The dreaded commute. So many of us “downtowners” deal with excruciatingly long daily commutes to and from Toronto Metropolitan University’s campus. And with winter around the corner, the commute is going to lengthen; it’s getting colder, the days are ending sooner. Whether you celebrate Christmas, other holidays this time of year, or none of the above, your commuter girl will thank you for these must-have presents.
1. A large tote bag
When I say “large,” I mean humongous. This tote bag needs to be able to fit everything she needs for the day. Us commuters envy the residence students who walk around campus with their cute tote bags carrying only enough to get them through a class or two until they get to go back home. But commuters need to pack literally everything! This can include but is—unfortunately—not limited to notes, electronics, chargers, food, water, makeup, gym clothes, wallets and whatever else we need. Generally, we end up carrying around giant, ugly backpacks that make us look like we are going camping for the weekend. Why can’t we look cute too? The only solution I have come up with—and I have searched high and low—is that we be given large tote bags. There are so many options to choose from when shopping for tote bags, there are obviously the expensive designer ones from Coach and Marc Jacobs for example. Now as university students, let’s be honest, we need more affordable options. Ardene has a faux leather tote bag that should do the trick for $40. For something with more pockets and a practical look, Amazon has a huge tote bag and many more options to choose from as well.
2. Cute winter boots
Winters in Toronto are no joke. Between snow, hail, rain, slush, ice and salt, the odds are literally against us. Sneakers are an obvious no-go, and Uggs and Blundstones just won’t do you any favours. Now I’m sure you’re thinking, “What’s the problem, just wear snow boots.” Though I agree, the kind of boot matters. The classic Sorel snow boots are a little too practical to be stylish and might just turn everyone’s head in the class because of their squeaking. And we can’t take them off because none of us want to be carrying clunky, huge snow boots. We need something cuter; something that does the job of protecting us from the elements while still meeting our fashion requirements. Enter combat boots, Chelsea boots, ankle boots or even cute work boots. Combat boots and work boots are large and extend above the ankle. Whereas Chelsea boots and ankle boots are shorter and are a bit more petite-looking. Either way, all the options are super cute, you can’t go wrong. Now I promise that this article is not an advertisement for Ardene, but Ardene does in fact sell all of these styles, each ranging from $30-$45 so check them out. Aldo also has these options starting from $60. Boathouse is also a good place to explore as they have options from $42-$99.
3. Earmuffs
Like I’ve said a million times, it’s getting cold outside. We need to stay warm. Hats are great, and super practical, except for when we take them off and our hair rivals Einstein’s. I’m not kidding – it gets pretty bad and adding a hairbrush to everything we already have to carry isn’t ideal. Earmuffs are a clear solution. They keep us warm while keeping our hair looking super cute. Joe Fresh (cheapest), Shein and Nordstrom (most expensive) all sell fuzzy/faux fur earmuffs ranging in colours. If your commuter girl is not into fuzziness, Ardene (again, not an ad, I swear!) has a black, puffer-style set instead. If none of these are to your liking, Amazon has many options varying in style (fuzzy, knit, fleece, etc) and colour. RUN to get us some!
4. A Starbucks/Tim Hortons gift card
These need barely any further explanation. With both Starbucks and Tim Hortons on campus, we are taunted everyday. After all, a travel mug would be one less thing to carry in that tote bag. University life is hard — we all have late nights studying and meeting deadlines. We are tired, especially those of us who have 9:00 a.m. classes or even the unspeakable 8:00 a.m. classes. Add in the cold weather, and sometimes all we need is a warm cup of coffee. Okay, I’ll just say it, we need help funding our coffee addictions. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation!
5. Money for transit
Truth be told, commuting is costly. Whether your commuter girl drives (have you seen the price of gas these days?!), takes the TTC or the GO train, she has to spend money just getting to and from school. So… feel free to fund our travels and donate to the cause (education of course) by putting some bills in an envelope and letting her know it’s for transit.
Remember, commuter girls suffer from two dilemmas: the balance between dressing cute while being practical (in winter this generally means staying warm) and funding the many expenses of being downtown (and our coffee addictions). Whether you give her something off of this list or something else that helps ease the commute, if you can solve either one of those problems, you will have her quoting Harry Styles saying “you’re so golden”. Happy shopping!