More Than a Drive: Making the Most of Commuter Life at Northwestern

As a commuter you have a variety of worlds to balance, school, home, church, work or recreational activities. These things can often add up to a tension between worlds and the ever-changing balance between them. It raises the question: How can a commuter have a meaningful and fruitful time at Northwestern while balancing these realities? 

I have been a commuter at Northwestern for over three years, and have found some insight from my own life as well as how others have navigated this well. If I were to sum up my advice in a phrase it would be “Courageously pursuing the purpose and place the Lord has planned.” Being a college student (and in this case, a commuter) comes down to realizing what and who you value and consistently and intentionally pursuing that. Community, time management, and spiritual formation are all rooted in your priorities and how you want to spend your time, energy, and resources.  

1. Reflect
   First and foremost, your college experience is going to be largely determined by your choices. As commuters, we must be intentional about our time on campus. I would encourage you to take some time to think about what you want your college experience to look like. What are the top five experiences you want from college? When you look back on your time at Northwestern in five years, what will you be thankful you did and what are things you would probably regret missing out on? Maybe you want to attend football games and volleyball matches. Or perhaps a certain club catches your eye, and it feels like the right step to join. Maybe you simply want to remember college for the laughter, coffee runs and the spontaneous moments. Remember that college can be a time of deep spiritual growth for you. Northwestern offers many opportunities. Take the time to examine what type of community you’re looking for and pursue those spaces.  
2. Respond
   Once you have mapped out your priorities, you will have a better idea of where to dive in. Maybe you are passionate about serving the community and know you have some time in your schedule for service projects. A natural way to get connected would be to pursue involvement in the Project 29:7 initiative. Maybe you love team spirit. If that’s the case, you could look at the sports calendar and start ask friends to go to games with you. On another level, you might understand that your theology is shallower than you thought and want to act in the Lord’s call to know him more! A big portion of building community, memories, and growth takes boldness and getting outside your comfort zone. Many of the opportunities you want to have might not land in your lap. It will take intentionality. It will be up to you to figure out how much work you want to put in to make that happen.  
3. Rest Assured
   Once you start operating in this way, and in these places, be unapologetically yourself! It can be easy to change who you are to fit in or make more friends, but that is an easy way to miss out on what God has for you. God has made you perfectly and has laid out a community for you that will ultimately point you back to Him! It might seem a bit harder as a commuter to plug in, but rest in the fact that God has a plan for your life. 
4. Reorient
   Another huge mindset piece is to keep your eyes on Jesus! There may be days where you feel overwhelmed, lonely or anxious, but cling to Him in the midst of it! In the highs and lows, keep your eyes on Jesus. He determines your worth, identity, and salvation.  

Now you might be thinking, great I have a new mindset to walk into these experiences, but how can I put this into practice at Northwestern? 

Don’t worry! I’ve got some suggestions for that as well. 

1. First and foremost, engage in community. Commuter Life is dedicated to fostering community, spiritual formation, and fun! Go to events, talk to your Commuter Assistants during office hours, hang in the commuter lounge, and come to Bible study!  Focus on at least one way you can put yourself out there and see what the Lord will do with it! He loves working when we offer to him our hopes, dreams, fears, and efforts.  
2. If possible, linger after class! A natural way into community is simply being present. Maybe that is just 30 minutes over lunch to eat with someone or offering to give someone a ride from one end of the campus to another. It doesn’t have to be extravagant to be impactful! 
3. Prioritize study time! This may sound contradictory to growing community, but trust me, it isn’t. Community and academic growth are not opposites. There can often be a tension of priorities there, but they are not mutually exclusive. Just as important as people, God has given you this time to steward. Realize what methods of studying or learning work best for you and pursue them diligently. You won’t regret investing in your education, so I encourage you to also manage your time and create space for it.  

Start by understanding what drains and fills you up. You will need a healthy balance of both to thrive. Your priorities will shape your experience as a commuter, so I encourage you to run full speed toward the Lord and all that he has for you! Being a commuter offers unique joys and opportunities, and the exciting part is that we get to see how the Lord will grow and provide for us during all these realities.