{"id":45112,"date":"2021-09-22T09:12:55","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T13:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=45112"},"modified":"2021-09-21T11:20:04","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T15:20:04","slug":"3-tips-for-covid-safe-commuting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2021\/09\/22\/3-tips-for-covid-safe-commuting\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Tips for COVID-Safe Commuting!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Even though I was excited to get back to campus, the thought of commuting over an hour a day during a pandemic terrified me. I live with immune-compromised individuals and the last thing I want to do is bring the virus home with me. So, before we made our return to campus, I came up with a few ways to ensure I would be able to make it to campus and home safely, reduce the risk and put my mind at ease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Checking Safety Guidelines and Service Updates <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Blocked-off seating on the TTC for social distancing <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to be sureI could commute as normal -- safely, I went over the safety measures that each transit service I use have put in place. I primarily use the GO Train and the TTC Subway - so these were the most important to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GO Train has a mandatory face mask policy, social distance measures and enhanced cleaning and sanitation on their trains. After ensuring these, their additional safety measures<\/a>, and their services updates<\/a> (more frequent trains, more train-cars, etc), I felt a lot more comfortable heading back to the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The TTC also has a mandatory face mask policy, and increase social distance measures put in place. You can read more about their safety guidelines here<\/a>, and look out for blocked-off seating like in the picture one above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Creating a COVID Kit <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Top Row (from left to right): Hand Sanitizers, Disposable Masks, Hand Cream and Lip Oil
Bottom Row (from left to right): Disinfectant Wipes and Tissues <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When I am commuting, I often have to two take two if not three transit services (Brampton Transit<\/a>, GO Transit<\/a> and the TTC<\/a>), and that can be upwards of 1.5 hours of commuting. So I have some items I keep with me in case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hand sanitizer in order to ensure I'm keeping my hands clean throughout the day, disposable masks in case something happens to the one I'm wearing (like the ear-band snaps while you're walking and you have no idea how it happened), disinfectant wipes I keep in case I decide to work from a coffee shop near campus or just need the reassurance, and tissues because it's allergy season. The hand cream and lip oil are definitely not for everyone, I find the alcohol in the hand sanitizers make my hands dry after a long day and wearing masks for 6 hours plus makes my lips feel chapped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To store them, I just throw them in the front pocket of my backpack! Its easy access no matter what mode of transportation I'm on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Deciding if I HAVE to go to campus that day <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The final way I'm ensuring my safety is only travelling to campus on the days that require it. I'm currently in the hybrid-model of learning, some classes require us to be on campus and some professors have chosen to continue classes online. If this were first year, I would be taking the train all the time just to get the feel of being at school - however, this year, it's better to be safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am so excited to be back on campus for my final year, and I know the anxiousness around commuting will slowly dissipate as we get back into it. For now, these are the ways I am making sure I am COVID-safe on my commute and I hope they can help you too!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n
\nEven though I was excited to get back to campus, the thought of commuting over an hour a day during a pandemic terrified me. I live with immune-compromised individuals and the last thing I want to do is bring the…\n<\/div>
Continue reading “3 Tips for COVID-Safe Commuting!”<\/span>…<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>
Continue reading “3 Tips for COVID-Safe Commuting!”<\/span>…<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"author":420,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45112"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/420"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45112"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45118,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45112\/revisions\/45118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}