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Commuter Expectations

Written by Isabella Fangary, Business Administration major with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship.


Going into freshman year is a whirlwind of emotions, but that is completely normal! Everyone is feeling the same nerves and excitement. For me, on top of all the emotions from beginning my college journey, I was also nervous that I would be commuting. I was afraid that it would be harder for me to make friends or get involved because I was not living in the dorms. I soon realized that I was wrong! I had nothing to worry about because of Chapman’s community. There were so many ways for me to get involved on campus, such as Greek Life, the Chapman Ambassadors Program, honor societies, clubs, and much more. Being involved and getting the true college experience is not lessened by commuting. The saying, “you get what you put in” is so true for both commuters and on-campus students. The more you want to get involved, the more endless opportunities are available to you! Whether you live in the dorms or not, Chapman is an inclusive community that involves everyone, and this was something that eased my worries about commuting.


Many of the friends that I made in classes or extracurriculars would let me hang out in their dorms if we both had down time, but truthfully most of the time we would hang out at Starbucks or other places on campus. Another perk is that being that I had a car, my friends and I were able to go to fun places on the weekends as well. It is helpful to make plans with your friends in advance to avoid not being able to get somewhere in time. With that being said, last minute adventures are still feasible. Being willing and up for adventures can make all the difference! I found that once people know that you don’t mind coming back to campus or are up for weekend adventures, they will reach out to you.


I know that you are probably thinking, what about Orientation Week? Yes, there are days that are long and it can feel discouraging when your friends get to go back to their dorms, and you leave campus. Believe me, I was in the same boat! So, here are some tips of what you can do! First, I would always ask the people I had been hanging out with if the wanted to get lunch/dinner (whether it was in the Cafeteria or in the Orange Circle). This way we could get to know each other better and spend more time together. By this time, I would be leaving when my friends were going back to their dorms to sleep, so I was not missing out on anything. Second, there are commuter events during orientation where you are able to mingle and get to know other commuters, which is also really helpful. I met many other commuters during these events and was comforted that they were also feeling the same way I was. Lastly, don’t worry! Just have fun and get involved! Don’t let being a commuter stop you from doing things that you want because it will only limit you if you let it.

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