The prospect of driving an hour or more one-way to school every day can be daunting. My commute to the Institute for Advanced Analytics averaged 70 minutes across the end of summer and the beginning of fall. The average travel time did increase slightly in the fall semester, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, commutes with inhibiting events such as accidents or weather did see a statistically significant increase in average travel time of more than 8 minutes. If the forecast is calling for rain, be prepared and leave early!
Starting at the IAA, having a long daily commute was a new experience for me. The trade-off has been worth it to this point, and I have even learned a few things along the way to make the drive more manageable. Whether you are a prospective student or someone who deals with commuting, I hope you can find some value in these insights.
Flexibility
It is essential to remain flexible when you know a chunk of every day will be spent traveling. Traffic can be unpredictable, causing delays and requiring alternate routes, where a willingness to adapt goes a long way. Starting early in the summer, I made a point to build additional time into my morning schedule to hopefully account for this unpredictability. Sticking to this schedule helps ensure I arrive on time and is less stressful than consistently arriving at the last minute. It also allows for that extra 15 minutes of sleep on those mornings when you really feel like you need it, because let’s be honest, we all have them!
Another aspect of flexibility can be the route you choose to take each day. Utilizing navigation apps and local radio can help you stay informed about potential traffic delays as you are driving. From there, you can make choices about whether sitting in stand-still traffic is worth saving the few minutes an alternative route may cost. My stop-and-go traffic tolerance depends on the day, but I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of finding new ways to get to where I need to be.
Make it Worthwhile
Finding ways to make your time spent on the road worth it can make the drive more bearable. Here are a few ways I have found to occupy my time while in the car:
- Listening to required reading/video assignments
- Simply listening to music or personal interest podcasts can really help decompress after a long day (and take your mind off the traffic that may be frustrating you)
- Presentation practice – I have found time in the car to be a great time to practice out loud for an upcoming presentation
These are just a few things that have helped me. I’m sure everyone with a long commute has unique ways to make that time work for them, but the main thing is to have a positive mindset about the time you get to yourself in the car.
Patience
Commuting, especially with the inevitability of traffic and erratic behavior from other drivers, requires patience. I must make a conscious effort to be patient while in traffic. It is frustrating to sit in traffic jams created mostly by selfish driving. However, I still want to drive and behave on the road in the way I wish others would. It is commonly recommended to follow with a three-second gap, and research indicates that increased following distances can improve traffic flow. With the right mindset, I think traffic disruptions can be an opportunity for personal growth and an exercise in how you treat others.
I have tried to show that a potential commute should not be seen as an obstacle to participating and getting the most out of the program. Everyone has unique circumstances, and sometimes doing things like giving up some of your time to a longer commute can be necessary to make other goals a reality. Even if these specific tips do not resonate with you, hopefully, the overall principles are relatable and actionable. Circumstances may not always be ideal, but by putting effort into having a positive mindset, we can still find ways to make those circumstances work for us.
Columnist: Propst Travis