commuting scientists

[eco_env]

I'm wondering about the feasability of doing very long distance commuting as an ecology grad student, with my research being on campus. Very long distance=40-70 miles. That's a 45-70 minute drive (with no traffic, which doesn't actually happen here during rush time), 2-3 hours by train and bus (one way). There are carpools to campus which might be useable, but the carpools and trains would require that I leave at 5pm. Are there other science grad students out there that have a commute that long? I'll likely be working as a TA in future years, too.

[coonskee]

I think that's kind of a ridiculous commute for anyone working. There are likely going to be times when you'll be in the lab for a LONG time - do you WANT to be taking the bus at 10pm at night? Is there anything you can do to move closer? I just worry that you'll "burn out" from the commute... that's 4-6 hours out of your day, every day, if you take the train/bus.

[BassAZ]

I'm a little over 30 miles from campus, have been doing this for ~2 years now. The fact that bus/train transport doesn't work on your schedule is a little frustrating. If I'm doing some cell culture/in vivo stuff that needs to be in off hours, it's completely infeasible to use public transportation. So I would only suggest doing a vehicle commute (your own or carpool).

I would suggest that you really weigh the pros and cons - there have to be some VERY important reasons for staying where you are and commuting. It works for me because my wife works in the city that we live, we have an amazing community and I'm more introverted so I don't interact with my cohort all that often. If it weren't for the community, we would probably be moving out to where the campus is located.

[eco_env]

I think that's kind of a ridiculous commute for anyone working. There are likely going to be times when you'll be in the lab for a LONG time - do you WANT to be taking the bus at 10pm at night? Is there anything you can do to move closer? I just worry that you'll "burn out" from the commute... that's 4-6 hours out of your day, every day, if you take the train/bus.

I don't actually live that far from campus now, but I'm trying to decide if I should put myself in the position where I'll need to live far from campus. Let's say I have a spouse that is thinking of applying for jobs 40-70 miles away and needs to live very close to work, and the qustion is whether to apply for those jobs. (That's not actually the case, but my real situation would be hard to explain). I guess being an ecologist means it's less likely that I will have to work in the lab late at night- my field work is best done during daylight hours, and I don't expect my lab work to be too time-sensitive (I'll probably be able to leave it for the next day), but I'm a first-year grad student, so it's hard to know what my schedule will be like in future years as my research progresses.

[Eigen]

I'd say if you have to, it's doable- but much preferable not to have to. Lab sciences often require odd hours, and the farther you live away, the more than can translate into "spending the night in the lab". I also know people who do it, but have a friend that lives close to campus they can crash with if they need to.

[coonskee]

I don't actually live that far from campus now, but I'm trying to decide if I should put myself in the position where I'll need to live far from campus. Let's say I have a spouse that is thinking of applying for jobs 40-70 miles away and needs to live very close to work, and the qustion is whether to apply for those jobs. (That's not actually the case, but my real situation would be hard to explain). I guess being an ecologist means it's less likely that I will have to work in the lab late at night- my field work is best done during daylight hours, and I don't expect my lab work to be too time-sensitive (I'll probably be able to leave it for the next day), but I'm a first-year grad student, so it's hard to know what my schedule will be like in future years as my research progresses.

Mmm, I guess that makes it easier - I'm thinking from my experience (sometimes I'll get in the lab at 7am and not leave till 11pm). If your problem is a "two-body" problem, then as long as you think you can do the commute without burning out, then go for it. Do remember you're going to be working your butt off, though - don't let yourself crash in your first year because of a commute!!

good luck

[juilletmercredi]

Even if you're not required to be in the lab, though, you still may WANT to be on-campus. I don't have to be in the lab to do my research - all I need is a computer with a statistical program and my data, and I'm set. (My data collection is with human subjects, so we do have to do that in the lab, but people don't come to the lab at 10 pm. They usually come between 10 and 6.) But sometimes I'm on the lab computers until 8 or later, and I've spent the night in the library before (rare, but it happens. It's a quiet place to study and write). I don't even do social things on campus with my cohort much, but from a work perspective it's kind of nice to be able to be around the department and really dig in and concentrate. I tend to get distracted at home.

[eco_env]

Even if you're not required to be in the lab, though, you still may WANT to be on-campus. I don't have to be in the lab to do my research - all I need is a computer with a statistical program and my data, and I'm set. (My data collection is with human subjects, so we do have to do that in the lab, but people don't come to the lab at 10 pm. They usually come between 10 and 6.) But sometimes I'm on the lab computers until 8 or later, and I've spent the night in the library before (rare, but it happens. It's a quiet place to study and write). I don't even do social things on campus with my cohort much, but from a work perspective it's kind of nice to be able to be around the department and really dig in and concentrate. I tend to get distracted at home.

Luckily, I'm not like that- I'd rather stay at home and work on my computer if I don't need to be on campus, even now when my commute is only 40-50 minutes. I've done commutes that are more than 1 hour long before, but that's by train, which is not the same as driving for more than an hour. Actually, if I'm driving it will be better for me to stay a little late and come in very early, because then I can avoid traffic.

Mmm, I guess that makes it easier - I'm thinking from my experience (sometimes I'll get in the lab at 7am and not leave till 11pm). If your problem is a "two-body" problem, then as long as you think you can do the commute without burning out, then go for it. Do remember you're going to be working your butt off, though - don't let yourself crash in your first year because of a commute!!

good luck

Thanks. It won't be my first year, at least. By the time this happens it will at least be late in my 2nd year. I'm hoping to finish most coursework beforehand.

[juilletmercredi]

I was like that too, during my first few years. I preferred to work at home instead of at school or the lab if possible. Now I'm not that way, or I'm at least split - I like to work in the library sometimes and home others. Circumstances change and it's nice to have the option open if possible.

[turtles]

I did this for the second year of my MS where I had a ~70 minute drive each way from my house to campus (and no good public transit alternative). I managed to work out my schedule so that I was only on campus the days I had class or field/lab work and otherwise worked from home, so I was usually only commuting 3 or 4 days a week. It's doable, but not something I'd want to do long-term. It's a lot better if you can work out public transit, because at least then you can read articles or process data on your laptop or whatnot. Driving, I just ended up with 2.5 hours a day where I couldn't do anything productive.

Also, it's worth keeping in mind how important it is to you to be able to hang out with your cohort or do things on campus in the evenings and if that will work with having a long drive home.