Students living on campus may be struggling with the change in bus routes and schedules, but students commuting to campus have to deal with notorious Mansfield traffic on top of that. Having to consider commuting time and distance in your routine can become overwhelming, so here’s some advice for surviving the commute.
Use the lounges
For students commuting to campus, going back home between classes isn’t an option. But these gaps of time are valuable. The Student Union provides lounges on the first floor, specifically for commuters or any student who needs a break between classes. After grabbing lunch or a snack from the food court, students can sit down and relax or get started on their next assignment. The Homer Babbidge Library also offers study rooms — either for individuals or groups — which can be booked ahead of time.
Eat!
Running from building to building works up an appetite, so students should eat when they can. The Student Union’s food court offers various dishes like burgers, chicken tenders, pizza and more. Commuter students don’t have a meal plan, so most must pay out-of-pocket for any snacks or meals. Be wary that the food court is very busy in the middle of the day, so you may be in line for a long time.
But the Union isn’t the only option with the Bookworms Cafe on the plaza floor of the library, where students can grab sandwiches, pastries and coffee from the cafe. If you have more time on your hands, consider taking a trip to Downtown Storrs and treating yourself to a good lunch. Downtown has many restaurants, and sometimes they even hire students. A tip for ordering food downtown: use Grubhub or any online ordering platform to order your food ahead of time so that it’s prepared by the time you get there.
Passio GO!
Every student’s best friend, and their worst nightmare, is the Passio GO! app. The app lists the bus schedules and their locations so that students can plan accordingly. Unfortunately, the app hasn’t been well received by the student body. The app’s performance is slow, it crashes often (possibly due to the university’s WiFi) and the live bus locations may not be reflected accurately. The recent changes to bus schedules and routes also create a lot of confusion for students.
Despite all its flaws, Passio GO! is the main tool for students using the campus shuttles. Commuter students should note that the Purple, Green and Blue/Parking Express Line go to each of the main commuter parking lots, which are located a considerable distance away from campus. But the Green Line’s service ends at 5 p.m., leaving the Purple Line as the only shuttle going to C Lot from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. After those lines close, the Blue/Parking Express takes over and reaches Lots C, F, K and J. Speaking from personal experience, plan your schedule accordingly because I didn’t for the first week of classes.
Campus computers
One thing that the Storrs campus offers is access to useful programs on their computers. Students can use Adobe programs on computers in the library, the Union and any computer labs in academic buildings. These apps are free to use, as their cost is included in the tuition.
Certain courses may require you to use programs like Adobe Audition, Illustrator or Photoshop. Even if not for an academic purpose, these programs are very useful for personal projects or creating things beyond your college career. Use your free time to become accustomed to these programs and add your proficiencies to your resume. Even if you’re a beginner with Adobe programs having some knowledge is better than none.
Students may also gain a discounted Adobe subscription through the university on their personal devices. However, be aware that some personal computers may not be able to run intensive programs as well as the computers on campus. Gain a general understanding of your devices’ abilities and decide from there whether a subscription is worth it.
Plan for traffic
At this point, commuters are probably aware of the many single-lane roads around Mansfield and UConn. As such, it’s inevitable to get stuck behind one slow car for miles. Plan your arrival on campus accordingly and account for the traffic both in Mansfield and on campus.
Even if you have later classes, arrive early to avoid rush hour and the traffic from Interstate 84. Arriving early can give you extra time in case you miss any of the shuttles or need to walk far for your next class.
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