OT Commute Or Dorm?

[12mowerd]

So I'm in my first semester of college at a community college so it is cheaper. My family doesn't have money so all the expenses are on me. I don't want to be paying a lot of student loans in a few years.

So far I like it okay here. I go to sleep at 9 every night go to class yadda yadda I'm not big on partying at all so that kind of factors out a majority of what kids do for fun around here There are no sports teams that I can play on because they have none that I play here. Right now I go home every weekend and work and I use all my money for gas to get back to school. I have zero money to spend on my car insurance or my car payment. Its getting really stressful. If I commute then I can work on my days that I don't have school and will be able to afford the gas, but I'll be missing out on the college experience (that isn't really here)

So my big question is, do any of you that have experience with commuting and dorming have any advice? I live about 40 minutes away from college... I am really torn on what to do for next semester. Im transferring to a university in another year and a half, so I feel like I will get a way better experience at a large campus with lots of things to do rather than a tiny little college that has nothing..

 

[CheerBank]

So I'm in my first semester of college at a community college so it is cheaper. My family doesn't have money so all the expenses are on me. I don't want to be paying a lot of student loans in a few years.

So far I like it okay here. I go to sleep at 9 every night go to class yadda yadda I'm not big on partying at all so that kind of factors out a majority of what kids do for fun around here There are no sports teams that I can play on because they have none that I play here. Right now I go home every weekend and work and I use all my money for gas to get back to school. I have zero money to spend on my car insurance or my car payment. Its getting really stressful. If I commute then I can work on my days that I don't have school and will be able to afford the gas, but I'll be missing out on the college experience (that isn't really here)

So my big question is, do any of you that have experience with commuting and dorming have any advice? I live about 40 minutes away from college... I am really torn on what to do for next semester. Im transferring to a university in another year and a half, so I feel like I will get a way better experience at a large campus with lots of things to do rather than a tiny little college that has nothing..

I would move back home since that's an option, work more on my days off and save as much money as I could. Especially since it doesn't sound like there's much of a college life where you are now and you're paying to dorm there. When you transfer after 2 years, you will be able to truly enjoy all aspects of university life that much more.

 

[cheergirl4444]

You sound a lot like me. I lived on campus my first year at college and decided to commute this year to save money. i live 40 minutes from my college. feel free to PM me, i am happy to share anything you would want to know

 

[12mowerd]

You sound a lot like me. I lived on campus my first year at college and decided to commute this year to save money. i live 40 minutes from my college. feel free to PM me, i am happy to share anything you would want to know

do you like commuting? is it saving you a lot of money?

 

[cheergirl4444]

do you like commuting? is it saving you a lot of money?

I do like it and i am saving A TON of money. it gets a little bit old driving to and from school but it is worth it. I am commuting for more than just the money reason though. i developed a sleeping disorder at school last year and it really screwed up my academics. i was stressed to the max and it became to much for me to handle so i decided living at home would be the best option. I also am paying for college on my own and realized how much debt i would be in if i lived on campus all 4 years. it solidified my decision to live at home

 

[Cheercambree98]

I would move back home since that's an option, work more on my days off and save as much money as I could. Especially since it doesn't sound like there's much of a college life where you are now and you're paying to dorm there. When you transfer after 2 years, you will be able to truly enjoy all aspects of university life that much more.

I would go with this, as it would save you much money, and you wont be at this college for that long

 

[xo sarah]

I also commute to my community college because we don't have dorms anyway, lol, but I looked at apartments with my friends a few years ago and I just really couldn't afford to do that and pay for college and all my other needs. Even when I move to Texas, I'll be transferring to a 4 year college and I'll still be commuting 45 minutes each way to school, but for me, it's much cheaper to only have to put like $60 a week in my gas tank they pay an extra 7-10kish for a dorm per semester and I can still work on weekends.

I'm not really into the whole "college scene" anymore like I used to be anyway. I prefer to be able to come back to my house and relax and do things in peace and quiet rather than have to worry about having loud roommates who love to go out all the time. And I feel like at 22, if I did live in a dorm at a 4 year college, I'd probably be living with younger, more wild "omg I just started college, freeeeeedom!" type college students, if you know what I mean, lol.

 

[mishtm52]

My 2 cents: I pretty much went through the same thing... I lived at school for 3 years before I started commuting. I had my 'experience' and was just over it, really. A lot of upperclassmen (is that one word? ) at my school tend to move off campus or start commuting for various reasons anyways, so I didn't feel like I was missing out at all.
I've saved a looot of money. My schedule allows me to work almost every day. I have a small car and only spend like $30/week on gas (and that includes my once a week hour long trip to/from practice).
I was basically paying for something I didn't need to/was no longer enjoying, so I moved back home.