Outside the Bubble The Experience of Commuting Students at The University of St. Andrews

Abstract

The act of commuting and the subsequent effect it has on the quality of experience any one student will have at The University of St. Andrews is determined by many factors. It necessitates disconnect from the academic and social environment, contextualised based on the all-encompassing social integration that the small town allows. From my own experience as a commuting student living in Dundee, I became aware of and interested in the impact of commuting. Through grounded experience and conversation with fellow commuters, I explore the impact and consequences of conditions surrounding transport, space, time, personal wellbeing, and academic success to highlighting the good and the bad of what commuting means for the some of the students at St. Andrews.