- \r\n\t
- hear the words \u201cAttention TTC customers<\/em><\/strong>\u2026.\u201d and roll your eyes at least twice a day?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- carry one of these bad babies in your wallet\/purse\/general debris that litters the bottom of your bag (if you\u2019re like me)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
![\"hand](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/11\/12243981_10208092693506034_1303275491_n-300x298.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n- \r\n\t
- have any of these in your phone?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
![\"a](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/11\/12272684_10208090626534361_1468620628_n-169x300.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nIf you answered yes to all or most of these, then using my magical powers of deduction\u2026<\/p>\r\n
you, like me- and roughly 85% of the UofT population- are a COMMUTER<\/strong>!<\/p>\r\n
Which, really, is an impressive thing to be, considering all that we go through- dealing with all-too-frequent delays, navigating through the crowded beehive that is Bloor-Yonge Station, swerving to avoid getting smacked in the shoulder by somebody running to get through the closing doors or bearing the shoulder-crushing weight of a backpack crammed with commuting essentials, including laptop, textbooks (and possibly Tupperware with mom\u2019s homemade pasta).<\/p>\r\n
![\"0e738b8f9941e470c7c04e870b96232eb78c55c6930c11891398ac813c6320a5\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/11\/0e738b8f9941e470c7c04e870b96232eb78c55c6930c11891398ac813c6320a5-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"431336_301439599909555_1928949044_n\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/11\/431336_301439599909555_1928949044_n-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\nYeah, we commuters are made of pretty tough stuff.<\/p>\r\n
But\u00a0back in the summer when I was debating my decision to commute, I really didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be up to the challenge. Fast forward to today.<\/p>\r\n
How have I held up so far?<\/p>\r\n
I\u2019ve only been doing this for three months, unlike many of my seasoned commuter friends and\u2026I\u2019m not going to lie, there have been casualties. Shoes have been scuffed running to catch the bus, countless water bottles have been accidentally abandoned on streetcar seats and most notably, I forgot my beloved patterned blue umbrella on the subway last month.<\/p>\r\n
But now that I look back at the journey(s) I\u2019ve embarked on since the beginning of the semester, there\u2019s a lot I\u2019ve learned so far:<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- \r\n\t
- To manage my time better<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Gone are the days of waking up just before class and walking approximately six minutes to make it on time. Being a commuter has meant that I need to be up and functional in the wee hours of the morning. Since I have to take two different modes of transportation down to campus, my train of thought at 8AM looks a little like this- \u201cokay, it\u2019s 8AM, the bus is coming at 8:30, giving me about fifteen minutes to get ready, ten to eat breakfast and five to get to the bus stop.<\/p>\r\n
No wait, scratch that, I\u2019m spending five extra minutes on breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Measuring my time out in little chunks has forced me to be a lot more productive than I was last year.<\/p>\r\n
Even when I\u2019m on campus, since I know I\u2019m going to have to commute back home, I try to get as much work done in the time gaps I have between class, allocating my time out as if I needed to catch a bus. It\u2019s really worked wonders for my productivity levels. I hardly even\u00a0waste time on Buzzfeed anymore! (taking quizzes doesn\u2019t count though, right?)<\/p>\r\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 2. To get more involved<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
Trying to banish the stereotype of \u201ccommuters have no lives<\/i>\u201d, I got a job with the university that I really enjoy, joined some great clubs working towards causes I\u2019m passionate about such as women\u2019s<\/a> rights<\/a> and animal cruelty<\/a>. It didn\u2019t make sense to me to come downtown just to attend class- I want something more meaningful out of my university experience. Juggling academics and extracurriculars is something I think we all struggle with and I\u2019ve been trying to maintain a balance this year by arranging my schedule so that I have one day with no class that I can dedicate to extracurriculars or job duties. Just don\u2019t ask me about my 'Manic Monday' schedule. *shudder<\/em>*<\/p>\r\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a03. \u00a0To explore the city more<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
The $112 metropass price tag has been a big motivator for this one. Unlimited swipes= unlimited exploring! Here are some of the places I\u2019ve ventured so far<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4. \u00a0Be more organized<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
While I\u2019m still one of those people at the subway turnstiles who is twisted like a pretzel trying to fish her metropass out of her backpack without having to take it off, I have been a lot more organized with my commitments this year. There\u2019s a lot more at stake now- I can\u2019t forget a commitment and make it on time at the last minute anymore.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"a](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/11\/12243687_10208093222079248_2062452801_n-225x300.jpg\")
<\/a>I\u2019m even the proud (first-time) owner of a planner this year!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a05. Lastly, I\u2019ve learned to always, always, always<\/em>\u00a0take a backward glance \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0at my seat as I leave.<\/strong>\r\n In memory of Blue Patterned Umbrella.<\/p>\r\n
To conclude my three-month commuting check-in: so far, so good! I mean,\u00a0I might change my mind on the rush-hour subway back but for now, #commuterandproud<\/p>\r\n
What\u2019s your commuting journey been like so far, U of T?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n
P.S- \u00a0If you'd like to see your opinion help change transportation policy, take a minute to fill out this survey<\/a> about commuting in the GTA.<\/p>\r\n
Happy travels!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hey, U of T!<\/p>\r\n
Do you ever\u2026.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- \r\n\t
- set an alarm for 6AM in order to be in time for an 9AM class?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- hear the words \u201cAttention TTC customers<\/em><\/strong>\u2026.\u201d and roll your eyes at least twice a day?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- \r\n\t
- carry one of these bad babies in your wallet\/purse\/general debris that litters the bottom of your bag (if you\u2019re like me)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/a>
- carry one of these bad babies in your wallet\/purse\/general debris that litters the bottom of your bag (if you\u2019re like me)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- hear the words \u201cAttention TTC customers<\/em><\/strong>\u2026.\u201d and roll your eyes at least twice a day?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- set an alarm for 6AM in order to be in time for an 9AM class?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- To manage my time better<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
- have any of these in your phone?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
- carry one of these bad babies in your wallet\/purse\/general debris that litters the bottom of your bag (if you\u2019re like me)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
![\"hand](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2015\/11\/12243981_10208092693506034_1303275491_n.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n