Commute vs. Apartment

[Near]

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So I'm graduating from a community college and transferring to a school about 45 minutes away.

My options are

1. Use loans to buy my own car so I can commute to school

2. Use loans to pay for my own apartment (no roommates) close to the campus. I'd be reliant on public transportation and my own two legs.

Having a car would be really nice, but I also like the idea of peace and quiet from living alone (I'm an introvert) instead of living with a bunch of noisy younger siblings.

If I choose option 2, I'd have to wait until after dental school and until I got a job to buy a car. You can see how this could be a huge drag.

So...deal with ANOTHER two years of living at home (I'm crossing my fingers that I can still, ya know, meet the right girl if I commute 😳), and have greater freedom when I get to dental school (cuz then I'd have a car "and" I'd live in an apartment), or opt for my own place as soon as I can?

Option 1. would also be cheaper. Paying for everything myself, and though I'd be able to pay everything back, it's always good to minimize debt where you can.

 

[Bereno]

Can you find a summer job and then buy a small, reliable car with that? (mid 90s to early 2000s Toyota corolla or Honda civic maybe?) If your school starts in September, this is what I would to for sure. Also, I vote live at home so that you can keep your loans on the cheap.

 

[BobLoblawDDS]

I'd love to own a car, but if I'm living downtown/close to campus/friends/family/shopping/etc. etc. there is absolutely no reason to own one. People are least happy when commuting. Maximize your time and efficiency and live as close as possible to the things that matter. It also means that socializing will be far easier; no more worrying about driving home or hopping on a train out to the burbs, etc.

But I'm a city boy and have been able to live in downtown Shanghai and Toronto for the past 6 years; so I may be biased.

 

[LaughingGas]

I'd love to own a car, but if I'm living downtown/close to campus/friends/family/shopping/etc. etc. there is absolutely no reason to own one. People are least happy when commuting. Maximize your time and efficiency and live as close as possible to the things that matter. It also means that socializing will be far easier; no more worrying about driving home or hopping on a train out to the burbs, etc.

But I'm a city boy and have been able to live in downtown Shanghai and Toronto for the past 6 years; so I may be biased.

Can't agree any better. I wish I was taking a nap instead of commuting and not smell sweat when its crowded. When classes ended late night , past 10, I wished I had an apartment nearby to just crash, instead of commute all the way back to my home and mess up with my sleeping schedule.

 

[BobLoblawDDS]

Can't agree any better. I wish I was taking a nap instead of commuting and not smell sweat when its crowded. When classes ended late night , past 10, I wished I had an apartment nearby to just crash, instead of commute all the way back to my home and mess up with my sleeping schedule.

I fortunately only had to endure that for a couple months when I was living in the 'burbs at my parents' place for this past summer. I'm moving back downtown tomorrow and will feel much more comfortable there.

OP: Even if the apartment close to campus is more expensive and means you can't have a car, I guarantee you'll feel more mobile and independent than if you did have a car and lived far away from everything.

Also there's always those car-rental subscription services for when a car is of need (ie. roadtrips, moving, etc.) Simplify your life!

 

[NAVY DDS 2010]

I'd love to own a car, but if I'm living downtown/close to campus/friends/family/shopping/etc. etc. there is absolutely no reason to own one. People are least happy when commuting. Maximize your time and efficiency and live as close as possible to the things that matter. It also means that socializing will be far easier; no more worrying about driving home or hopping on a train out to the burbs, etc.

But I'm a city boy and have been able to live in downtown Shanghai and Toronto for the past 6 years; so I may be biased.

Can't agree any better. I wish I was taking a nap instead of commuting and not smell sweat when its crowded. When classes ended late night , past 10, I wished I had an apartment nearby to just crash, instead of commute all the way back to my home and mess up with my sleeping schedule.

I am going to disagree only from the sense that not everyone enjoys living in the heart of things.

I commute to school every day. I own a house 15 miles south of the dental school in Houston. If there is no traffic (before 6 am when commuting in the morning and after 7pm when commuting in the evening), then I can get from my driveway to the parking garage and then walk to the school in about 25 minutes. Most of the time this is not possible, so it usually takes me 45 - 60 minutes each way each day. I am not alone. I know quite a few people who commute who have similar commute times. Now, for me, I do not like living in the city. The town I live in is big enough (80-100k), but I live in a small, gated subdivision with only 82 houses off a golf course and a lake. It is very quiet. For me, This is so much more relaxing than having to put up with the rush, noise and lights of the city 24/7. I can compare the city life to where I live because in 2008, my house received ~$85,000 damage from a hurricaine, so I lived in the heart of the museum district in Houston. That was not the life for me. Living in the apartment for 14 months during the remodel assured me that I really do love where I live. Any time I do have a bad commute, I think back at what life could be like and immediately realize, for me, the commute is what is best for me.

Regarding the comment above about leaving class at 10 pm, unless you are a slacker during the day, there will rarely be a time where you need to be at school at 10 pm. So, I wouldn't use that as a reason why you should get a place close to school.

If someone doesn't mind commuting and they don't really appreciate city life, the commute is worth it. My studies have not been affected by the loss of time due to driving.

To the OP, go with your heart. If you really don't mind commuting and you need a car, go for it. You can get nice, very reliable used cars that will last a long time. I grew up drving old, used Hondas where I never put less than 150k miles on them even when they were 10 yrs old when I got them. Treat them with love and they will get you through school. Plus, it is hard to date someone without a car.

 

[joe200]

If you commute, if might be worth to buy a relatively new car that has really good gas mileage.

 

[dantemac]

I will be in a similar situation myself. Not sure what I'm going to do yet. I am leaning towards getting back into an apartment (my undergrad was 4 years of apartment living away from home) because I liked being independent, and I lived in a city which had everything I needed within walking distance.