Brittany Ward drives 480 miles a week to get a college education. She wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for her drive from Sarasota to the University of South Florida in Tampa. She arrives earlier than most in order to get a parking spot, avoiding the “shark game” of preying on departing vehicles.
She cannot ride her bike or walk to campus like some students. If Ward gets to campus any later, she has to park half a mile away from her first class.
Ward, a biochemistry student, is just one example of the many USF students who commute. During a typical semester, Ward spends about $1,130 on gas. She also purchases lunch and dinner on campus, costing an additional $900 per semester.
Commuters like Ward do not have the option to go home for lunch or during a break in between classes. Instead, she has to spend it on campus. Some people might consider a break between classes an advantage. Students can use the time to read or catch up on studying—a time to be productive. Ward disagrees.
“I have a two-and-a- half hour break and it’s beyond boring,” Ward said. “I try to get homework done but usually end up falling asleep. It’s a waste of time.”
Ward also finds it challenging to juggle her job at the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center in Bradenton because of her late days at school.
“The doctor’s office isn’t open on the weekends, and I can’t work on school days,” Ward said. “And since I hardly get work done on my break, I need that time during the week to do school work.” Ward said that she would like to work more, but spends so much time driving to and from campus, there is not enough time.
Making friends and getting involved with the school is difficult for Ward because of her commuter lifestyle. USF has over 270 student organizations including sororities and fraternities, clubs, Student Government and sports. However, opportunities for social interaction can be limited for students that commute.
Ward mostly spends her time on campus in the classroom and occasionally talks to students she knows from previous semesters. She has been to a few football games, but feels she does not have enough school spirit to regularly attend.
“I don’t participate in any activities because after I’m finished with class, I just want to go home,” Ward said. “The only connection I have to the school is my classes.”
Ward wants to get involved socially, but she has the long drive home in the back of her mind.
Lauren Bucchino, a student at USF St. Petersburg, commutes 240 miles a week. Bucchino has to commute because of her academic credentials. She lives in Sarasota, where there is a USF campus, but cannot transfer “back home” until her junior year.
Bucchino drives over the Skyway Bridge, three days a week, paying a dollar each way for tolls, to attend one class a day. By the end of the semester, Buchinno will spend $96 in toll fees alone.
During her freshman year, Bucchino lived in the dorms at the USF Tampa campus. Campus life was not a priority for her, and she switched campuses and moved home to work and save money.
Ward seems to think the inconvenience of commuting to school is worth it. She has kept her focus on graduation. Bucchino sees her situation as temporary. When graduation day approaches, both Bucchino and Ward feel they won’t have any regrets.
