Commuting is becoming increasingly popular as people want to stay close to home, save money, or balance other commitments alongside studies.
If you’re planning to commute to university, you’ve probably heard all the usual warnings: you’ll regret it, you’ll feel left out, or you’ll want to drop out after a month. Well, I’m living proof that this isn’t true!
Commuting is becoming increasingly popular as people want to stay close to home, save money, or balance other commitments alongside studies. Plus, there is nothing better after a long day of lectures than coming home to familiar comforts – for me, that’s my dog and my own bed.
Admittedly, you might feel like a pariah for the first week, but there are plenty of ways to completely avoid this. This guide for a commuter is tried and tested, by me! After following these steps there has never been a moment when I’ve regretted commuting (except maybe waking up on a Monday for a 9am, but the feeling is fleeting I promise!).
Make the most of Welcome
Your Birmingham experience begins before teaching starts with the Welcome Fair and Welcome Week. There’s a plethora of events taking place to make you feel confident settling into Birmingham.
Starting with the University Welcome Fair on Saturday 19–Sunday 21 September. You can meet teams who are working to make your experience at Birmingham unforgettable, including the Library, Careers Network, Sport and Fitness, Sustainable Travel (for help navigating bus passes and transport options) and the Student Disability Service. These are only a few of the teams you’ll find in the Great Hall, so come along for advice and freebies!
Another event you should definitely have in your calendar is The Guild’s Commuter Student Social on Monday 28 September, 3pm-5pm. There will be board games, snacks, and activities alongside the opportunity to get to know other commuters. All of the Guild Welcome events can be filtered by daytime, evening and night so it’s easy to find events that best fit around your travel.
UoB hosts an unforgettable Welcome Week full of activities for everybody, from tours to artisan markets, but let's not forget why you’re here. Your school or college will also have meetings which gives you the perfect opportunity to meet your coursemates.
Key advice: Remember, everyone in the lecture hall will feel nervous and hope for that one person who’s brave enough to introduce themselves; be that person! One small question of ‘Can I sit here?’ or ‘What’s your name?’ could change the direction of your time at the University. It can turn the dragging hours in between seminars or lonely lunches into laughing until you cry. Personally, I am forever grateful to the girl who spoke to me on that very first day and turned an overwhelming, lonely experience into a day full of laughter and motivation (we’re still great friends!)
Commuter Student Society
During Welcome you can discover the range of societies at the Societies Fair Wednesday 23 – Thursday 24 September, 10:30am-4pm. Societies are great for meeting people at university, and there is one for everybody, so make sure to view them on the Guild website and choose which ones you want to investigate further.
For those of you reading this, I can already tell you that there is one society which is made for you: the Commuter Student Society. Membership is only £3 for the whole academic year and they plan a range of events. Last year there were welcome parties, pizza parties, badminton games and a Christmas lunch. You can stay updated with their events by following them on Instagram @uobcommutersoc.
Test the commute
Another great way to prepare for university is by testing your commute. This is one thing I wish I had done before starting university. It took me three months to realise the bus was faster than the trains and stopped right outside of the building I needed to get to!
Trains and buses from Birmingham city centre to campus are direct and very frequent, however there can be delays so make sure to download the TfWM (Transport for West Midlands) app to see live updates.
There’s loads of helpful travel information on UoB’s travel page, which can help you to find out if you are eligible for a parking permit, and can also get you discounts on your travel.
For those of you considering cycling to university, you might find peace of mind to know that there are showers across campus which you can use. As I discovered through my favourite professor, you can locate them on the campus map on the MyUoB app, so you don’t have to worry about being sweaty in a seminar.
Explore campus and find your favourite spots
Exploring campus and finding your favourite places is one of the best ways to get comfortable at university, especially for commuter students. You may have long gaps in between lectures on some days, and no bed nearby to crawl back into. In my first year, I had a 6 hour gap between my seminars but it was never as bad as I thought because I had my favourite seat in Muirheadcafe.
No matter what people say about the Muirhead Tower looking ugly, it will forever be my favourite place on campus. There are plug sockets, comfortable chairs, and, in my opinion, it has the best WiFi connection on campus.
Using your campus map on the MyUOB app, you can find all the hidden study spots and cafes to try out. There are even kitchen-esque spaces with kettles and microwaves so you can make your own hot food or drinks. Additionally, there’s a new spot coming to campus called ‘The View’ which will have more microwaves, charging points, lockers, and a space for you to enjoy the view of campus, so keep an eye out for more information about when you will be able to claim it as your new favourite spot.
Join WhatsApp group chats
My final piece of advice is maybe the one that shaped my experience the most, and it starts way before you step onto campus as an official undergrad.
On Facebook, you can search ‘University of Birmingham 2026-27’ and there will be a long list of groups which also have WhatsApp chats you can join. These chats end up having hundreds of people in them, and you can find people in your department, on your course, and even fellow commuters.
My recommendation is to ask in the group chat who else is commuting, and to make a separate group for commuters. This will make your freshers week feel a lot less lonely, and, in my case, it has led to real friendships – it’s how I met fifteen like-minded commuters, including my closest friend at university.
I hope that this guide is comforting and shows you that commuting doesn’t have to be lonely, or ostracising. Your time at the University of Birmingham will be unrivaled, and you will meet lifelong friends no matter where you are coming from.
Written by UoB Student, Eloise