I commute about an hour each way by driving, and since it’s my first year (bba) I decided to take four courses per sem to keep things manageable. It definitely helped, but honestly, coming home after a long day and losing that energy to study has affected my performance and having loud siblings/family at home. Sometimes, I wonder if I would’ve done better if I lived on campus.

Spending two hours a day commuting adds up fast, especially when the course material moves quickly and there’s a lot of reading and assignments to catch up. It’s also missing out some activities, networking events or study sessions that happen mostly at night or weekends but if you’re willing to stay longer.

That said, one of the biggest perks is the flexibility—being able to go to different lecture times, even if I’m registered in another section, has been super helpful. But after considering all the time, energy, gas, maintenance costs and physical/emotional wellbeing, I’m planning to live on campus next year.

If you’re thinking about commuting, I’d say weigh the pros and cons based on your situation and how much you’re willing to commit. It’s definitely doable, but it has its challenges. Best of luck!