By Chantel Watkins
VN STAFF WRITER
UDM is a big commuter campus with more than half of the students driving to campus everyday.
Many people who commute live further than 10 miles from campus so traveling here is not always so easy, especially in the winter months.
Students miss class, games, lectures and all sorts of activities because of bad weather and how hard it is to drive in this winter weather.
Before getting to school you have to wipe the snow off your windshield, warm up your car and face the traffic on the icy roads.
Recent graduate Jameela Mohammad remembers the days of commuting.
“Some days I had to leave an hour before class just to get to class,” he said. “I live in Warren and a normal 15-minute trip turned into an hour if there was snow.”
Sometimes students – like sophomore Paige Olekszyk – just skip class on occasion if the weather is bad.
“There were maybe three days that I couldn't drive to school because the roads were so bad,” she said.
Terrible things happen, Olekszyk learned.
Last year, on Jan. 16, she was in an accident on 8 Mile Road while on her way to school.
Unfortunately stories like this are not uncommon to UDM's commuter population.
A couple of tips for commuter students:
- Leave early so you’re not rushing and you’re not late.
- Go slowly on the road.
- Have water, a flashlight and a charged phone in your car in case anything happens.
- If you live far away let your professor know that some days you may be a few minutes late if the weather is bad.
