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Commuting: 5 Top Tips to Make the Most of Your Drive to Uni


How I make my drive to uni a little more bearable.

Driving to uni might seem like a small part of your day, but I've spent enough time in the car either stuck in traffic or just cruising along that familiar road, to know that it can make or break your day. Sometimes it's peaceful and gives me loads of time to think, but other times it's completely maddening and I'm exhausted before I've even made it to uni (but that's usually just because I haven't given myself enough time to get there). 

I've compiled a list of my top 5 tips to help make that journey to classes that little bit easier.

1 - Find Your Perfect Soundtrack. 

Pick your poison: an audiobook, your go-to playlist, or a podcast. My drive to campus usually takes around 30-40 minutes (depending on traffic), so I usually opt for a good podcast to keep me company. Some of my favourites right now are The 2 Johnnies Podcast, The Girls Groupchat Podcast, and We Need to Talk with Paul C. Brunson. I usually lean towards comedy, it's always good to start the day with a laugh, but We Need To Talk is really interesting. I loved his recent interview with Shakira Khan, and the episodes with Kerry Katona had me completely hooked. 


Lately, I’ve also been listening to a lot of Luke Combs, Westlife, and Pitbull (I’ve got tickets for all three and I’m so excited!), so having their music on has been an easy way to lift my mood on the drive.
 

I've never been into audiobooks, but I do love to read, so I'd recommend:
  • Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - for those that like romantasy.
  • Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - if you're into a little bit of drama.
  • Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell - for the thriller lovers.

2 - Time Your Trip.

Parking can be a nightmare around campus, so you need to leave about 15 minutes spare just for circling the car park waiting for a space to open up (no, I'm not joking). I have been late to countless classes because parking is such a nightmare, and the stress of being the one walking into a full lecture hall late when the class has already started, is quite frankly enough to make me drive straight home again. Start the day off right and leave that bit earlier to save yourself the embarrassment. 


3 - Bring Snacks

I am a type B girl through and through. Most of the time I've left it too long before getting out of bed, that I only have time to get washed and dressed and I'm rushing out the door forgetting that I haven't even eaten breakfast. I know, I'm a disaster. The worst part is that when I don't eat, I am awful to be around (sorry, friends).
That's why having a banana in my bag, or a box of Belvitas stashed in the car, or if I'm feeling extra healthy even just a bag of crisps, makes the commute a lot easier. When you commute, it's not as easy as nipping home between lectures to grab something, and when you don't bring any food, you end up spending a fortune on campus (because we know it's not cheap). 
Save yourself the headache and the money and just bring something easy with you to curb the hunger when it strikes. 

4 - Keep a Car Survival Kit

Here's a list of things you need to keep in your car:
  • A charger -  I feel like this one’s self-explanatory, but I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve gotten to class, pulled out my laptop, and realised it’s dead. Nightmare. Or worse, I look down and my phone’s on 10%. Also nightmare. Having a spare charger in the car has genuinely saved me so many times.
  • An umbrella - When you live on the rainy island of Ireland, it's an essential. No one likes having to sit in a two-hour lecture in soggy clothes. 
  • Screen wash - Maybe you already keep it in your car, but especially coming into the frosty weather, it’s essential. When the rain’s falling on your windscreen and freezing as your wipers are trying to clear it, it’s awful, you can’t see! Stay safe and keep the screen wash topped up.
  • Painkillers - For the mornings your head's a little sore after a fun student night, or for that special time of the month. Some paracetamol or ibuprofen can be a game changer.
  • A spare hoodie or coat - For the days it's a little colder than your OOTD expected. 

5 - Plan Alternative Routes

Sometimes my usual route has roadworks, or I end up stuck behind a tractor (which is such a headache when I’m running late), or it’s just crazy with traffic, so it’s always good to have a plan B. You never know when you’ll need to switch things up last minute.
I feel like this is especially important to consider this week if you're commuting to Derry because of the Halloween Festivities. It's the biggest Halloween festival in Europe, so that means lots of tourists, lots of traffic, and lots of road diversions. A quick check on Apple Maps or Google Maps can save you so much trouble later on. 

So there it is, my top 5 tips to keep the commute to uni easy breezy. I hope you enjoyed reading, and if you have any tips of your own, I'd love to hear them! 

Happy Halloweek! Stay safe and have a spooktacular time. 
Toni x

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