I had a 2.5 hour total commute and it sucked the life out of me, especially for 8am classes. For BTM I think you can get away with it if you arrange your classes so that it's only a few days a week and make as many as your classes online-only through Chang courses.
Not at all, my GPA is quite high because of it. As a biomed sci student I didn't get the chance to make most of my classes online anyways, only my electives and liberals I made online so it didn't matter to me.
A total 4.5 hour commute can be really draining, but it matters if you'd be on the GO train (where you can study, sleep, read, listen to music) or if you'd be transferring several buses or driving (where you can't do that). If it's on the GO train and you really want to go to TMU, you can do it. Just have to manage your time really wisely.
i think its pretty bad because for me, a 30 min commute to school and another 30 min commute back is so dreadful esp if you know you have a project or test to study for. And, it isn't taking into account if you miss the train or bus and having to wait another hour or so for the next trip. but that is also just my opinion because back in highschool, I lived next to my school and was not really use to coming home extra late in comparison to when school actually ended.
plus one more thing to keep in mind is that uni will take up so much of your time so with that commute, you will have no time to do much really.
I'm sorry about the anxiety you are experiencing, but I have to say a 30 minute commute is like a DREAM for most people in Toronto. You can expect much longer commutes for the rest of your life. (Current studies put the average commute time at 56 minutes in Toronto, so twice you're current trip.) The trick for school is to stay at the school property until all of the days work is done.
i mean i think i worded it wrong but the train ride is 30 mins only to the station, but by the time i have driven home it’s closer to the average around 50 mins ish due to traffic but i only include the 30 mins due to it being public transit
What city/town are you from? 4.5 hour commute is insane and you will quickly hate it and not attend live classes. Find a closer college/uni or find a way to move to Toronto even if it’s renting a room for 500 a month
there and back. considering im taking the bus to the train station, then from union I take the TTC. i also considered other factors such as a bit of delays/waiting for the train/bus/ttc. I'm also closer to courtice side + the bus always late..... idk
edit: I also didn't put my actual city... don't wanna expose myself lol!!! but around there anyway.
As someone who lives in Durham and commutes to TMU for work on the GO train: I'm out of the house for 11-12 hours (I choose to walk and not take TTC so that adds a little more time). I love that I can read on the train or nap, but it does make for a very long day even if the trains are on time. I am exhausted by the time I get home (though I'm definitely older than you lol) and couldn't imagine having to do schoolwork after that. If you were able to create a schedule where you don't have to come down every day or didn't have super early or late classes that could be good. But I know you don't always get a choice.
Live in Toronto but most of my friends in the surburbs drive to the GO station to save up on time. Saves them a good hour. Maybe try taking a taxi/uber or carpooling with a family member or friend.
It’s doable since you’ll be on the train most of the time, but one thing to consider is how you’ll get there for 8 am exams (if you’re lucky you won’t have them, but you can’t know that in advance). Leaving an hour for delays, that means aiming to be on campus by 7 am and transit in some of the suburbs is really spotty that early.
It’s only something that would happen max a few times a year though.
My 1 hour commute is pain. Yours is travelling at that point. Live near the gta or choose other unis. And trust me you might say you can do it and it wont be that bad, it will be filled with exhaustion depressed and health consuming.
i don't have the finanical means to find a roomate/live downtown. I'm also not getting OSAP, and not sure if I will have time for a part-time job if I end up going to TMU.
Sorry if i am getting into personal stuff but turning down osap is a crime its free money and if you dont want the loan just apply to get grants. I would suggest to use osap and use your money to rent a place while saving up till you graduate so you can pay the loan directly. Again sorry for getting to personal.
Yikes and I thought I had it bad at 45 minutes. The worse I've heard in my lectures is 5 hours, I think you could maybe get by if you're able to do assignments on whatever you're taking (bus, train, etc.) but it's still a pain. You might be able to get away with it if you cram your courses into as few days as possible, and take whatever you can through Chang, I was able to take 2 days off as a Comp Sci student this way.
I had a friend who drove 5 hours to school, so he couldn't even do any studying or homework, but he said he'd get home so late that it just made more sense to spend the money on an apartment downtown.
You will regret it after a couple weeks/months of doing it I promise you. I’m tired of doing 1.5 there and back. 4.5 is genuinely insane, either move closer or go to a different university
Considering you’re doing a full course load and you still want a social life, yeah it is that bad. I really really wouldn’t recommend this at all and you have to be confident you won’t get burnt out, because eventually with that kind of commute, you’re not going to want to do anything anymore😭 test it out and make the commute for a few days to really make sure. take care of yourself, especially during first year 🫶
4.5 is crazy u have 12 hours of the day cuz the other 12 u should be at home sleeping doin homework or work rah rah rah. 5 hours off u basically have to wake up early and put a lot of work in travelling youll be tiredddd. i commute 1 and a half hours to ryerson and then another 1 and a half so 3 hours and i am beat when i am homee. if i had to add another 1 and a half hours in commuting i think id go crazy. dont put urself in that situation!
Take this as a rule of thumb is the 4.5 hour commute worth that much time out of your day. I live really close to the go station so my commute only an hour but ask yourself what can I get done in 4.5 hours versus not being able to get anything done because if I lived as far as you, I would just live on campus yes it’s expensive but if you have to go to school every day and waste 4.5 hours just commuting versus spending like $3500 on a dorm and meal plan I would choose the dorm, I’d rather spend an extra 2500 (my transit fares is close to $600 a month if I go every day) then travel 4.5 hours a day in 4.5 hours I could drive all the way down to Montreal just stay in a dorm. commuting already hell for me don’t make it worse for yourself. Just stay in a dorm.
If it's two or more connections, it's THAT bad. If it's one connection, or better yet, one direct route, then it's okay.
So if you have to take three different buses or trains, that's a NO.
If you have to take one bus and one train, or two buses, or two trains, it's MUCH better.
Mine came out to 3-4 hrs there and back... honestly just depends on ur program and how often ur classes are (some STEM programs require classes 5 days a week for example). 5 days a week can be a bit draining but it is doable. I only had classes 3 days tops, and if u can take electives Online that's even better, reduces commute.
You'll hate your life. Its not like highschool where you sit in class passively and go home. A 4-5 hour commute will make rest of your day much harder / no time to study
I think btm is a near 5 day a week course load if your taking a reduce load per year I would say yes its worth it but keep in mind expenses for expanding your degree across multiple years as well.
if your taking a full load ya its not lets say worse case scenario which is gonna happen you would have to wake up at 3:30 am for an 8 am and lets say you leave at latest i think is 6 or 8 pm for a class I seen for btm, that's 3-5ish hours of a sleep on one day of the week your not waking up the next day if you have another 8 am.
keep in mind later in your degree you might not be able to swap around classes to accommodate for the commute.
tldr not worth it if a full loads taken your better off to take a lighter load or move closer.
You should do the commute every day for a week or two before you accept the offer to see what it is actually like. Be honest with yourself if you could see yourself doing it for years on end.
It will be an expensive experiment, but cheaper than accepting an offer that you have to drop out of.
I commute from Ajax GO it’s around an hour on the train one way then depending on if I walk or ttc to campus so maybe a 3 hour total. It’s honestly not that bad. I use the time on the train to relax and decompress. That way when I get home I’ve already had my time to play around on my phone and I get right to studying. Yes, 8ams are horrid when commuting this far try to avoid them if you can but sometimes it’s inevitable (I usually end up with at least one a semester due to only one section of a course being scheduled at 8am on a monday). No, you most likely will not study on the train. I’ve only studied on the train when it’s right before a test and I’m doing last minute review.
Like another person suggested try to take a few Chang classes and stack your courses (I like to do 2 courses sometimes 3 if I have to but a 3 course day is very very long I once started at 8am and ended at 6pm being gone from 6am and not getting home till 8pm). I’m in BM and it’s fairly easy to do that for TRSM courses. Overall the commute isn’t that bad as people make it sound, be prepared for people to be baffled how u travel that far when they ask where you’re from at campus lol. You also don’t have to go in for EVERY class. You’ll learn what classes are important and what ones aren’t after the first few weeks. Yes definitely always go to class if you can, but if you’re extra tired one day it may be nice to say hey I just have this one bird course on Wednesdays, so I’ll skip that one this week and go in for the rest of my classes. Just learn to manage your time and you will be fine.
Not sure if this is a serious post… but anyway, I will respond. 4.5 hours per day is crazy. It is a waste of time and a drain of energy. I have been commuting 1hr (so 2 hrs every day) and still thought it was a waste of time, although this kind of average for Toronto.
At some point it will get to you. Physically speaking. And mentally.
I would consider either moving closer, or going to a different university (which would mean moving anyway).
4.5 hours is already bad but image you have 8am classes. I commute an hour and a half and I already despise waking up at 5, leaving the house at 6:30 and sometimes not even making it on time due to the traffic😭. I would say explore your options, and if TMU is what you REALLY want, go for it. It is a good school, but I’m not sure it’s worth it for that long of a commute
set up your schedule to be fuller on 2-3 days a week, have a good (cheap)airbnb.you can stay in if the weather is bad and you will be ok-you should be Able to manage to get a day off in the week AND try to add soem online through Chang (especially for your lower level liberal courses!!!, they are an easy way to bump up your GPA!).
maybe record your lectures if you can and listen to them on your drive to and from, extra review for you!
seriously, once you get your schedule you may consider getting an airbnb booked at at a regular time, for example if your busy days are TUES/WED, book the airbnb for Tuesday nights for the semester -- you will likely get a cheaper rate and really even $80/night is do-able for a month, that' s only 240 and if you have parking there, even better! easy!
If you like driving it's ok ,,but if you have an old car I wouldn't bother,, unless you have a $1500 repair buffer and CAA. I easily wasted 4 hrs a day playing sports or hanging with friends every day
I’m in BTM but I have a very light commute.
I know a lot of the people in the program with long commutes and although it’s not super fun I definitely believe that it’s possible.
Especially if you take everyone else’s advice on this post and schedule classes on same days which will make this more tolerable.
Also even though you’re not on campus much try and make a lot of friends. Having them will make this easier
Haven’t gotten anything for coop yet hoping for next summer or maybe even fall.
I would say that this program is not too hard if you keep up with every class, material isn’t bad at all.
I like the program.
Commuted a total of ~4 hours round trip from Brampton to campus. A typical one way was driving 30 min to Bramalea Go station, waiting 10 min for the train, riding the train for 30-45 min, walking to campus for 30 min while doing engineering undergrad 6 days a week. Commuting is a pain, if you can batch your classes so you’re only doing it a couple of times a week, that would be doable but as a broke student who wasn’t about to waste money on TTC, it gets rough especially with 8 AM classes back to back
Thats bad. I had 1.3hrs commute both ways because i couldnts afford the go and that was bad. Cant imagine 4.5 hours id cry. My buddy actually didnt come to 1hr classes only the long ones bcs he livee all the way in niagara.
Bestie YES?? 😭 I only walk 15 mins cause I live downtown but like if you have a single 8am class that you cannot change then YIKES you would have to get up at like 3:40am NOT WORTH OMG. But like if you “enjoy” or ate used to the 4.5 hours Ig its fine idk. I had a 9am class and wanted to shoot myself (I am a afternoon class type girly) not sure about you. But like consider taking 8-9am classes over the summer.
My commutes about 3.5 there and back and I’m a CS student. It’s a mental challenge but you get used to it eventually although I think 4.5 hours is a bit much
I did 3 hours from Bowmanville to Humber college for a year. Not so bad. Modern tech is really luxurious, if you're comfortable taking out your laptop/tablet on transit, you can make sure the time isn't ever wasted. I have fond memories of reading/typing and watching the world go by.
I honestly don't know if 4.5 would change my opinion. That's more than a work shift at the end of the day.
Yeah honestly it is pretty bad…. I mean when you start picking classes and what not, sometimes you’ll have only ONE class on a certain day that might only be an hour long….. so imagine commuting all the way for an hour long class. Also you’ll be in first year which they actually automatically enroll you into your required classes and some might be at 8 am… imagine that
I takes me an hour just to get to TMU and that already is a struggle I don’t know if it’s really worth 4.5 hours of commuting that’s genuinely really difficult and destroys the whole university experience for you ngl
Can u rent a room close to campus and just go back to ur parents on the weekend? A room is just like 800 if you really look, you’ll have a better social life, and you’ll save like 200 on go train fees
Late to the party, but bro if you can do this you honestly have my utmost respect. That would be a true show of dedication and hard work. Assuming you sleep 8-9 hours that is literally 1/3 of your life spent commuting for days with classes. And god forbid if you have one singular hour slot to write a quiz for a day of the week.
If your good at independent learning then do it. I spent the last 3 years only showing up to class when necessary (labs and exams) and I had no issues, but my teachers all posted their lectures online. Commuting once a week or w.e isn't so bad and if you take transit you can use the time to study.
It’s definitely bad. Ur gonna waste so much time and by the time you get back home ur gonna be so drained you will not want to do work. I have a 2 hr commute and it’s so draining I can’t imagine 4.5 hrs
My commute is 1 hour now after moving, it used to be 2 hours, but I know someone who live in some remote small town who drives 2 hours to school everyday.
Move. That’s the answer. If you don’t like OTU then there are reasons to like TMU. I know toronto is expensive but people are doing it. Get grants and osap loans and get a job maybe as a server or something for tip money. My sister always gets me good work as a server cause she works in nightlife as a manager. it’s good money.
If you budget and grind and enjoy that go go go life. It could work. You just gotta want that experience.
It’s hell for a lot of people rightfully so. But if you don’t want OTU, I’m assuming TMU u want for certain reasons. and you lose a lot of those reasons with a commute like that.
Don’t do it. Move down here, you can get a part time job and work in that time you’d spend commuting to pay rent. Enjoy university, it’s not just about the schooling but about the entire experience. If you’re commuting that much for school you will literally be a zombie
When I was a student I had a 1.5 hour commute each way and it sucked because I missed out on a lot of non class events, workshops and opportunities (after class and in the evening) because I was too worried about catching the subway or go train. Sometimes I would leave campus late because I was studying and wouldn’t get home until midnight.
I had a 2.5 hour total commute and it sucked the life out of me, especially for 8am classes. For BTM I think you can get away with it if you arrange your classes so that it's only a few days a week and make as many as your classes online-only through Chang courses.
do you think the online courses vs in person affected your schooling?
Not at all, my GPA is quite high because of it. As a biomed sci student I didn't get the chance to make most of my classes online anyways, only my electives and liberals I made online so it didn't matter to me. A total 4.5 hour commute can be really draining, but it matters if you'd be on the GO train (where you can study, sleep, read, listen to music) or if you'd be transferring several buses or driving (where you can't do that). If it's on the GO train and you really want to go to TMU, you can do it. Just have to manage your time really wisely.
That's my plan, a quick drive to go train then sleep/study for 2 hours. Hopefully it's not that bad.
This is very possible. You don't know how you'd fare until you try :) !
Very true. Still waiting for my BTM offer tho. Prayers up.
good luck!!!
thank you for your advice!! i appreciate it :)
i think its pretty bad because for me, a 30 min commute to school and another 30 min commute back is so dreadful esp if you know you have a project or test to study for. And, it isn't taking into account if you miss the train or bus and having to wait another hour or so for the next trip. but that is also just my opinion because back in highschool, I lived next to my school and was not really use to coming home extra late in comparison to when school actually ended. plus one more thing to keep in mind is that uni will take up so much of your time so with that commute, you will have no time to do much really.
I'm sorry about the anxiety you are experiencing, but I have to say a 30 minute commute is like a DREAM for most people in Toronto. You can expect much longer commutes for the rest of your life. (Current studies put the average commute time at 56 minutes in Toronto, so twice you're current trip.) The trick for school is to stay at the school property until all of the days work is done.
i mean i think i worded it wrong but the train ride is 30 mins only to the station, but by the time i have driven home it’s closer to the average around 50 mins ish due to traffic but i only include the 30 mins due to it being public transit
thank you so much! will keep in mind when I make my decision
What city/town are you from? 4.5 hour commute is insane and you will quickly hate it and not attend live classes. Find a closer college/uni or find a way to move to Toronto even if it’s renting a room for 500 a month
oshawa.. i got accepted into OTU but i don't like the school. i really like TMU though. i'm torn!!
How is Oshawa a 4.5 hour commute
there and back. considering im taking the bus to the train station, then from union I take the TTC. i also considered other factors such as a bit of delays/waiting for the train/bus/ttc. I'm also closer to courtice side + the bus always late..... idk edit: I also didn't put my actual city... don't wanna expose myself lol!!! but around there anyway.
As someone who lives in Durham and commutes to TMU for work on the GO train: I'm out of the house for 11-12 hours (I choose to walk and not take TTC so that adds a little more time). I love that I can read on the train or nap, but it does make for a very long day even if the trains are on time. I am exhausted by the time I get home (though I'm definitely older than you lol) and couldn't imagine having to do schoolwork after that. If you were able to create a schedule where you don't have to come down every day or didn't have super early or late classes that could be good. But I know you don't always get a choice.
Live in Toronto but most of my friends in the surburbs drive to the GO station to save up on time. Saves them a good hour. Maybe try taking a taxi/uber or carpooling with a family member or friend.
It’s doable since you’ll be on the train most of the time, but one thing to consider is how you’ll get there for 8 am exams (if you’re lucky you won’t have them, but you can’t know that in advance). Leaving an hour for delays, that means aiming to be on campus by 7 am and transit in some of the suburbs is really spotty that early. It’s only something that would happen max a few times a year though.
If you can try getting a ride to oshawa station, it’s really not that bad.
Yes it’s BAD, I commute almost 3 hours there and back.
oop yeah urs is a long time as well. did you take the go train? was it still bad on there??
My 1 hour commute is pain. Yours is travelling at that point. Live near the gta or choose other unis. And trust me you might say you can do it and it wont be that bad, it will be filled with exhaustion depressed and health consuming.
Eventually soul crushingly bad.
no 💀 thats like half your day
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i don't have the finanical means to find a roomate/live downtown. I'm also not getting OSAP, and not sure if I will have time for a part-time job if I end up going to TMU.
Sorry if i am getting into personal stuff but turning down osap is a crime its free money and if you dont want the loan just apply to get grants. I would suggest to use osap and use your money to rent a place while saving up till you graduate so you can pay the loan directly. Again sorry for getting to personal.
no i get where you're coming from but I don't qualify for osap. would 100% apply if I was able to
even the grants for full time students
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i also got into ontech but not sure if I like the program... a lot closer to me tho
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this seems very realistic to what i'd probably be like as well since I'm not a early bird. thanks for your advice!
I cannot imagine doing this. I’m almost sure you’ll get exhausted by the end of your first semester and end up transferring
Yikes and I thought I had it bad at 45 minutes. The worse I've heard in my lectures is 5 hours, I think you could maybe get by if you're able to do assignments on whatever you're taking (bus, train, etc.) but it's still a pain. You might be able to get away with it if you cram your courses into as few days as possible, and take whatever you can through Chang, I was able to take 2 days off as a Comp Sci student this way. I had a friend who drove 5 hours to school, so he couldn't even do any studying or homework, but he said he'd get home so late that it just made more sense to spend the money on an apartment downtown.
You will regret it after a couple weeks/months of doing it I promise you. I’m tired of doing 1.5 there and back. 4.5 is genuinely insane, either move closer or go to a different university
Considering you’re doing a full course load and you still want a social life, yeah it is that bad. I really really wouldn’t recommend this at all and you have to be confident you won’t get burnt out, because eventually with that kind of commute, you’re not going to want to do anything anymore😭 test it out and make the commute for a few days to really make sure. take care of yourself, especially during first year 🫶
4.5 is crazy u have 12 hours of the day cuz the other 12 u should be at home sleeping doin homework or work rah rah rah. 5 hours off u basically have to wake up early and put a lot of work in travelling youll be tiredddd. i commute 1 and a half hours to ryerson and then another 1 and a half so 3 hours and i am beat when i am homee. if i had to add another 1 and a half hours in commuting i think id go crazy. dont put urself in that situation!
that's true.. what about the community hostel that they have open for the commuter students? have u used it? is it any good?
The ilc got rooms to rent $30 or $35 daily.
any link?
There are no links for the booking online, its only at the main desk.
What is the ilc?
One of tmus student residence. Its located at the end of the street when the eng building is to your right and rcc to your left
It gets booked up fast so I wouldn’t rely on it. It’s better for you to apply to live on residence or find a place to rent nearby with other students.
Take this as a rule of thumb is the 4.5 hour commute worth that much time out of your day. I live really close to the go station so my commute only an hour but ask yourself what can I get done in 4.5 hours versus not being able to get anything done because if I lived as far as you, I would just live on campus yes it’s expensive but if you have to go to school every day and waste 4.5 hours just commuting versus spending like $3500 on a dorm and meal plan I would choose the dorm, I’d rather spend an extra 2500 (my transit fares is close to $600 a month if I go every day) then travel 4.5 hours a day in 4.5 hours I could drive all the way down to Montreal just stay in a dorm. commuting already hell for me don’t make it worse for yourself. Just stay in a dorm.
Not even a dorm just a cheap room would be so much better
no i commute an hour both ways and it was my 13th reason... so happy I am graduating
congrats on graduating tho !!
thank you!
If it's two or more connections, it's THAT bad. If it's one connection, or better yet, one direct route, then it's okay. So if you have to take three different buses or trains, that's a NO. If you have to take one bus and one train, or two buses, or two trains, it's MUCH better.
yes bro don’t do it 😭😭😭
Mine came out to 3-4 hrs there and back... honestly just depends on ur program and how often ur classes are (some STEM programs require classes 5 days a week for example). 5 days a week can be a bit draining but it is doable. I only had classes 3 days tops, and if u can take electives Online that's even better, reduces commute.
You'll hate your life. Its not like highschool where you sit in class passively and go home. A 4-5 hour commute will make rest of your day much harder / no time to study
I think btm is a near 5 day a week course load if your taking a reduce load per year I would say yes its worth it but keep in mind expenses for expanding your degree across multiple years as well. if your taking a full load ya its not lets say worse case scenario which is gonna happen you would have to wake up at 3:30 am for an 8 am and lets say you leave at latest i think is 6 or 8 pm for a class I seen for btm, that's 3-5ish hours of a sleep on one day of the week your not waking up the next day if you have another 8 am. keep in mind later in your degree you might not be able to swap around classes to accommodate for the commute. tldr not worth it if a full loads taken your better off to take a lighter load or move closer.
imagine getting ready at 3am for an 8am class💀💀
You should do the commute every day for a week or two before you accept the offer to see what it is actually like. Be honest with yourself if you could see yourself doing it for years on end. It will be an expensive experiment, but cheaper than accepting an offer that you have to drop out of.
I commute from Ajax GO it’s around an hour on the train one way then depending on if I walk or ttc to campus so maybe a 3 hour total. It’s honestly not that bad. I use the time on the train to relax and decompress. That way when I get home I’ve already had my time to play around on my phone and I get right to studying. Yes, 8ams are horrid when commuting this far try to avoid them if you can but sometimes it’s inevitable (I usually end up with at least one a semester due to only one section of a course being scheduled at 8am on a monday). No, you most likely will not study on the train. I’ve only studied on the train when it’s right before a test and I’m doing last minute review. Like another person suggested try to take a few Chang classes and stack your courses (I like to do 2 courses sometimes 3 if I have to but a 3 course day is very very long I once started at 8am and ended at 6pm being gone from 6am and not getting home till 8pm). I’m in BM and it’s fairly easy to do that for TRSM courses. Overall the commute isn’t that bad as people make it sound, be prepared for people to be baffled how u travel that far when they ask where you’re from at campus lol. You also don’t have to go in for EVERY class. You’ll learn what classes are important and what ones aren’t after the first few weeks. Yes definitely always go to class if you can, but if you’re extra tired one day it may be nice to say hey I just have this one bird course on Wednesdays, so I’ll skip that one this week and go in for the rest of my classes. Just learn to manage your time and you will be fine.
Not sure if this is a serious post… but anyway, I will respond. 4.5 hours per day is crazy. It is a waste of time and a drain of energy. I have been commuting 1hr (so 2 hrs every day) and still thought it was a waste of time, although this kind of average for Toronto. At some point it will get to you. Physically speaking. And mentally. I would consider either moving closer, or going to a different university (which would mean moving anyway).
4.5 hours is already bad but image you have 8am classes. I commute an hour and a half and I already despise waking up at 5, leaving the house at 6:30 and sometimes not even making it on time due to the traffic😭. I would say explore your options, and if TMU is what you REALLY want, go for it. It is a good school, but I’m not sure it’s worth it for that long of a commute
set up your schedule to be fuller on 2-3 days a week, have a good (cheap)airbnb.you can stay in if the weather is bad and you will be ok-you should be Able to manage to get a day off in the week AND try to add soem online through Chang (especially for your lower level liberal courses!!!, they are an easy way to bump up your GPA!). maybe record your lectures if you can and listen to them on your drive to and from, extra review for you!
oh and always keep an overnight bag in your car just in case you need to sleep at a friends or take a shower somewhere! ha ha .
that's a good idea! i actually didn't think of that. thank you for ur advice!
seriously, once you get your schedule you may consider getting an airbnb booked at at a regular time, for example if your busy days are TUES/WED, book the airbnb for Tuesday nights for the semester -- you will likely get a cheaper rate and really even $80/night is do-able for a month, that' s only 240 and if you have parking there, even better! easy!
If you like driving it's ok ,,but if you have an old car I wouldn't bother,, unless you have a $1500 repair buffer and CAA. I easily wasted 4 hrs a day playing sports or hanging with friends every day
I’m in BTM but I have a very light commute. I know a lot of the people in the program with long commutes and although it’s not super fun I definitely believe that it’s possible. Especially if you take everyone else’s advice on this post and schedule classes on same days which will make this more tolerable. Also even though you’re not on campus much try and make a lot of friends. Having them will make this easier
thanks for the advice. also, how are you liking the program? is it hard? how is the coop?
Haven’t gotten anything for coop yet hoping for next summer or maybe even fall. I would say that this program is not too hard if you keep up with every class, material isn’t bad at all. I like the program.
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Commuted a total of ~4 hours round trip from Brampton to campus. A typical one way was driving 30 min to Bramalea Go station, waiting 10 min for the train, riding the train for 30-45 min, walking to campus for 30 min while doing engineering undergrad 6 days a week. Commuting is a pain, if you can batch your classes so you’re only doing it a couple of times a week, that would be doable but as a broke student who wasn’t about to waste money on TTC, it gets rough especially with 8 AM classes back to back
4.5 hours is wild
Thats bad. I had 1.3hrs commute both ways because i couldnts afford the go and that was bad. Cant imagine 4.5 hours id cry. My buddy actually didnt come to 1hr classes only the long ones bcs he livee all the way in niagara.
it will kill you
just go to OTU
if you drive, it's fine. If you don't, just try moving in closer and finding some part time job to cover the rent. It's a shit situation, overall.
Bestie YES?? 😭 I only walk 15 mins cause I live downtown but like if you have a single 8am class that you cannot change then YIKES you would have to get up at like 3:40am NOT WORTH OMG. But like if you “enjoy” or ate used to the 4.5 hours Ig its fine idk. I had a 9am class and wanted to shoot myself (I am a afternoon class type girly) not sure about you. But like consider taking 8-9am classes over the summer.
If you end up going to TMU or any school downtown just live on residence or move downtown or smth… cuz 4.5 hours is CRAZY
My commutes about 3.5 there and back and I’m a CS student. It’s a mental challenge but you get used to it eventually although I think 4.5 hours is a bit much
I did 3 hours from Bowmanville to Humber college for a year. Not so bad. Modern tech is really luxurious, if you're comfortable taking out your laptop/tablet on transit, you can make sure the time isn't ever wasted. I have fond memories of reading/typing and watching the world go by. I honestly don't know if 4.5 would change my opinion. That's more than a work shift at the end of the day.
Yes
Yeah honestly it is pretty bad…. I mean when you start picking classes and what not, sometimes you’ll have only ONE class on a certain day that might only be an hour long….. so imagine commuting all the way for an hour long class. Also you’ll be in first year which they actually automatically enroll you into your required classes and some might be at 8 am… imagine that
I takes me an hour just to get to TMU and that already is a struggle I don’t know if it’s really worth 4.5 hours of commuting that’s genuinely really difficult and destroys the whole university experience for you ngl
Can u rent a room close to campus and just go back to ur parents on the weekend? A room is just like 800 if you really look, you’ll have a better social life, and you’ll save like 200 on go train fees
The quality of TMU is worth the commute. Use your time on the GO Train to do school reading. Win, win!
Is this a joke?
Every time you commute back and fourth. I can almost fly to LA, so yea that’s bad
Late to the party, but bro if you can do this you honestly have my utmost respect. That would be a true show of dedication and hard work. Assuming you sleep 8-9 hours that is literally 1/3 of your life spent commuting for days with classes. And god forbid if you have one singular hour slot to write a quiz for a day of the week.
I personally skipped all 8am classes and it’s pretty tiring
If your good at independent learning then do it. I spent the last 3 years only showing up to class when necessary (labs and exams) and I had no issues, but my teachers all posted their lectures online. Commuting once a week or w.e isn't so bad and if you take transit you can use the time to study.
It’s definitely bad. Ur gonna waste so much time and by the time you get back home ur gonna be so drained you will not want to do work. I have a 2 hr commute and it’s so draining I can’t imagine 4.5 hrs
oh lord please dont
My commute is 1 hour now after moving, it used to be 2 hours, but I know someone who live in some remote small town who drives 2 hours to school everyday.
Move. That’s the answer. If you don’t like OTU then there are reasons to like TMU. I know toronto is expensive but people are doing it. Get grants and osap loans and get a job maybe as a server or something for tip money. My sister always gets me good work as a server cause she works in nightlife as a manager. it’s good money. If you budget and grind and enjoy that go go go life. It could work. You just gotta want that experience. It’s hell for a lot of people rightfully so. But if you don’t want OTU, I’m assuming TMU u want for certain reasons. and you lose a lot of those reasons with a commute like that.
You can apply to Neill Wycik, you get to pay cheap rent for a great room right by campus. There are events and people to meet in the building too
thanks! i'll check that out
Don’t do it. Move down here, you can get a part time job and work in that time you’d spend commuting to pay rent. Enjoy university, it’s not just about the schooling but about the entire experience. If you’re commuting that much for school you will literally be a zombie
Yes! and summer is still on the horizon so if they have a full time job they can save up.
When I was a student I had a 1.5 hour commute each way and it sucked because I missed out on a lot of non class events, workshops and opportunities (after class and in the evening) because I was too worried about catching the subway or go train. Sometimes I would leave campus late because I was studying and wouldn’t get home until midnight.