Hey! I’m going into my second year at U of T and I’m a commuter. Last year I tried getting involved with extra-curricular but I was way too shy and never had the time. Once my classes were over I would just make my way home (I have approx. a 2 hour commute by public transit from my house to St. George campus) because I live so far. I don’t want to make the same mistake this year by missing out on great opportunities. I found that a lot of meetings are held so late after classes that I would be commuting home alone at too late of a time. How can I get more involved while still being able to juggle school work, a part-time job, and a horribly long commute twice a day??
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hey there,
as a fellow commuter and shy person, i empathize with your situation. it’s not fun spending an hour and a half studiously avoiding the gaze of creepy dudes on the train, and then be expected to look just as fresh and perky as the people who walked two minutes to class from their residence.
the fact that you even want to be involved with all those commitments you already have is commendable, but if you feel that it will be too much, or that you’re not comfortable being that social, then don’t do it. school and work come first.
that said, if you’re hell-bent on participating this year, there are some extra-curriculars that are pretty mobile and minimal on human interaction. if you’re into writing, the varsity and blogUT just require an internet connection, and the time commitment is pretty flexible.
something that doesn’t meet often, like uoft’s monthly book club, might also be worth looking into.
even if you’ve never heard of them, there are still plenty of student groups out there that meet during the day. i’d recommend browsing ULife’s list of student groups and calling those you’re interested in to ask about when and how often they meet. if you start now, i’m sure you’ll be able to find something that fits your schedule and disposition by september.
cheers,
aska