Commuters live a different life
Kristie Dunchus
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News
"I wouldn't be able to con¬centrate at all," she said.
Although she said she does have friends on campus, she doesn't like the idea of room¬mates.
"I wouldn't be able to live with other people anyway, and plus the dorms are too noisy," she said.
Tuition at Castleton for an in-state student is $7,992, but to live on campus is another $7,808. For some commuters, living at home is about eco¬nomics.
Sophomore Alison Clark commutes from Pawlet. She claims, besides the fact she's not a real big social person, the main reason she commutes is because of the money.
"I'm like the cheapest per¬son alive," Clark said with a laugh. "And it's just cheaper to live with my parents."
Although students have said it's easier to concentrate on school work when they are at home, for Clark it's a different story.
"I have to go to the library to get all my work done. There's a lot of distractions at home," she said. "I don't know maybe it's just my family."
Residential students live, study, eat and socialize with one another in the residence halls and get to be more so¬cially integrated with the cam¬pus community. Commuters only get to interact with other students in a classroom at¬mosphere. Junior Jodie Hard agrees it is difficult.
"It's hard because you just make friends with the people you have class with," Hard said. "I usually just hang out with my boyfriend and my sis¬ters."
According to a study by UCLA professor Alexander Astin, peer group interaction positively affects critical skills, cultural awareness, leadership development and academic development. So by not living on campus, commuter students miss out on these opportunities to connect to the university and other students and to en¬hance their learning and devel¬opment.
But not all commuter stu¬dents buy that theory.
Alyssa Ray lived on campus her freshman year, but decided to move back home because it was cheaper. She said noth¬ing has really changed for her socially since she has moved back home.
Although she said she does have friends on campus, she doesn't like the idea of room¬mates.
"I wouldn't be able to live with other people anyway, and plus the dorms are too noisy," she said.
Tuition at Castleton for an in-state student is $7,992, but to live on campus is another $7,808. For some commuters, living at home is about eco¬nomics.
Sophomore Alison Clark commutes from Pawlet. She claims, besides the fact she's not a real big social person, the main reason she commutes is because of the money.
"I'm like the cheapest per¬son alive," Clark said with a laugh. "And it's just cheaper to live with my parents."
Although students have said it's easier to concentrate on school work when they are at home, for Clark it's a different story.
"I have to go to the library to get all my work done. There's a lot of distractions at home," she said. "I don't know maybe it's just my family."
Residential students live, study, eat and socialize with one another in the residence halls and get to be more so¬cially integrated with the cam¬pus community. Commuters only get to interact with other students in a classroom at¬mosphere. Junior Jodie Hard agrees it is difficult.
"It's hard because you just make friends with the people you have class with," Hard said. "I usually just hang out with my boyfriend and my sis¬ters."
According to a study by UCLA professor Alexander Astin, peer group interaction positively affects critical skills, cultural awareness, leadership development and academic development. So by not living on campus, commuter students miss out on these opportunities to connect to the university and other students and to en¬hance their learning and devel¬opment.
But not all commuter stu¬dents buy that theory.
Alyssa Ray lived on campus her freshman year, but decided to move back home because it was cheaper. She said noth¬ing has really changed for her socially since she has moved back home.
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Kelly Cray
posted 2/06/10 @ 3:20 AM EST
I think it's definately about what you make of it. I was a commuter when i transfered into Castleton for several reasons. Having previously lived on campus at a school in PA I guess I got to experiance both worlds. (Continued…)
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