"Hi everyone! My name is Noah Brener. I am an incoming senior Business Administration major from Sugar Land, TX.
I chose to commute starting in my sophomore year. It made sense financially for myself, plus I loved the idea of the independence it would give me. Myself and a group of friends found a really nice house off campus that was about 5 min away from Chapman, and it worked out really well. I currently live in a house with 3 friends that is a little bit closer to campus, but still a 3-4 minute drive, or a 20 minute walk.
Some of the best parts about commuting are that you are living with the greater community. After your Chapman experience, if you stay in Orange County, you will be living and working alongside your neighbors. Me and my roommates have done our part of getting to know our neighbors and build positive relationships with Orange residents. I also think it is great for building your independence. You might have to think more about fixing things, paying bills, setting up budgets. One of the toughest parts about commuting is that you will not always be there for every single Chapman event. Living in the dorms allowed me to be walking distance to something fun and exciting almost every day. However, with commuting, depending on how far you are, you might need to do more research on what there is to do so that you will be able to make plans.
After commuting, I was still able to stay engaged since I was involved with different student organizations on campus. I have the firm belief that everyone, especially incoming commuter students, should try their best to meet as many new people as possible. If you are living in an apartment complex, find some fellow Chapman residents and possibly set up a carpool. When you are on campus, don’t just leave right after class. Walk around the Piazza, go to AF, and see what’s happening. There are endless opportunities at Chapman, and they should not be diminished just because you have to drive to class."
- Noah Brener
(more shared stories to come)