Transitioning to college life has its challenges for anyone, whether it be moving away from friends and family, adjusting to a new independent lifestyle, or meeting new friends. One group that makes up a large percentage of our student population receives very little attention when it comes to making this transition any easier: commuters.

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On campus, residence life organizes a plethora of events and activities to engage students, socializing them and providing opportunities to get to know one another. The first few weeks of school have events every night of the week. This is fantastic, but this leaves half of the incoming students in the cold. On the Penn State Behrend website, there is an entire in-depth page dedicated to on-campus living, while the student involvement portion in the commuter life section has no substance beyond “with more than 130 student organizations, there is something for everyone,” a true but moderately unhelpful statement.

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I myself live nearly 40 minutes from campus and have lived that far all three years of attendance. I found the transition to college particularly difficult, with specific regard to social life. Living at home, far removed the hub of action made it so that hanging out was a whole ordeal, if I could meet anyone that would be willing to do so. Junior transfer student and commuter Alyssa Shade relays her similar viewpoint, saying that her experience living off-campus “hasn’t exactly been great.” She remarked that her social interactions with other students are pretty limited to class time with very few lasting friendships forming, even saying she oftentimes feels left out and just leaves campus after finishing her responsibilities.

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Freshman Maille Larmon points out that it’s not all bad. Although she does wish it were possible to live a bit closer, she wouldn’t say that she envies dorm-room living and truly appreciates having her own space. She noted that a big difference between residency and commuting is the fact that commuters are never forced to talk to people, which could be the source of isolation some feel. Senior Julia Guerrein, who has always lived off-campus, remembers that she became involved immediately, a decision she is sure impacted the way she viewed off-campus living.

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My experience and that of those I have talked to over the years has shown that getting started as a commuter can be incredibly difficult. It may take many long days, forced conversations and failed attempts to find something that sticks and serves as your “in” on campus, but it is more than possible.

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Personally, I believe that having more school-organized events that specifically cater to and intentionally include the commuters on campus would be beneficial for all involved, taking some of the strain away. However, until then, just know that it is possible to be happy while commuting if you find yourself struggling. It may take time, but with enough effort, it will come. Until then, I suggest heeding the advice of Guerrein: “If you don’t have any friends, you’re not trying hard enough!”