don't try this at home... unless you have to.

This past summer, I had the joy of working in the City (that is, New York City, for you West Coast, Maryland and Philly kids). I also had the equal pleasure of living in an apartment optimally located in midtown. However, a few nights a week, I relinquished the apartment to my cousins, the rightful owners, and spent the night elsewhere. Typically, I spent one night at a friend’s and the other at home. These weekly journeys to the Garden State gave me my first (and hopefully last) look into the life of a commuter. Trust me when I say, it’s not glamorous and it’s not for the faint of heart.

First, the obvious- time. For me (and many others), the commute home is about a one-hour train ride, which doesn’t include transportation to the train station on both sides. This brought my total commute time to about an hour and forty-five minutes each way, or three and a half hours each trip (daily if I were a full-time commuter). Granted, it does create an excellent block of time to spend reading, writing or catching up with friends (should you be so lucky to have a commuting buddy), but wouldn’t it be better to read, write or catch up out in a sunny park or warm coffee shop? However, even I must admit, I typically don’t read unless forced, and well, sitting for an hour in the morning was adequate force; I’ve read more books in the past 2 months than I have in the past 2 years. But how much is this reading time worth? Even with a paltry hourly wage of $10, that’s still $35 worth of time spent sitting on vinyl. And it’s true what they say- time is money.

Which brings me to the next point- money. Public transportation costs, parking fees and the increasing prices of gas contribute to the cost of commuting (besides the “cost” of time spent traveling). Even with monthly passes and unlimited ride cards, the costs still add up. Sure, it’s still less than the average rent for a downtown studio, but over time, it accumulates. Doing some basic math calculations, I summed the costs of a monthly parking permit, monthly train pass, unlimited monthly subway card, and the approximate additional cost of gas and came to a total of about $380 a month spent on transportation. And that’s based on commuting to and from Convent Station, which is a town over from me; to commute to Morristown, the cost would be about $50 a month more, but you’d save about 10 minutes a day in time spent traveling. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend that money elsewhere (for example, a new pair of shoes and/or purse).

The next major commuting issue- additional stress. For all those who have been misfortunate enough to be stuck in or around Penn Station, Grand Central, or one of the numerous subway stations during rush hour while not commuting, you probably know how Simba felt while hanging onto the tree in the middle of the wildebeest stampede. Every time I find myself in the morning or evening rush hour (and especially when boarding the train home through those little doors in Penn Station), I understand how cows and sheep must feel when being herded. Go with the flow, keep up with traffic, and don’t you dare slow down, lest the angry banker behind you trample your poor fearful soul. The anxiety I feel when staring at the television, waiting for my track number to be posted is unnecessary, yet present. Likewise, my desire to walk as fast as possible through the throng of people rushing to work increases my adrenaline and heart to an incalculable rate. A daily commute would not only add to my ever-present grey hairs, but also increase my chance of a heart attack or stroke significantly; it is with my heart and health in mind when I insist that I was not made for commuting.

For me, those are the three most significant deal breakers. As much as I enjoy the forced reading time and scenic journey through Jersey, I could not imagine becoming a regular commuter. As a matter of fact, I can picture myself living and working in a small, rural town more than I see myself commuting into a city. Of course, if I did live in the City, I wouldn’t be opposed to the occasional trip home for a good ole home cooked meal or a ride up to Hamptons for a weekend (because, you know, a girl’s got to dream). But should you value your time, money, health and vibrantly-colored hair, don’t commute.