By: Ella Cobb

I started college almost four years ago. It was Fall 2021. I considered my options when I was deciding what to do about my living situations. 

I knew I was not ready to move out for multiple reasons. It did not feel right to move out during the pandemic. Life was different. It did not seem worth it to me. I also knew that moving out was not the best decision for me financially. 

I grew up in a small town about 40 minutes from Murfreesboro. I knew a lot of people that were commuters. It is manageable, and I love being with my family. 

So, why not? 

I heard mixed opinions from people around me when I shared my plan. Some thought it was so smart to save money and be a commuter. Some did not understand and told me I would not get the “real” college experience. 

When I first started commuting, I was angry that I was spending so much time in the car that I could be using to study or do things I wanted to do. I eventually started to like my time in the car. It is my time to be alone and prepare for the day or decompress from it. I also started to listen to audiobooks and podcasts which made me feel productive.

I did underestimate how difficult it can be to make friends in college. Living situations aside, making friends is hard. When you take into account that I live almost an hour away, it was a little more complicated. There were a lot of days in the beginning that I just wanted to go home as soon as possible. I worked a part-time job as well. 

During my first two years at MTSU, I felt disconnected from the community on campus. I did not push myself to do things that made me uncomfortable. I also felt like I was not really making close friends in my classes. 

I decided one day that I wanted to change that. 

A friend from high school was a student orientation assistant for new student orientation. I always thought it sounded like a fun job. I decided to apply. I mean why not? 

It was not a very demanding job, so there was really no excuse to not apply. 

I got the job, and it started something completely new for me. Before that, I was only involved in an honor society or two. I was not much on campus besides going to class and going home. 

As an SOA, I made so many friends and connections. I loved working with new students and their parents. I felt like I was making a real difference. I knew I wanted to spend more time on campus before I graduated. 

Slowly, I started to get involved more and more. I became a Blue Elite Tour Guide, and I joined MTSU’s Social Media Team. 

By spending time on campus and putting myself in the room with others, that is how I started to enjoy my time at school. Before that, I just felt lonely when I was at school. Now, I see people I know all the time. 

I have a community here. Commuting to school adds a level of challenge to enjoying college, but it’s not impossible. Some people can’t spend more time on campus, and that is okay. If you can sacrifice some of your time and stay on campus longer, I think you should. 

Some of my favorite days and best memories from the last few years, took place on campus or with something to do with MTSU.