Issues and concerns have been taken into consideration for commuters at Azusa Pacific University.
The urban location of Azusa Pacific University allows for locals of surrounding cities such as Los Angeles, Glendora, West Covina and more to attend the university. Despite the location and easy accessibility for many commuters, issues and concerns immediately follow and must be taken into account for students who plan to live off-campus.
The primary concern is the means of transportation. Whether driving to classes Monday-Friday in a personal car or utilizing public transportation to get to the campus, the means of commuting rather than dorming is much more inconvenient and forces students to go out of their way.
As a commuter, I find myself spending roughly $60-$80 on gas each week and leaving about half an hour before my classes begin to account for any spontaneous traffic and to avoid any tardies. Other commuters at APU deal with similar conflicts and follow precautions I do as well.
“Some days it’s as bad as an hour and 13 minutes to get home, 26 miles away,” said Euna Kim, a Freshman allied health major.
With such a large population in Los Angeles County, a simple drive to and from the university can range from five minutes to nearly two hours depending on where you live and traffic conditions.
Simply put, the commute to the university is much more complex and requires a consistent schedule to not only arrive on time but ensure success as well.
Other issues and concerns within the university make it more difficult for commuters as well, even something simple as parking is challenging.
“The parking here is a whole other unforeseeable circumstance,” Diego Morreno, a freshman biochemistry major, explained.
As a STEM student such as Diego who predominantly parks next to the Segerstrom Science Center on West Campus in parking lot H, the parking tends to build up in that area..
This dilemma is no different on East Campus as well with the Friday chapel making it nearly impossible to park in the first three rows of the campus. Students who dorm don’t primarily deal with this issue as they are within walking distance of both campuses and have the trolley tailored to them as an additional resource.
Transportation isn’t the only conflict that commuters deal with. Meeting new people and establishing relationships among the community can pose a challenge as well.
“Dorming on campus is so much easier to make friends and meet new students,” said Joe Xu, a freshman biochemistry major.
Easy accessibility and frequent encounters with fellow dorming students allow for much easier ways to be involved in the school’s community. This outcome is very much possible for commuters, however with ultimatums stated earlier such as parking, gas and traffic, the chances are not in favor of commuters.
Living on campus isn’t for everyone as some students prefer their own personal room or place of study free from the possibility of sharing with a roommate. However, if commuters do change their minds and wish to live on-campus, the offer is always available.