40 Min commute to NYU..big issue?

[agabs0627]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Ill be attending NYU this fall and I recently rented out an apartment in brooklyn with my boyfriend. The apartment is pretty close to the express bus and the train, either way it will take me anywhere from 30-50 minutes to get to school depending on traffic and whatnot.

For those of you dental students who have experience commuting, do you think this commute will be tough for me especially during the first two years of school?

I only signed a 1 year lease so worst comes to worst, we can always move into the city (however the rent is MUCH more expensive there and we will probably end up living in a closet). Let me know what you guys think!!

 

[CJS]

Depends if you actually mind the commute or not ( I know that sounds weird, but some people can't be bothered with the whole public transportation/driving in traffic experience) . I have friends who lived right across the street from school, and some whose commutes were about an hour. The latter group of kids I know seemed to do well. My commute is about 30 mins, and I did pretty well my first year. I used the train time to look at Netter flashcards for anatomy, Wheeler flashcards for dental anatomy, and other media that was easy to view on the train.

 

[agabs0627]

thanks so much CJS. Comforting to know the commute worked out well for you

 

[Shnurek]

40 minute commute is the norm here in NYC. Life in general is just harder here.

 

[Kahr]

40 minute commute is the norm here in NYC. Life in general is just harder here.

👍

Commuted 40-60 minutes each way for 2 years, Queens <-> Manhattan; actually started to enjoy taking naps on the damn train rides. 😳

 

[ljpm8224]

It depends. Is the train part a straight shot? Could you study uninterrupted?

I used to commute from Bayridge Brooklyn to Columbia and it was intolerable because I had a couple transfers... so if I missed those stops or made the wrong connection because I was trying to study I would screw up my entire morning.

If you have a train ride where you can focus and use that time productively it will be fine. And, as mentioned above, 40 minutes isn't too shabby for NYC door to door! I used to give myself an hour to get anywhere prettymuch in the city... even going from UES to Grand Central or whatnot. You just never know if the trains are running, someone jumped on the tracks, a steam pipe exploded, there's a street fair on the opposite end or whatever.

Anyways, I think 40 min isn't gonna kill ya.

Toughen up and get er done 🙂

Enjoy NYC!!

btw- people who ride Metro North to CT oftentimes put a "Wake me up in x" sign on them... and the conductors who get to know them know to wake them up 🙂 Pretty cool. Won't happen on the subway though...tho u might get jacked if you fall asleep there!

 

[Shnurek]

btw- people who ride Metro North to CT oftentimes put a "Wake me up in x" sign on them... and the conductors who get to know them know to wake them up 🙂 Pretty cool. Won't happen on the subway though...tho u might get jacked if you fall asleep there!

haha that's pretty awesome

 

[wo5678]

40 minutes is not long, but there are always problems with the subways. I commute between brooklyn and manhattan for classes. You have no idea who many times there are delays with the subway and I just sit there for an hour, especially the green line. Everything always runs smoothly in midtown manhattan, but then you get to downtown and brooklyn, that is where the problem starts.

 

[Firm]

That's 80 minutes out of your day that you are going to lose. Forget about going home to get a quick bite to eat before studying in the evening. Living on campus the first year is ideal. Gives you the most free time available and is cheap. I guess you can study on the train.

 

[agabs0627]

It depends. Is the train part a straight shot? Could you study uninterrupted?

I used to commute from Bayridge Brooklyn to Columbia and it was intolerable because I had a couple transfers... so if I missed those stops or made the wrong connection because I was trying to study I would screw up my entire morning.

If you have a train ride where you can focus and use that time productively it will be fine. And, as mentioned above, 40 minutes isn't too shabby for NYC door to door! I used to give myself an hour to get anywhere prettymuch in the city... even going from UES to Grand Central or whatnot. You just never know if the trains are running, someone jumped on the tracks, a steam pipe exploded, there's a street fair on the opposite end or whatever.

Anyways, I think 40 min isn't gonna kill ya.

Toughen up and get er done 🙂

Enjoy NYC!!

btw- people who ride Metro North to CT oftentimes put a "Wake me up in x" sign on them... and the conductors who get to know them know to wake them up 🙂 Pretty cool. Won't happen on the subway though...tho u might get jacked if you fall asleep there!

Yep there would be one transfer if I take the train. I also have the option of taking the express bus which is more comfortable and it stops right in front of the school. But the bus takes around an hour and 20 :/

 

[wo5678]

Yep there would be one transfer if I take the train. I also have the option of taking the express bus which is more comfortable and it stops right in front of the school. But the bus takes around an hour and 20 :/

If you can afford it, i suggest you move closer to school. It will make your life much easier.

 

[Vapor1122]

I'll be the dissenting voice: there's no need to live close to NYUCD in your first year. Since lectures are recorded, everyone will find out pretty quickly that for very few lectures do you actually have to be there. Most are easier to digest from the comfort of your own home, where you can listen to them at 2x speed at your leisure, scrubbing through parts as needed. Your lab schedule will be relatively lax. More than likely, it'll be entirely possible to not even go to school 1-2 days a week.

Once second year starts, lab gets more intense, and you'll have to show up at least once a day. And then when clinic starts, you're there everyday, not just for yourself but for your patient. That's when I'd suggest living within a 30 minute range, but even then, paying 2x the rent still may not be worth it. That's your call.

Bonus tip: another thing to keep in mind is the fact that commuting from an outer borough into the city during snowy weather can be near impossible.

 

[mmasurf]

avg of most students who commute is like 40min to 1hr now its going to suck the first 2 years cause majority of classes start at 8 am meaning you will have to leave at 7am and trains to brooklyn are slow in the night so it will take u 1hr but if ur going to save 30k a yr do it suffer a little and study on the train.

 

[agabs0627]

My original thought exactly. I would rather come out of school with less loans than live conveniently for two years. Im sure studying before class wouldnt hurt either. Thank you everyone for the advice ! 🙂

 

[1docholliday]

NY commuting is the best! Just prepare to leave earlier in case there are any train issues and closures. You can study on your commute! I have to drive 30 minutes each way, and I don't get to use the time effectively.