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Latwell Nyangu-Youth Interactive Writer
Commuting to college as a student can be a nightmare.
Commuting students often have a very different university experience in comparison to those who live on campus or within close proximity to the college.
Unlike many full-time students in campus residence, commuting students may have competing responsibilities outside the academic classroom, such as family, home among other things.
Most commuting students have a disadvantage when it comes to time management. Unlike those who live on campus, commuter students can’t really be wasting time. There’s obviously going to be homework in at least one class, and if they don’t use the time they have been given, things will soon pile up.
Traveling from place to place isn’t cheap. Whether it’s public transportation or your own.
It is hard to live at home. Sure, there are certain comforts at home but living with your parents is difficult when they won’t stop talking and you have about 200 pages of reading to do and an assignment to write after working a six-hour shift at college.
It has always been a case that going to college every day is a mammoth task and it’s something undisputed.
Yes, we soldier on a daily basis since it’s something we need to achieve at the end of the day.
When you see us celebrating at the end of our courses, the celebrations are multiplied as we will be celebrating many battles.
The rainy season gives students such a torrid time as they make it to the campuses. Awful transport costs leave us penniless.
Struggles start at home where you would want transport money and at times it’s not enough to cater for your movements.
Parents can only cater for your fare to and from college, meaning no further movements outside the budget.
Spare a thought for all students who travel to and from college every day, their struggles are real.
I am dedicating this week’s reflections to them, that they are heroes and heroines of academic pursuit.
What they come across on a daily basis is sometimes unbearable, and we sometimes don’t share the experience.
I am sure, our parents at times notice the level of tiredness.
The frustrations of standing in a queue for cheaper transport is not easy, worse, stampeding at a Zupco bus with many passengers is not an easy task.
We can stand everything but waiting for transport while hungry is a war on its own.
Pressure yepaZupco hamusi kuiziva imi. The dilemma comes when you have little money in your pockets.
Life also becomes difficult when you have few clothes to change every day. No wonder why female students trouble their parents for more clothing.
At times, we wish that we should put on uniforms at the university, something that doesn’t work though, but the frustrations of waking up worrying about what to wear is another challenge.
Going to college requires something to eat yet enduring long lectures needs energy.
Without energy, it’s difficult to pay attention to anything in class.
So after going through this, you have to fight another moment of rains outside.
You get to the bus stop without an umbrella, you only have a few dollars for a Zupco shuttle bus.
The game of kombi drivers hiking fares everytime it rains frustrates us as students.
We hate it, please spare us, we are just students.
Honestly, the life of a commuting student is not a walk in the park. At times we end up hating the rainy season as transport woes become a daily bread and mostly commuter omnibuses hike fares willy-nilly taking advantage of the rains.
Many times, students are left with no option except to board the overcharging kombis.
No wonder why some walk to and fro college to get into town to cut expenses before connecting to their locations probably ending up using one transport.
During the days I used to commute to college, we would laugh at each other that those who walk to college are step fathers, or Zimbabwe Footers Association (ZIFA).
You know at college, it’s a game of mocking each other and life goes on.
All this is an indication that a commuting student has more work to do than what people think.
After struggling through the rains to get to college, one needs to pay attention to the lectures.
Later, they will need to get another kombi to take them home probably around 5pm.
Getting home, they have to do dishes or other house chores if they are girls while boys at times have nothing much to do depending with environment.
Those who come from humble beginnings have a lot to do. The night continues with more tasks to do, assignments, presentations will be waiting for you.
How difficult it is to sleep before finishing an assignment due the next morning.
Assuming that you had a tiresome day and sleeping is a luxury when in such a situation.
Let’s assume that you sleep at 12 midnight, waking up at 5 am to get early to college.
This is a sign that, there is no rest on earth.
The commuting student population makes up a large portion of the higher education system, it lacks adequate support from higher education institutions.
Commuter students are thought to be academically unmotivated in comparison to their resident peers.
For an increasing number of students, the “college experience” is dynamically different.
That’s particularly true of the growing number of students who don’t just carry a full load of courses but also commute to campus.
As a working and commuting student myself, I know the challenges of trying to balance studies and work.
I feel for you fellow students!
Online Reporter