute to my high school without cross-referencing the MTA schedule. I kind of just went inside the train station hoping the train would be arriving in one minute, but this is something that I learned to avoid weeks into college.
One of the biggest challenges as a commuter is the impact that unpredictable weather can have. On September 29, we had possibly one of the worst storms ever with an abundant amount of rain causing floods on roads and in underground transportation systems. The conditions got worse until Stevens switched to a fully remote schedule. For those of us who did not commute until we got the alert, we were able to stay snug at our house and participate in our class virtually. Apps like the Guardian app at Stevens are good to have as they provide instant alerts to keep commuters up to date.
While the time it takes to commute may eat up a chunk of your day, it helps to stay on top of your schoolwork. I like to listen to music on the train ride, and that is when it would hit me that a reading for one class was not completed. Usually, this happens when my other schoolwork takes me a long time to do the day before, but luckily, I can complete my leftover homework during my commute.
Commuting really does have its benefits because it can be a relaxing time for those of us stressed with schoolwork. If your commute leaves you at the Hoboken terminal, then you have the freedom to walk along Sinatra Drive, and let me tell you how beautiful the view is. The sunlight’s reflection along the water just gives magical vibes especially as you listen to your favorite music. As a commuter myself, I love the walk every day to campus despite it being 10 minutes away from the terminal. Of course, you can always take the Citi bikes to quickly get to campus, but I think that is an option I may choose after. As of right now, I am satisfied with taking in the view of NYC one step at a time every morning.
