Surviving the Drive

Surviving the drive--that's what I titled one of this week's articles for my newswriting class that contains tips & tricks for commuter students.

One of the reasons I hesitated in returning to college was the awful 120 mile round-trip drive that would await me daily.

Surprisingly, the commute is not all that bad. It's a nice way to start the day. It's one of the rare times when I can sit and think without noise or interruption. Some days, the drive can even be beautiful, depending on the weather. It has not been what I expected at all.

I thought I would share some of the tips that I gathered for my article in hopes that someone else might also find them useful for the dreaded commuter lifestyle:

*Plan ahead. Gather all essential items the night before leaving for campus. Check the fuel level of your vehicle to avoid having to stop at the gas station on the way to class.

*Drive safely. It is very important to get a good night’s rest before driving. According to a study done by the AAA (aaafoundation.org), a person who slept for five hours or less is up to 4.5 times as likely to be involved in a sleep-related crash. Also, always remember to wear a safety belt when traveling.

*Stock up with essentials. Cell phone chargers, pens, paper, medicine, snacks and money are several items to never be without.

*Be prepared in case of an emergency. Learn how to change a flat. Create a back-up plan in case bad weather--such as storms or snow—arrives.

*Find ways to make the drive more enjoyable or productive. One student I interviewed uses a small, hand-held tape recorder to record important information from her classes. She studies by listening to her audio notes on the way to class.

Audio books can be a great alternative to listening to the radio. Students rarely have spare time for recreational reading, so the morning commute can be a great way to “read” without flipping any pages. Audio books can also be downloaded online or checked out at a local library.


*Perform regular car maintenance. Prevention is the key to avoiding many mechanical problems. Check fluid levels and tire air pressure regularly. Also, change a vehicle’s oil every 3000 miles.

*Spend time on campus outside of classroom time. Get involved in student events and activities. Commuting does not have to mean giving up a social life.


*Find a place on-campus for studying and relaxing. My university has a commuter lounge with tables, couches, lockers, TV and even a mini kitchen for commuter students (only!) to use. Cool, huh? Other places for peace and quiet include the library, bookstore or coffee shop.

Weary

Yesterday was the first time that I've felt totally wiped-out after school. Maybe it was the fact that I started my day with a not-so-balanced breakfast of a Little Debbie brownie and a diet Dr. Pepper, but I was tired and groggy all day long. Several classes seemed longer than usual and, as I mentioned, I was starving by lunch time. I managed to get out of my final class 15 minutes early (which is highly unusual) and I grabbed my second diet Dr. Pepper of the day before starting the long 60 mile drive.

As soon as I pulled into my garage and unloaded the car, I reloaded the vehicle with my family and we drove 35 miles for a birthday party. Luckily, they were serving pizza at the party because I had become shakey once again.

I could barely keep my eyes open as we headed home (good thing I wasn't driving). I managed to get everyone ready cleaned up and in their p.j.'s--even pulled off our traditional bedtime story--before I literally crashed into my pillow. When I say, "crash," I mean the kind of sleep where you are out almost immediately with no concern for the drool flowing from your mouth: serious, deep sleep. It felt good. It felt deserved.

So, for all you adults considering the return back to college, remember: (University) Mama told you there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this my (University) Mama said....

Watching the Clock

Today was the first day that I have experienced the "counting-down-every-second syndrome." One class, in particular, seemed to be dragging on and on.... It was one of those boring, common sense-type subjects plus I was tired, hungry and I was beginning to get shaky & headachey. I was hoping and praying that she would let us out of class just 15 minutes early so that I would have time to run to the Student Union and grab a bagel before my next class began, but she didn't.

I could have burned holes through that clock with my eyes!

Textbooks Can Be Funny?

Yep, it's true. Textbooks CAN be interesting and funny, believe it or not! I actually enjoy doing the reading for my journalism classes. Books for both classes were written by Tim Harrower and they are full of quirky quotes and funny examples. For instance, we were reading about how not to influence the reader or bias the story, so they used an old excerpt from Jon Stewart's The Daily Show where Stephen Colbert was describing the Republican National Convention using dark, evil terms to describe the event. I literally laughed out loud--not because he was describing the Republican Convention--but because it was so heavily, obviously and purposely biased. Plus, The Daily Show (and The Colbert Report) is just hilarious. Who can resist fake news? :)

All this to say, textbooks have never been so fun...well, in journalism anyway (sorry history majors!).

Free Tutition & Textbooks? Sign Me Up!

I just happened to be browsing over at one of my favorite online stores, Amazon.com, though I'm not sure why since I have absolutely no time for lesiure reading...but I digress.

Anyhoo, look what I found! Amazon is hosting a Tuition & Textbooks Sweepstakes where you can win one of these fabulous prizes:

*One Grand Prize: 1 year of tuition up to $25,000 (that'll be plenty for me, thanks!)

*50 Second-place prizes: A $1,000 Amazon.com Gift Certificate for the purchase of textbooks sold by Amazon.com

*1,000 Third-place prizes: An Amazon.com Gift Certificate for the purchase of one textbook sold by Amazon.com, up to a maximum value of $150

So, why the heck are you still reading this blog? Head on over to Amazon & sign up for the Tuition & Textbooks Sweepstakes right away!

The Electronic Backpack

Here's the problem: I have to do a lot of writing (it's the nature of my major). I have to write both in class AND at home. How do I transport works-in-progress if I'm not using a laptop? I've found a great solution: Backpack .

Backpack is a FREE program where you can basically upload your notes, papers or lists to a website (of sorts) created just for you. You can make your Backpack private or shareable (great if you are working on a group project). You can also get your Backpack to e-mail reminders to you. Backpack has a calendar option and other services which do not come with the free program, but are available with an upgrade.

I just loaded my book-in-progress for my Advanced Composition class to my very own Backpack site so that I can add to it or change it from any computer. Awesome!

Putting the"Labor" back in "Labor Day Weekend"

I'm spending my Labor Day weekend working. That was what it was designed for, right? J/K

Yes, I've sent my family away on various fun-filled adventures so I can stay at home and do homework, housework and just plain ol' work!

Remember that book I mentioned having to write for one of my classes? Well, I'm supposed to already have it started. Actually, I started one, but now I'm going with a less time consuming theme (if that is even possible).

I'm actually backed up on work from my job (I'm a photographer, by the way) so that means I also have editing to do.

Speaking of editing, I have reading for my editing class.

I also have a newspaper article to write.

Oh--and laundry to do....and feet that need pedicuring (yea, I know that's not a real word, thanks spellcheck).

So, guess what I've been doing? Loading family photos from my vacation, laying on the trampoline in the sun, surfing my favorite blogs and websites....pretty much anything that can keep me away from the task at hand.

The good news is that I have completed some of my reading assignments and photo editing, but the bad news is that I am still putting off the writing of the book....like I am right now as I sit here writing on my trusty blog.

*sigh*

Okay, back to work....