<p>2-3 hours in traffic: yes. and the money i spend on gas sucks. but i bring food from home (yay for free) and i always saw the advantage of being in my house, being in my room, and being in my bed to be more of a reward then money. maybe its just an only child who's just a quiet introvert kinda thing.</p>
<p>I used to liv eon campu sbut now I am commuting. I found a nice sized studio about 10 or 15 mins away by bus. I love it...the place I found was already furnished and ll utilities included...I just pay for phone and internet. I live on a quiet street that is just up the street from everything I need. I like living off campus because there are no surprises when I come home....no drunken or high roommates, no psychos burning stuff because the team lost, no sounds of sirens and helicopters throughout the day or night, no community bathrooms and also I can cook things now besides Ramen noodles. I love living off campus and would reccomend it to anyone. Oh, I am not into the party scene either and love my privacy.</p>
<p>I dormed for my first two years at UCLA. The first year was horrible because my roommate and I were quite different. The second year was okay because I dormed with a good friend from high school. But, I still went home on the weekends and enjoyed home time much more than dorm time.</p>
<p>I commuted to work this summer and am ready to commute this Fall. I avoid rush hour with my afternoon/night classes (UCLA). So, the drive is about 35 minutes and I like to drive-- so all is well. ;)</p>
<p>it cost more to commute... if you consider the 2-3 hours you spend commuting more profitable than spending 2-3 hours studying</p>
<p>"cost"</p>
<p>Cost can be money, time, or comfort. For me, the cost of 1.5 hours commuting beats having to deal with apartments or the dorms. =P</p>
<p>to each his own</p>
<p>tuffsuff86</p>
<p>I disagree, Liveing in the bronx and going to school in Manhattan i find it much more expensive.</p>
<p>I have to take the 34 bus to the D train every day 2 times. so thats $4 a day plus the 3 hrs I spend on the bus and train a day, which i could be doing somthing else., then food which is $5 for lunch, then breakfast and dinner is covered by my mother but thats still about another $15, so $15-$20 a day just for food. Rent is $1100 per month for a 2 bedroom araprtment here in the bronx, Electricity is $130 a month, Tv, Internet and Phone is about $170 a month. Then a subscription to the gym for me is around $500 a year.</p>
<p>lets add it up roughly for 8 months while most students are in school.</p>
<p>Transportation is around $700, due to finals and study periods somtimes ya have to go back and forth. if not its $640.</p>
<p>Food is about $15 a day, sounds about right. which is $3360 a year. depending on how much you eat, I eat alot.</p>
<p>rent is $1100 per month which for 12 months would be $13,200 or just for the 8 months would be $8800</p>
<p>Electricity, Tv and internet and Phone would be around $250 a month for most people. which would be $3000 a year or $2000 for 8 months.</p>
<p>I go to Gym which is about $500 a year. Plus the Transportation on bus to GYM,, which is another $4 a day.</p>
<p>Just for me without the Gym it costs me over $20k a year just to live, while I could do everything while going away to school, lets say to a Suny school and the Living expenses would be no more than 8k per year with transportation to and from school to home.</p>
<p>The reason I am going away to school is that 3 hrs per day on the D train which is a Horror.</p>
<p>proton, true that. ;)</p>
<p>Scotch</p>
<p>I guess it depends on your living situation. I meant in general for most people who only really have to pay for transportation and maybe food(assuming that most of them would be living at home with their parents, rent free). </p>
<p>Even though I live about 45 minutes away from my school; and its one, straight ride, I would dorm if I received enough aid for it. Even when I applied to SUNY schools, with the financial packages they gave me, I still could not afford to live on-campus. But if you can...more power to you.</p>
<p>By the way, during the 3 hours on the train, you could study, read or do your homework.</p>
<p>Possible, But I get nauseous, while reading when Im moving, The D train is usually packed, so its very hard.</p>
<p>couldn't you study on the train?</p>