Life as a Commuter Student
Considering I live just thirty minutes away from Seattle University (up to an hour during high traffic), I decided to live at home and commute to school. I enjoy staying home for home-cooked meals, convenience, and being close to family. Additionally, it helps me save costs.
Here is a week in my life as a commuter student at Seattle University!
| MONDAY | 2 classes
6:00 am: Wake up, get ready
7:00 am: Drive to school
7:30 am: Study and finish schoolwork
10:30 am: Meeting with advisor
11:00 am: Lunch with Zoe
12:30 pm: Study and finish schoolwork
2:00 pm — 3:30 pm: Class (Internet Marketing)
3:40 pm — 5:45 pm: Class (Negotiations)
6:00 pm: Drive back home
6:45 pm: Dinner
7:30 pm: Spend time with family
8:30 pm: Finish schoolwork and get ready for bed
9:30 pm: Read
10:00 pm: Sleep
| TUESDAY | Work
4:45 am: Wake up
5:30 am: Breakfast, pack lunch, get ready
6:15 am: Drive to work
7:00 am: Work
7:00 pm: Drive back home
7:30 pm: Dinner
8:30 pm: Workout
9:00 pm: Clean room and organize
10:00 pm: Journal and get ready for bed
11:00 pm: Sleep
| WEDNESDAY | 3 classes
6:30 am: Wake up
7:00 am: Grab coffee and breakfast with Mom
8:00 am: Drive to school
8:45 am: Study and finish schoolwork
12:30 pm: Lunch with Kacie
2:00 pm — 3:30 pm: Class (Internet Marketing)
3:40 pm — 5:45 pm: Class (Negotiations)
6:00 pm — 9:30 pm: Class (Leadership Seminar)
9:30 pm: Drive back home
10:00 pm: Workout
11:00 pm: Get ready for bed
11:30 pm: Sleep
| THURSDAY | “Break”
7:30 am: Wake up
8:00 am: Breakfast and coffee with Mom
9:30 am: Tennis practice
12:00 pm: Lunch and shopping with Elise and Claire
4:00 pm: Chores and housework
5:30 pm: Dinner
6:30 pm: Read
7:30 pm: Complete to-do list and tasks
8:30 pm: Movie night with family and friends (Top Gun: Maverick)
10:00 pm: Get ready for bed
10:30 pm: Sleep
| FRIDAY |
5:00 am: Wake up
6:15 am: Drive to work
7:00 am: Work
2:00 pm: Drive back home
2:30 pm: Lunch
3:30 pm: Go on a walk and small hike with family
5:30 pm: Dinner
6:00 pm: Finish schoolwork and tasks
8:30 pm: Skincare and journal
9:00 pm: Read and get ready for bed
10:00 pm: Sleep
| SATURDAY |
4:45 am: Wake up
5:30 am: Breakfast, pack lunch, get ready
6:30 am: Drive to work
7:00 am: Work
6:30 pm: Drive back home
7:00 pm: Go out to dinner with family
8:30 pm: Complete to-do list and tasks
9:30 pm: Workout
10:30 pm: Get ready for bed
11:00 pm: Sleep
| SUNDAY |
8:00 am: Wake up
9:30 am: Church
11:30 am: Dim Sum with family and church friends
1:00 pm: Tennis practice
2:30 pm: Schedule and plan the following week
3:30 pm: Study and finish schoolwork
5:00 pm: Dinner with Sophia, Lily, and Camryn
6:30 pm: Baking with friends
8:00 pm: Workout
9:00 pm: Read, journal, and get ready for bed
10:30 pm: Sleep
This is a typical week for me as a Seattle University commuter student! While each day varies based on my priorities, I still prefer to keep them structured. The key is scheduling and knowing what you need to get done throughout the day. Every morning, I create a to-do list to help me visualize and prioritize my tasks, which enables me to accomplish my goals.
This Spring Quarter, I am taking four classes (one online), and have been fortunate enough to only need to attend classes two days a week. To prevent burnout, I make sure to set aside one day per week for relaxation. This helps me recharge and complete my tasks more efficiently. For me, that day is Thursday. As for running errands, family responsibilities, and meetings, I aim to schedule them on Fridays.
By choosing to stay home, I have the privilege of spending time in my hometown communities, such as church and tennis clubs. Despite the common misconception that commuter students miss out on the “college experience”, I have found that it is possible to balance work, academics, sleep, and social life as a commuter (except during midterms and finals), and still enjoy a fulfilling college experience.
