When Campus Isn’t Home
Photo courtesy of David Wilson
By Sophie Gustafson
The thrill of leaving home, eager to embark on a four-year adventure, is a staple of the college experience. Though our favorite college films depict free-spirited students living within close quarters, for Temple University commuters, on-campus living is placed on the back burner.
Along with hectic days filled with class and extracurricular activities, Temple University’s large pool of commuters must learn to master the balance of an on-the-go lifestyle with a nontraditional social life.
Eva Hardy, a sophomore in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture who hopes to study graphic design, commutes from the Fishtown area. Though often hindered by delays, Hardy travels to campus by subway, trolley, or the occasional thirty-minute walk on temperate mornings.
“Being an art student, I often have to take either my large portfolio bag or a separate bag for supplies to campus, which can be very cumbersome, especially when the train is crowded and I have to stand,” Hardy explained. “My extra art luggage makes me feel very cramped on days like that.”
Despite the hassle of relying on a transportation schedule, Hardy’s commuter status does not pose a hindrance to her involvement. With an on-campus job and the tedious demands of artistic homework assignments, she feels immersed in Temple’s culture and copious social opportunities.
“I haven’t found it difficult to make or maintain friends because I commute,” Hardy said. “Honestly, if you just talk to people and get connected in your classes, I think you’ll make just as many friends as if you lived on campus.”
Unlike Hardy, Sammi Chadrow, a sophomore health professions major, feels distant from Temple culture, aside from her involvement with her sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi.
“It’s been hard to do as many things as I would like to,” Chadrow explained. “Commuting has definitely prohibited me from feeling like I can handle leadership positions or join any other club. I never have time to stay around.”
Although an on-the-go lifestyle poses frustrations for those who are absent from on-campus living, the Temple commuter lounge mitigates the stress of a daily journey to-and-from home.
“Anyone from the Temple community can access the space,” explained Jason Levy, senior director of Student Center operations & conferences.
“I’d like to think that folks look at our posters for events,” Levy added, which are frequently displayed throughout the lounge, in order to better connect commuters with campus happenings.
Along with close proximity to the train station, the lounge is equipped with vending machines, a kitchen area, couches, and lockers.
“It’s a nice place to go if you want to relax,” said Kait Sommers, a senior recreational therapy major. “It has bathrooms, vending machines, a little kitchen area, tables, couches, and lockers. And the best part is, it’s close to the train station.”
These lounge amenities help students adapt to their ever-changing academic responsibilities, providing a home-base between classes, extracurricular activities, and study groups.
“At times, it can be difficult when I’m put into group projects because as a commuter, I have to switch my schedule around to meet with people who live on campus,” Sommers said.
The lounge aims to alleviate the stress of on-campus responsibilities through a comfortable, reliable space.
While the decision to commute omits the traditional, vibrant social experience of dorm life, for Hardy and Sommers, the financial savings outweigh the popularity of communal living.
“As exciting as the dorm experience sounds, I’m thankful that my room is still my room,” Hardy said.
Though she acknowledges the possibility of moving into her own apartment down the line, Hardy is content with her own private space at home.
Luda Gordinskiy, a senior kinesiology major, shares the same appreciation for her past four years as a commuter student.
“My favorite thing about commuting is that my school life and my home life don’t have to mix, unless I want them to,” she explained. “I am in control of my time and scheduling, and the environmental switch makes it easy to differentiate between school time and home time.”
Although Gordinskiy acknowledges the logistical challenges of relying on a public transportation schedule, she is pleased with her social life at Temple.
“I think I was intentional about being social,” she said. “I took advantage of having lunch with friends, having a mini picnic on Beury beach in between classes, and just taking time to spend with friends when the opportunities arose.”
“You don’t have to sacrifice your social life for the cost relief,” Gordinskiy said. “Just be intentional, pursue the fun things you love, and let yourself enjoy your college years!”
Cover image by Grace DiMeo