The misconceptions surrounding commuter students
Makenzie Hurt / The Hofstra Chronicle
Many freshmen are eager to live independently and fully immerse themselves in the college experience. However, there are also many students who either do not have the option to live on campus or would rather stay at home.
Rob Spiteri is one of many commuters at Hofstra University, and he feels that there is a misconception about students who do not live on campus. “I love staying at home,” Spiteri said. “A lot of people think commuters don’t have friends or don’t care about school, but I feel the opposite.”
Spiteri, a senior English major, feels that being a commuter has actually enhanced his ability to connect with others. He transferred from Binghamton University, where he lived on campus during his sophomore year which he said he hated.
“The food was awful, my roommate was awful and it was just a bad experience,” Spiteri said. “I also missed my family, my dog, my neighbors and my job.”
When he’s not studying, applying for graduate school or practicing for Hofstra’s concert band, Spiteri works at New Wave Seafood near his home in Wantagh. “I’m busy, but I love it,” Spiteri said. “I couldn’t do this if I were a residential student.”
Some of the perks of living at home while in college include home-cooked meals, a guaranteed quiet place to study, a lower cost of living and the ability to work part-time. Additionally, many commuters like Spiteri have responsibilities at home that they must attend to.
Senior mathematics major Nicole Pietrafesa finds that living at home saves money and allows her to save up for life after college. She commutes from Franklin Square, but the 20-minute drive does not bother her.
She says that the drive “isn’t a huge annoyance” in comparison to the benefits of commuting. “I’m able to work at Roosevelt Field Mall after class, and I don’t pay rent at home, so I’m saving a ton of money.”
Spiteri also says that he was able to pay for his car with the money he has saved by working and living at home.
While Spiteri and Pietrafesa are commuters who enjoy their circumstances, they acknowledge that not all commuters feel the same. There are commuters at every college that struggle to make friends, get involved and fully embrace the college experience. Some commuters struggle to make friends during classes since there is not much time to connect with other students.
“It’s hard if you’re shy, and Commuting Services doesn’t do much,” Pietrafesa said.
Spiteri also feels that Commuting Student Services could expand their resources and do more promotional work for commuters who are struggling. Spiteri said that he “hasn’t seen any advertising” for Commuting Student Services.
Commuting Student Services has a lounge in the student center, but many note that it is often empty. Spiteri also feels that it is in an inconvenient location, so many commuters likely do not even know that it exists.
“Commuters don’t really explore the student center since it’s over the Unispan,” Spiteri said. “We spend most of our time on South Campus for classes.”
Commuting Student Services’ website states, “The office assists students in finding a place to live, being safe off campus, and other general tips and tricks to being a commuter student.” Yet Pietrafesa and Spiteri feel that the office does not offer enough resources to commuters like themselves.
“I don’t think they have ever reached out to me in an email or anything,” Pietrafesa said.
Commuting Student Services has an Instagram page that allows students to stay updated on events for commuters. Spiteri believes that more emails or text messages should be sent to commuters to advertise their services, as not everyone uses social media or is aware of the Instagram page.
Pietrafesa and Spiteri have never been to the commuter lounge, and they both said that they have made most of their friends through campus activities. Spiteri said that joining the concert band introduced him to new people, and Pietrafesa said the same through the mathematics club and her job as a tutor.
Most residential students hold the assumption that commuters are lonely or cannot make friends. Some commuters may struggle, but it is not the majority. Spiteri and Pietrafesa’s commuting experiences display that living off campus does not ultimately ruin the “college experience.”
