Written by Ana, your Activities and Engagement Officer
Being a commuter student can feel isolating. One of the first questions that can come up when meeting someone new at university is 'what halls are you living in?'. For commuter students, seeing peers bonding over living in the same halls - whilst you live an hour away - can feel quite lonely.
I know, because I've been there. I remember having to plan well in advance what times I would be on campus to take advantage of the cheapest train tickets, and continuously hunting for quiet common rooms across campus where I could relax and take a power nap. If I was planning a night out, I'd have to plan well in advance where I was going to stay, as often the last train would already have left. I found it really difficult to get involved in spontaneous activity - if it was sports, for example, I was often limited by not having an extra pair of clothes with me.
Although I told myself that at least I was saving money and was using my commute to be as productive as possible, it could often feel like I was missing out. Even after I finally moved into London I felt like I was somehow behind my peers - I struggled to find flatmates as most people already had their set friends they were living with, and there were some necessary life skills that I just hadn't had to take into account before, due to having lived at home.
I really strongly believe that the life of a commuter at university doesn't have to be all about going to lectures, going home, and just simply getting through your degree - it can be about so much more than that.
However, I really strongly believe that the life of a commuter at university doesn't have to be all about going to lectures, going home, and just simply getting through your degree - it can be about so much more than that.
Finding community
Did you know that UCL was founded nearly 200 years ago as the first non-residential UK university? From the very start, it's been a place where students didn’t have to live on campus to feel like they belong. As a commuter student today, you’re part of that tradition - and with so many opportunities to find your people and explore new communities, you’re never on your own.
Being a commuter student, it's easy to feel like it's out of reach, but there's a lot on offer. Here are some things I did...
- I tried to join as many group study sessions as possible to get to know the people on my course
- I researched societies to find a sport that worked for my timetable - I joined cheerleading, which trained on the weekends and was convenient for me, and I've made some of my closest friends there
- I joined a lot of societies that required low levels of commitment (including dance, K-pop, Women in Finance, plus loads more) - I was able to pick what events I could attend based on my timetable and when I would be on campus. It was a great way to meet lots of new people
- The moment I felt truly part of the UCL community was when I ran for a committee position within a sports club, as I was able to develop very close relationships with other committee and club members
Thriving as a commuter student
In a city as big as London, it's always possible to make friends as a commuter on campus. Most students do not always live a walking distance away, and travel in from other areas.
At the Students' Union, a huge positive is that we have so many events that run throughout the day and in the early evening, meaning you don't have to compromise on getting involved in order to make your last train. My personal top tip is finding an activity to get involved in around rush hour - that way, you don't have to stand in stuffy transport!
I've put together some events happening weekly that are often commuter-student friendly. I'm working to implement consistent use of a 'commuter-friendly' tag on the What's On Calendar, so that it's easy to find an event that works for you.
Commuter friendly events I'd recommend:
- Games Nights happen every Monday from 19:00 in Phineas - we've had two so far, and they've been really popular
- artsUCL have a whole host of weekly sessions (some of my favourites are Community Choir, actingUnlocked, and Just Vibes) - you can check them out here
- Project Active's daytime classes, including barre, pickleball, pilates, yoga, tennis. Bonus - lots of the classes can be taken online, too
- So many societies hold weekly classes - these usually run either during the day or between 17:00-21:00, so they're a great way to make friends and skip rush hour. Check out all of our societies here
What's next?
I want to make sure commuter students feel part of the UCL community and feel like there are communities and activities that they are able to take part in. I'm looking to create a programme of events that is accessible for commuter students - if you have feedback on what you'd like to see, please get in touch with: [email protected].