anyone commuting?

[kate_g]

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Anyone commuting a significant distance every day? Like an hour or more? Are you actually attending that 8 a.m. class, or counting on getting a recording of the lecture to listen to at home?

In particular, vet students? I know there aren't a lot of us on the nontrad forum, but I figure there might be a few lurkers. Not sure it's quite as common for vet schools to podcast all their lectures as it seems to be in MD/DO schools. Thankfully, I'm also not sure it's quite as common to need to be on campus at 5:30 a.m. for clinical rotations.

I've thought of the train: While there is a train from Berkeley to Davis, it would actually require me getting up an hour earlier, since the 6:45 train from Berkeley arrives (at the train station all the way across town from campus) at 8:05. 😡 So, I pretty much have to drive - or take the 5:45 train and sit around for an hour.

Mostly, I guess I'm just whining. Wondering how common it is. Maybe looking for a "been there, you get used to it" or a "been there, and it wrecked my life," that kind of thing...

 

[relentless11]

Anyone commuting a significant distance every day? Like an hour or more? Are you actually attending that 8 a.m. class, or counting on getting a recording of the lecture to listen to at home?

In particular, vet students? I know there aren't a lot of us on the nontrad forum, but I figure there might be a few lurkers. Not sure it's quite as common for vet schools to podcast all their lectures as it seems to be in MD/DO schools. Thankfully, I'm also not sure it's quite as common to need to be on campus at 5:30 a.m. for clinical rotations.

I've thought of the train: While there is a train from Berkeley to Davis, it would actually require me getting up an hour earlier, since the 6:45 train from Berkeley arrives (at the train station all the way across town from campus) at 8:05. 😡 So, I pretty much have to drive - or take the 5:45 train and sit around for an hour.

Mostly, I guess I'm just whining. Wondering how common it is. Maybe looking for a "been there, you get used to it" or a "been there, and it wrecked my life," that kind of thing...

As an undergrad I used to commute to UCD every now and then since I had a job 105 mi away from campus. There were times when I did take Amtrak, but it took 1 hour longer! Grades suffered due to fatigue, morale, gas prices, wear and tear on my vehicle, and whatever else you can think of. I knew a person who actually stayed in the bay area with his parents, and commuted to class every day so it depends on the person.

The AmTrak station isn't that far from campus if you have a bike or take UniTrans. The trains have places to store your bikes so thats not an issue. Anyway most of the 2nd year vet students live in Davis, and I don't recall the professors recording their classes. However I only took 3 vet school courses, but I haven't seen my friends in the 2nd year class utilize podcasted lectures either. With the rigors of vet school, I would highly suggest finding a place in Davis. Especially when you encounter the winter quarter of your 2nd year, which has an exam every week. Perhaps you can have a friend let you stay over on busy days or weekdays?

Lastly, I think there's a UCD/UCB shuttle. But it only goes twice a day, so you need to plan your schedule accordingly.

 

[kate_g]

Yeah... If it was as easy as finding a place in Davis, I would... Thing is, my SO works in Redwood City, which is an hour south of Berkeley. Living in Berkeley while I'm in grad school is a huge compromise on his part, so saying "let's move to Davis so I can be close to campus again and you can drive *two* hours" just isn't going to go over well. 😳

I do know someone who commuted from Daly City (south of San Francisco) up to Davis every day by regional transit and then Amtrak. It was like 2.5 hrs one way. 😱

 

[relentless11]

Yeah... If it was as easy as finding a place in Davis, I would... Thing is, my SO works in Redwood City, which is an hour south of Berkeley. Living in Berkeley while I'm in grad school is a huge compromise on his part, so saying "let's move to Davis so I can be close to campus again and you can drive *two* hours" just isn't going to go over well. 😳

I do know someone who commuted from Daly City (south of San Francisco) up to Davis every day by regional transit and then Amtrak. It was like 2.5 hrs one way. 😱

Yea thats understandable. Well for me, I dislike having to drive so much for the reasons above. I would suggest doing the Amtrak thing if they have trains that get there early enough for days when you have class at 8 or 9am. Get a bike, so you can bike from the Davis station to campus. It shouldn't take you that long.

Once you start classes, you can network with people and perhaps set up some kind of thing to sleep over at someones place if things get way to busy. I think the Amtrak tickets are cheaper if you buy a months worth of tickets. At least on the train you can sleep, study or stay occupied. Rather than tire yourself driving to and from Davis. That gets old after a while and you want to keep the morale up aslong as possible😉.

 

[Zerosixjt]

If you can move closer, or there is reliable public transportation, take it.

Undergrad I would commute 1.5-2 hours each way because of traffic, med school it will be 1 hr each way. It is not a lot of fun, but it is time that I can force myself to listen to those recorded lectures again.

Getting there an hour early is not so bad, especially if there is a gym nearby. I also used to find a comfy place to take a nap or study.

Good luck to you.

 

[mshheaddoc]

I commuted last year, 75 miles one way to school. They provided a bus from the campus in my town but it only left at certain times. In the fall i had a 7:30 class so I'd have to take the 545am bus. I HATED IT. The commute really wore me out, wasted days. I didn't do well due to that and various other factors at the time. I have now transferred from the national university to a regional unversity as well as I will be taking classes at a local community college. I give anyone props who takes a full course load and commutes.

 

[blee]

I plan to commute this fall, about 20 miles each way but roughly an hour due to D.C. area traffic. Not much choice, given the cost of living around here and my family situation.

 

[Twitch]

I'll be commuting to work every Mon morning and flying back home Thu. Ahh the joys of consulting.

How's that for a 5 hour commute (~ 3 hour flying time) the rest is park your car, get a rental, our lovely TSA security screening and ofcourse the *totally* random secondary screen.