Moving through the week to get by:

With CUNY it is majority of students who aren’t living in their college campus. A day in the life of a commuter student means taking the bus or train or even ferry in New York City to get to your campus for classes or workshops. While many students commute to go to class they also commute to go to work. Juggling both responsibilities take a toll on the student. One of the things I noticed with my college which is Lehman College in the Bronx is the worries of getting off through the 4 train to access the gates quicker.

MTA is one of the busiest times we encounter and knowing that there is always a cautious when it comes to getting off the 4 train as a student can be scary. With CUNY being a commuter college there should be extra safety on the station stop that is popular used by students who come to campus taking the 4 train. I feel that CUNY should see that having more public safety officers on the platform and outside train stairs can make a difference in a student’s life. Many of us are just trying to get to our destination and be ready to engage in class without having to wonder what new hazard will we walk into when it comes to leaving the train stations. It also helps students who take evening classes in case they work in the mornings but commute later to go to class.

As a student who works and many others who are also trying to meet their ends, it would be great if CUNY allowed for more flexibility when it comes to workshop opportunities. Or even internship opportunities on campus. The times usually are scheduled for mornings or middle day afternoons and the rest of the evenings are left for classes. For students who work due to their circumstance it can feel as if we are left out from the campus life or the opportunities getting by.

While we do show up for classes and exams we also would love to be able to get ourselves involved with new people and new programs to expand our growth. CUNY has great workshops, in person college jobs, internships and scholarship information sessions, and so much more that doesn’t always present itself available to students who can’t make it in the middle day or afternoon. So many students are trying to follow their degree path and make use of what they can with little time on campus. Let’s continue to find ways to let commuter and working students know they aren’t alone in this journey and that all the resources can be access for their career growth. CUNY is paving paths for students and us as students just want to be able to get a hold of what can take us to other levels for new changes as an individual and as a person who will soon be able to enter the real world with others.

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