Hey guys! I’m Charlotte and I’m back to talk to you about the pros and cons of commuting.

It may seem you are in the minority if you decide to live at home and commute, but in fact UNiDAYS found in some resaearch recently that nearly 43 percent of students do this too, so you are not alone!

I’m going to start off with the cons of staying at home, because there aren’t as many as you think.

  1. One drawback of living at home versus in halls is the time it takes to get to university. You may have to leave earlier and get home later than your peers, but this does come with it’s advantages such as having time to read through notes or prepare for the next day. Also, getting up that bit earlier makes it hard to be late for a lecture, meaning you will get as much information as you can from your day!
  2. The other drawback for me is the expense. You don’t have a ten-minute walk like some others on your course will - you will either need to pay for a car, train or bus to get to classes. There are many ways to make it as cheap as you can though! Buying a railcard or a season ticket makes trains cheaper, and there is an annual bus ticket in the West Yorkshire area for students which works out at around 90p a day!

Now, let's move onto the pros of living at home while you study.

  1. Having been commuting for a few years now, I know the city of Leeds so well! Being able to live that little bit further away from university means I've explored so much. Walking from the bus stop, or even to the university is peaceful. I love taking videos and pictures so I always find the time to stop and appreciate my walk, and maybe snap a picture or two! Also, knowing where the best local places to eat and shop are is a great bonus!
  2. Commuting also allows me to not only spend time with classmates and peers, but also with my family! For me this means that I get a nice mix of activities, and I don't miss out on big events back home (birthdays, etc). I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but if you're like me and are involved a lot with your family, this is a real plus.
  3. Also, being away from the 'school environment' really helps clear your mind when it really doesn't need to be on university assignments. Having that separation from university time and home time helps me.
  4. On more of an admin note, staying at home saved me a lot of time! I didn't have to change doctors or addresses on my stuff, so that nothing changes when I am university or not. For someone with a lot of accounts (and sometimes a few too many amazon parcels) this is really handy.

I hope this has helped you in some way, and I hope to see you guys soon!

Charlotte

Hello! I'm Charlotte, a Broadcast Media Student and I've just finished my placement year. I'm heading into my final year at Leeds Beckett and I've loved every second of it! I love capturing the world and telling a story through my videos. On top of my university career I create my own videos, livestream and work as a freelance artist. I love playing video games, watching a variety of different content, and creating art.

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