LIM College

It may come as a shock that a large number of us LIM College students – who, between classes, work, fashion internships and hanging out with friends, spend most of our lives in New York City -- don’t actually live in the city. We are commuters.

The thought of taking a train or bus every morning and evening might seem overwhelming. However, life as a commuter student is not all that bad. In fact, it has a lot of benefits.

While it may be rough getting up for class an hour or two earlier than everyone else and buying pricey monthly train tickets, you actually end up saving a lot of money over time because you don’t have to pay to live in the residence hall or stress about paying rent every month. You also get to come home to your own room and your own bed, which, believe me, you will appreciate much more on those days you feel you need some time away from hectic NYC.

In addition, the time on the train (about an hour for me commuting from Connecticut, but more or less for others) can actually be relaxing, and even productive. There aren’t too many exciting things to do while sitting in one place, so this can be a perfect time to get some studying done -- especially if you are one to procrastinate at home with all those distractions.

If you are from Connecticut, like me, or certain parts of New York State, you can take a Metro North train right to Grand Central, which is just about 2 blocks from LIM College’s Maxwell Hall and Fifth Avenue buildings.

Of course, commuting is not for everyone, and it is perfectly fine to jump right into NYC life by living in the residence hall or getting a group of friends together and splitting the cost of an apartment. But if you choose to commute, know that you definitely won’t have to commute forever. You should do what you feel is best for you!