A Commuter's View

I am no stranger to Lyon, even though I am a freshman. I’ve been in the Apple program since 2019, before COVID. I’ve been attending the Scottish Festival for longer than that. However, I am new to a completely different aspect and culture on campus now. The classes are much more in-depth and loaded with more material than those I took concurrently at UACCB. I actually get to be on campus during the day, rather than after 5:00 PM. The campus is extremely beautiful, especially now that it’s getting deeper into fall. The buildings against all of the changing colors are a sight to behold. I love walking to class in the morning, just looking around and being present. 

As a commuter, though, there are some downsides. It’s harder for me to get to SI sessions since they’re later in the day and I already have to go back home after class for work most days. It’s a lot of gas to make two trips back and forth to go to sessions. I also don’t have the ability to go to as many on-campus activities as residents. One, I work, and two, I live forty minutes away from campus. Commuting is hard. I have to wake up earlier in order to get to class on time. For some people like me, it’s hard to stay focused on your coursework when you’re not on campus and there is stuff going on at home that needs to be done or grabs your attention. 

I’m still finding my groove, but I wouldn’t trade Lyon for anything. I love the campus and the people, and I love that I have found a place where I can grow and become a better, more intelligent, version of myself.