By Maddie, BA(Hons) Creative and Professional Writing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this blog, Maddie shares what it\u2019s like travelling in each day and finding her feet on campus. She talks about the challenges, the small wins, and what\u2019s helped her feel at home at university while living off\u2011campus. Read more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nHave you ever found yourself sprinting for your train with a half-finished cup of coffee and a heavy backpack weighing you down, terrified to miss that important 9am lecture? If so, you\u2019re not alone. The number of commuter students is on the rise at UWE Bristol. Whether it\u2019s because you want to save money, stay close to family, or just can\u2019t find a home that suits you, what’s being a commuter student really like?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Why do some students choose to commute?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Students choose to live off-campus for many reasons; some find it gives them the best of both worlds: the experience of university whilst still upholding their home life. As a commuter myself, I\u2019ve enjoyed both sides of the page. Many students find it daunting moving to a new city, into a new house, let alone with people you\u2019ve never met! It\u2019s totally normal to have anxiety about these things: it’s a huge step in your early adult life. Being a commuter can also make higher education more affordable and accessible, especially in a city as busy and vibrant as Bristol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the cost-of-living crisis in full blast, accommodation prices all over the UK are skyrocketing, this can really deter new students from moving into accommodation as other options can be more financially manageable. Another reason many students choose to commute is if they are already local. I know many other students who chose to stay living at home with family, as UWE Bristol was just a bus ride away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, what\u2019s it like to make the journey? My commute from North Bristol takes around 40 minutes: A 10-minute walk to the bus stop and a 30-minute bus journey. To me, this time is precious. I try to use it as best as I can, for example, doing the required reading for my lectures that day so it’s fresh in my mind, catching up on some notes, or listening to music and podcasts to get myself prepared for the day ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nOne of the most accessible things about Bristol is the public transport system. There are so many options! Bristol has its own internal overground trainline, with stations dotted in most neighbourhoods, allowing you to get from the top to the bottom of the city in around 10 minutes. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Bristol also has Metrobuses, which take the motorway, cutting the usual city route time in half. Plus, if you\u2019re close enough to commute by foot, Bristol is full of vibrant art, greenery and parks, even walking is pleasant and care-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pros and cons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Commuting isn\u2019t without the odd challenge. For example, early mornings and transport delays, missing out on spontaneous campus events, or even getting stuck in traffic. But there\u2019s always some good to come from the bad. Commuting has taught me key time management skills, the importance of planning ahead, and how to make every minute on campus count. Joining societies, spending time in the library, and grabbing lunch with friends all help make UWE Bristol feel like home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether you’re 10 minutes away or an hour, what truly matters is how you make use of your time at UWE Bristol. Commuting doesn’t limit your experience; it just shapes it differently. Sooner than later, you\u2019ll find your groove, your best friends, and your new favourite study spot (most likely near the Greggs!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find out more about undergraduate study<\/a> at UWE Bristol.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Maddie, BA(Hons) Creative and Professional Writing In this blog, Maddie shares what it\u2019s like travelling in each day and finding her feet on campus. She talks about the challenges, the small wins, and what\u2019s helped her feel at home at university while living off\u2011campus. Read more. Have you ever found yourself sprinting for your … Continue reading “Being a commuter student at UWE Bristol”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":2049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":237,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,237,147,194],"tags":[92,11],"class_list":["post-2046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bristol","category-commuter-student","category-student-life","category-travel","tag-student-life","tag-uwe-bristol"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2046"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2052,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046\/revisions\/2052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/student-views\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}