Adjusting to Loyola as a Commuter

Adjusting to the college life was a big challenge for myself. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but what kept me going through the semester was the idea of how I am one step closer to fulfilling my aspirations. Currently, I am a pre-physical therapy student. One of the most difficult things I have encountered at Loyola in my four years is commuting from the northwest side of Chicago everyday. My commute is about an hour and half ONLY one way, so time management was critical for me; however, I didn’t want to have a boring college life– going back and forth to school, doing homework, and repeating the same thing all over again, as it was worse enough that I couldn’t live on campus. In high school, I was greatly involved in extra curricular activities, and I wanted to continue that here at Loyola. Although I do not have as much time as in high school, I promised myself to join at least one group so that I can give myself a break and get a little experience of the fun college life. I did have to sacrifice “sleeping in” by choosing 8:15/8:30 classes almost every single day so that I had enough time to hang out with friends afterwards as well as attending group meetings/activities, keeping in mind that I had to be home at a certain time so that I don’t commute during late or dangerous conditions.  Along with rigorous courses, being a part of Loyola’s Pakistani Students’ Association and Loyola’s Muslim Student Association, meeting new friends, and of course, commuting 1 hour and 30 minutes by Chicago’s lovely public transportation, I wouldn’t want my four year experience here at Loyola to be any different. Although it was quite challenging at first, it made the experience worthwhile and unforgettable. I was able to meet a lot of new people and realize that all this sacrifice and dedication was just an obstacle I had to overcome in order to reach my goals that I know one day my parents and I will be extremely proud of.