Now you may find it difficult to sleep on the bus, or worse - to ignore the person sitting right next to you who is loudly talking into their cell phone.
But I have the solution:
Earplugs.
I don't know how many times earplugs have saved me. They are handy when sleeping anywhere other than home (or even at home when a new noise has invaded your sleep - like a neighbourhood dog, or your guest's snoring). They are essential to studying in the modern public library (I learned this while trying to write an essay while a student chatted with her friend on her cell phone about the phone sex that she'd had the night before - TMI (too much information)!). They are also essential for any commute - long or short.
Looking for more commuter tips? Check out this useful website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A930133
Friday, September 14, 2007
A Tired Little Commuter
My name is Michele and I am a commuter.
I've survived my first week of commuting. And I do mean survived.
I didn't think it would be that bad, but that was before I realized that I'd have to get up at 5:30 am just to get to a 9 am class.
That's right - 5:30 am.
Let me fill you in a little:
I am a first year, full-time Masters student in the Faculty of Information Studies (FIS). I live in Guelph, ON but go to school at U of T. My partner and I have a great apartment, life, community in Guelph so we decided not to move while I go to FIS. Therefore, I commute.
I live in Guelph. That's an hour and a half away from Toronto, two hours total from my front door to the FIS building - one way. I commute three days a week - Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays - on the Greyhound. (I don't have a car. There is no Go bus. The train does not run frequently.) That brings me to a grand total of 4 hours traveling time* per day and 12 hours total traveling time* per week. (* Traffic delays not included.)
It isn't like I'm a commuting newbie. I've commuted twice before - both times for work. Once when I was the manager of a bookstore in Hamilton (a commute of 45 minutes one way). And once when I took a job as an editor for a children's press in St. Catherines (also an hour and a half one way - but with no public transit options). I had a car for both of these commutes though. Which was both better and worse. Better because I could wake up a little later. Worse because I had to drive.
I thought my commute from Guelph to U of T would be okay because I can take public transit. I can sleep, read, and do homework on the bus. I don't have to deal with traffic. So it is better. But it still isn't easy.
Take this past Tuesday for example. Monday night I set my alarm for 5:30 am, got my clothes laid out for the next day, and packed my breakfast and lunch. Tuesday morning I'm awoken not by my alarm clock, but by my partner. It is 7:15 am. Argh. I mustn't have set my alarm properly. Nothing more maddening than already knowing that you are late for a class that won't even start for several hours.
I booked it out of the house, waited for the next bus, and was still an hour and half late for class. Fortunately our classes are three hours long so I still caught most of the essential material.
Tuesday's trouble with my alarm clock reminded me of some of my #1 commuting survival tip: use a second alarm clock and set it a little later than the first.
If anyone has any commuting horror stories, comments, or tips I'd love to hear them. I have 2 years of this commute to go, and lots of commuting tips yet to learn.
I've survived my first week of commuting. And I do mean survived.
I didn't think it would be that bad, but that was before I realized that I'd have to get up at 5:30 am just to get to a 9 am class.
That's right - 5:30 am.
Let me fill you in a little:
I am a first year, full-time Masters student in the Faculty of Information Studies (FIS). I live in Guelph, ON but go to school at U of T. My partner and I have a great apartment, life, community in Guelph so we decided not to move while I go to FIS. Therefore, I commute.
I live in Guelph. That's an hour and a half away from Toronto, two hours total from my front door to the FIS building - one way. I commute three days a week - Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays - on the Greyhound. (I don't have a car. There is no Go bus. The train does not run frequently.) That brings me to a grand total of 4 hours traveling time* per day and 12 hours total traveling time* per week. (* Traffic delays not included.)
It isn't like I'm a commuting newbie. I've commuted twice before - both times for work. Once when I was the manager of a bookstore in Hamilton (a commute of 45 minutes one way). And once when I took a job as an editor for a children's press in St. Catherines (also an hour and a half one way - but with no public transit options). I had a car for both of these commutes though. Which was both better and worse. Better because I could wake up a little later. Worse because I had to drive.
I thought my commute from Guelph to U of T would be okay because I can take public transit. I can sleep, read, and do homework on the bus. I don't have to deal with traffic. So it is better. But it still isn't easy.
Take this past Tuesday for example. Monday night I set my alarm for 5:30 am, got my clothes laid out for the next day, and packed my breakfast and lunch. Tuesday morning I'm awoken not by my alarm clock, but by my partner. It is 7:15 am. Argh. I mustn't have set my alarm properly. Nothing more maddening than already knowing that you are late for a class that won't even start for several hours.
I booked it out of the house, waited for the next bus, and was still an hour and half late for class. Fortunately our classes are three hours long so I still caught most of the essential material.
Tuesday's trouble with my alarm clock reminded me of some of my #1 commuting survival tip: use a second alarm clock and set it a little later than the first.
If anyone has any commuting horror stories, comments, or tips I'd love to hear them. I have 2 years of this commute to go, and lots of commuting tips yet to learn.
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