Most people think of college students as young people living in dorms on campus and having very active social lives.
In reality, over 85 percent of all college students in the U.S. are commuter students, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. This statistic is likely linked to why there is an epidemic of loneliness among college students.
A 2024 report by Active Minds found that almost two-thirds of college students reported feeling lonely.
At PennWest, 77% do not live on campus. Yet even though commuters make up such a large percentage of students, when it comes to participation in clubs and events, they are often the most excluded group among students.
Most events and club meetings are scheduled after classes, at late hours, which makes it extremely difficult for commuter students to attend. I believe this is a large reason many commuter students feel isolated and struggle to form connections.
There should be more accommodations for commuter students so that they can feel connected and accepted on campus.
The Struggles faced by commuter students
On top of the struggles that come with college, commuter students often deal with the added demand of commuting and living at home.
As a commuter student myself, I feel it can be incredibly difficult balancing academics, social life, commuting time, and home life. It is often difficult to attend and become involved socially in events held in the evenings.
When I interviewed several commuter students around campus, they all agreed that if events were held earlier, they would be more likely to attend.
Commuter student Blake Rockey stated, “I have to drive an hour home every day so with all the events being held at like 7, it doesn’t really work out for me most of the time.”
Commuter Weeks and Pop-Up Clubs
There are solutions being tried out at schools across the country to create a more commuter friendly experience.
Some are large scale, like the University of Miami’s annual “commuter week” dedicated to getting commuter students connected to the community on campus. Events like this could be held at the start of a new academic year, and I think many new and returning commuter students would welcome an opportunity to meet and connect with both each other and on campus students.
Events like this would also be welcome to on-campus students and extremely beneficial to connecting the bridge between commuters and on campus students. It would, however, be more costly and require extensive planning.
Instead, simpler solutions can work just as well. One of these is holding smaller pop-up events during common hour that everyone could attend.
These events would be nothing large-scale. Last month, Pen Club Literary Magazine set up a table for three days during lunch hours at the Natali Student Center. The club provided a large poster board for students and faculty to write words or phrases on sticky notes and collectively created a “Poem of Cal.”
It was a way for everyone on Cal’s campus to collaborate on an artistic project together, said the club’s publisher, Katie Troxell.
Small things like these could go a long way on getting commuter students more connected.
Commuter students are important to a vibrant college campus and it is important to make sure they feel connected and supported. Whether the events are big or small, adding opportunities for commuter students to participate in clubs and events would strengthen their connections to the university and be a part of the community.
