Lost: Commuters at Arcadia University
by Jack Rogers
In my time as an Arcadia University student, I’ve known nothing other than commuting to campus. Being that I live so close, it is both convenient, affordable, and helps to maintain a healthy work/life balance. However, there is no denying that the commuter experience differs greatly from the experience of living on campus and for some, such as myself, it can take a while to adjust. It can be easy to feel lost especially when you aren’t attending a class.
Through trial and error over the past almost two years, I’ve started to make the best of the situation and have found a number of places around campus that have made my time as a commuter much easier and more enjoyable. These places include something for everyone and can take the stress out of feeling like an outsider. For me, I’ve found that these places also in some cases seemed to be a factor in increasing my productivity. In addition to pointing out these lesser-known locations on campus, I will include advice from both myself and other commuters who I know, that will hopefully make the commuter lifestyle on campus much more navigable.
Common Data Set 2017–2018. CDS.
Common Data Set 2016–2017. CDS.
One of my biggest struggles during my first two semesters as a commuter was having hours between certain classes where I had seemingly nowhere to go. I would drive back home after my first class and then return to school for my later one. While this had some benefits like being able to have some time to relax before my later class, it became tedious, expensive, and not worth it. I lived far enough away that by the time I’d get home, I really didn’t have time to do much before having to turn around and come back. Plus, I was making two trips per day and having to purchase gas more frequently which became expensive over time. I talked to Abby Filon to see if she encountered the same issue and this is what she said: “Depending on how many hours I have between classes, I do make multiple trips back and forth from home to campus. It certainly adds up. My tank only holds nine gallons of gas, so I so through it quick during the week. On top of school, I commute to my job, so that takes even more gas”. Another commuter who I spoke to, Daniel Johnson, said “I have been pretty lucky in that I have been able to get all my classes back-to-back, so I usually have only taken one trip to school every day. But I know next semester, there’s a few days a week I will have to go multiple times a day so that’s gonna suck. But ya even going once and even living as close as I do it still adds up in the gas money a decent amount especially going every day”. I was fed up with this by the time of my third semester and decided to stay on campus in between classes looking for a change and I was pleasantly surprised. Here is what I found.
Parking:
This depends on the time of day and what events are going on around campus, but I have found that the two best places to park for commuters seem to be The Pit and the upper lot by Murphy Hall. People will disagree with me because both lots are far from the center of campus, but I have quite a few good reasons why these are the best places for commuters to park on campus.
I’ll start with The Pit. The greatest part about parking in The Pit for commuters is that it is one of the least busy lots on campus. Most of the time, unless there are events going on, the lot has a ton of open parking spaces. Not only does this make parking easier and quicker, it also reduces the chance of someone hitting or scratching your car. Another great thing about The Pit is how close it is to the entrance/exit off of Church Road. It is one of the few spots on the campus road that is not one way and therefore you don’t have to drive all the way around campus to leave. It also is in general one of the more peaceful spots on campus because it is close to a wooded area and stream. While this is a little thing, I think that anyway stress can be taken off your day is a positive.
The parking lot by Murphy Hall, while not as good as The Pit in my opinion, has a number of benefits as well. This lot tends to be more crowded than The Pit on most days, but it is not usually hard to find a spot. This lot is also closer to more things than The Pit is, such as Murphy Hall, Grey Towers Castle, Brubaker/Easton Hall, and the sports field. Given that proximity, if you are running late or the weather is bad then it is an optimal spot to park. This lot kind of falls into a one-way area of campus but it is also fairly close to the Easton Road exit/ entrance so if you are coming from or going that way to go home, then you are in luck.
Studying:
When in between classes, as a commuter, it can be hard to occupy your time. Chances are (at least in my case and from what I have heard) that your social network at Arcadia is limited because you are not on campus enough to build a lot of strong connections with people. The people that you do know may not have a similar schedule to you and may be busy during the times when you are not. Therefore, it is critical as a commuter to find ways to occupy your time when you are alone on campus. For me, I’ve found that the most beneficial activity to do is to do homework or study in this interim as it means that you are doing less work at home and therefore have more free time when you are around friends and family and have the means to do things that you enjoy. Below are the best places to study as a commuter while on campus.
Landman library has been my go-to for studying in between classes. The library is not an exclusive location for commuters, but it can benefit commuters in ways that residents of campus might ignore or find less helpful. I believe that the best spot to study alone when in the library is on the second floor. Specifically on the counter that makes up the Periodical Overlook Study. This spot is located in a quiet zone of the library, so distractions are held to a minimum. Also, like The Pit, it never seems to be very crowded so you can sit pretty much anywhere and not have to worry about taking up too much room. The area also gets a lot of natural light from the large windows on both sides, so it creates a peaceful environment. Quiet, isolated spots are hard to come by for commuters on campus, so this is definitely one to take advantage of. It is also very close to a bathroom that doesn’t see much traffic, so you don’t have to wait in a line or anything like that to get in.
Another great spot to study on campus is in the lounges within Brubaker and Easton halls. These areas have desks, tables, and comfortable chairs set up as well as a lot of natural light which makes studying here very comfortable. The chairs and desks themselves usually are pretty available. The one downside though is that there are a lot of people who come through after classes finish so for about fifteen minutes every hour or so, it can get loud and distracting.
While not my favorite spot to study on campus, the commuter lounge is also not a bad place to be. In my experience, it is usually not very crowded and there are plenty of places to work. The one downside is that there is not really any noise limit so conversations between others can get loud which can be distracting. However, if you are looking to make friends with other commuters then this is an ideal place to be.
Here is what Abby had to say about her favorite place to study on campus “My favorite place to study on campus would definitely have to be Easton Cafe. Every time I need a place to sit and be productive, I go there. I grab something to eat and drink and I settle down with my laptop to get some work done!”.
Follow this link to see photos of some of these spaces and more aspects of commuter life at Arcadia University! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z6x85gJV2Mz3nZd87
Food:
I have yet to purchase any food from either the cafeteria, chat, or Easton Cafe, because I have always packed lunch when needed. Therefore, I have no advice on how to handle those places. So, I asked Abby about her experience with the food at Arcadia “I think the food at Arcadia is pretty decent. I just wish the Chat had more options. After three years of going here, I’ve gotten tired of choosing the same few things every time I want something for dinner that isn’t sushi or a pre-made sandwich. I do believe that the weekly specials in the Chat are a fun way to spice up the menu, I just wish some of the items became permanent! There was a spicy honey chicken sandwich that I was obsessed with one-week last semester. I wish it stayed”. My favorite spot to eat lunch on campus is at the picnic tables by The Pit. The tables are fairly clean and are far enough away from the parking lot. They are also in a wooded area by a stream so this can be very relaxing on days with good weather. There are also more picnic benches scattered along the paths in the woods that can be a good way to get away from the busier world of campus and get in touch with a more natural environment. The benches and Adirondack chairs on top of the hill on the Green are also nice places to eat when the weather is nice.
When the weather is bad however, or you don’t feel like eating outside, then the commuter lounge is a good place to go. There are tables where you can sit as well as a sink, microwave, and refrigerator if needed. This is also a good spot to socialize with other commuters.
I talked a lot in this article about places where you can get away from everything and find more quiet moments, but my final and best piece of advice for all commuters is to make friends with resident students. Despite differing situations, we are all going to the same school and having people to talk to and relax with when you are on campus is really the most important thing for a commuter to have. Attend campus events and keep up to date with what is happening on campus when you aren’t there. I think that trying to go through college alone is one of the worst, most detrimental, and probably dangerous things you can do and I’m glad I figured that out quickly and changed my ways. Good luck commuters!
