Are you a commuter student who is struggling with finding community? If so, you are not alone. About one in five students at the University of Maryland have a commuter parking pass.
Commuting can be tough, as you may not be able to partake in social activities that happen later at night or over the weekend. I have commuted over the last few years and learned a few things that will help uplift those who are in the same situation.
When I first started commuting, I did not attend events held by clubs, largely with the misconception that I had to be continuous or it would only be fun if you knew people to go with. The best piece of advice is to go to these events, preferably to clubs whose values align with yours, regardless of the circumstances. It will push you out of your comfort zone and you get to meet new people who share similar interests as you.Â
I would also suggest finding opportunities in areas you love. I love to volunteer and travel so I put these interests together to go on an Alternative Breaks trip for a week. Although the trip was short, through traveling in our van and the long conversations that we had, we were able to quickly become friends, and even meet up after the trip!
Another thing that has helped is adequate planning of the things that I want to do. This helped with FOMO, as I try my best to attend events that mean something to me. For bigger events on campus that I want to attend, I plan accordingly with friends and get any relevant schoolwork done beforehand to account for the commute time.
The STAMP Student Union hosts “Good Morning Commuters,” which serves breakfast every first Wednesday of the month. I have not attended this event but it is a great opportunity to connect with off-campus students who may be in the same boat as you or find someone you could carpool with!
Commuting may be hard, but trying your best to put yourself out there might put you one step closer to finding your small community as a commuter.