The struggles of life as a commuter

It’s 9 am. Birds gaily fly from branch to branch, causing the trees to shed their remaining bronze leaves. The sun breaks over Convocation Hall to the chirpy music of the chickadees, washing over the campus and marking the beginning of another beautifully picturesque day at U of T. While many are still tucked away in bed, a large group of students have been awake for some time, blearily making their way to campus, morning Starbucks in hand. These students who brave the bleak mornings, patiently cope with frustrating TTC delays, and sacrifice precious hours of sleep just to get to class are none other than our commuters.

Being a commuter can be tough. Besides the obvious time-consuming process of actually getting to and from campus, there are in fact a multitude of other subtle challenges these students must face. These include having nowhere to wind down when desperately wanting to relax in between lectures, or losing track of time at Robarts and realizing you have missed the last GO Train home. On top of these smaller difficulties that a commuter must contend with, there is another ominous, looming issue to overcome: how can you get properly immersed in campus life and avoid missing out on the U of T experience when you are spending so much time trekking back and forth from school? That is, how can you ever call U of T home when it feels like your true home is always a one or two hour bus ride away?

The feeling of social detachment is perhaps the scariest thing about being a commuter. It is uncomfortable, unsettling, and disheartening having to go to class, study for tests, and attend university in the superficial sense. There is a feeling of not really being present, like you aren’t really a part of it all because you’re missing out on so much of what university is. You are missing out on doing laundry with a machine that only takes quarters, having to cook for yourself without setting your dorm ablaze, and most importantly, easily forming those sturdy friendships that seem most achievable through living with others. When the laughter, the friendship and the close bonds that every person needs are so glaringly absent, it is easy to feel very much alone on the sprawling campus, despite being constantly surrounded by others.

Though spending most of your time by yourself may appear to be the only available path for a commuter, it certainly is not. Despite what it seems, avoiding the commuter’s road that leads to the horrible feeling of anonymity is not impossible. At Innis, there are a plethora of resources, accommodations, and opportunities that have the ability to draw you into U of T when it feels like everything else is shutting you out.

For instance, there’s the ICSS commuter lounge, the Innis Café, and the Events Room. These spaces (the first two located in the Innis College Building and the third in Innis Residence) provide a great place to decompress, relax, and seek some much needed sustenance in-between classes. They are also great places to socialize and form connections with commuters.

Joining one of Innis’ many clubs is also a way to lay down roots at the university and get to know other Innis students who share your interests. Being a part of the ICSS Facebook group is useful for keeping tabs on any fun student events like open mic gatherings, movie nights, and anything else noteworthy. When feeling that you need guidance or mentorship, you can chat with professionals at the Office of Student Life in residence or the ICSS office in the College.

Though Innis may not be able to replace the many hours of sleep you sacrifice being a commuter, it can fill in those social gaps. By using the resources provided at the College as well as a little initiative, it’s possible to avoid feeling detached from the vast university we call our own.  By finding your niche on campus- however small it may be- you can feel like a part of U of T despite living hours away.

Featured image courtesy of Today Online