Back on the Road: How to Be Productive on Your Commute

As we gain momentum back into in-person classes, it also meant an increase in commutes for many of us. As a fourth-year commuter student, I often feel the hundreds of hours I spent on the bus prior to the pandemic were unproductive. To tackle the issue as we hop back on the transit train, I gathered some effective study tips to make the best out of your commute trip, long or short. For a broader range of perspectives, I shared conversations with many students ranging from student that live on campus to individuals who commute 1.5 hours. I hope that this post will have a bit of something for everyone.

How to Study Effectively on the Bus:

As classes return to in-person, we have to block off a regular period of time in our schedules to travel to school. If utilized well, the routine trip can help students consume a lot of dense readings or class materials in a Wi-Fi-free environment. The trips are also a good way to study for an upcoming exam or brainstorm for a paper. Below are some different ways you can effectively approach studying on transit.

The Visual Way:

Pursuing a BA in psychology, I have a lot of readings ranging from long textbook chapters to research articles. I find reading course materials on transit a wonderful way to stay productive and not procrastinate. This is also the most frequent way I observe students studying, especially on longer transit rides during exam periods.

• Prepare the readings in advance and set a goal according to your reading habits and commute time. For me, this includes downloading the PDFs and bookmarking the beginning and end of physical textbooks.
• Shorter materials such as flashcards are easier to consume compared to longer PDFs or textbooks. It takes less effort to concentrate and gives more opportunity to rest your eyes.
• Larger devices such as iPads and laptops are easier to read but hard to hold on during transit, especially if you must ride on more than one bus or SkyTrain. A smaller device like your phone is more convenient if you have to move around a lot during your ride or if you don’t have a seat.

Pros:

• Effective way to study for visual learners and when consuming reading-heavy course materials.
• Good approach to review last minute materials for exams.
• Optimal for skimming materials without taking notes.

Cons:

• Reading can be particular in the requirements it needs such as good lighting and a seat would be optimal. It cannot be done while walking, and you need a less bumpy bus ride.
• Can result in bad motion sickness.
• Some students may prefer to take notes while reading which is harder to do on a transit ride.
• The noise on the bus can prevent in-depth reading of materials.

The Audio Way:

Another way to study on the bus is opting for audio formats of course materials. I personally think this is a more convenient and inclusive approach to studying as it can be done in almost any environment.

• If you have the tendency to record lectures, playing it back on the bus can be a good way to review materials, especially those lectures with harder concepts.

• Tip: If your lectures are posed on Zoom recordings in Canvas, it may be downloadable depending on your instructor’s settings. Look at the top right-hand corner of the Zoom recording for the download option.

• There are several ways you can turn your course readings and other materials into an audio format. For most of these all you need is your phone and headphones:

• For shorter readings or course PowerPoints, you can record yourself reading the material out loud and play it back on transit.
• For some e-textbooks, you have the option to select an audio version. While the robotic voice of the platforms is not the best thing to our ears, it is a great workaround for students who can’t read on moving vehicles.
• If you want to get creative and study materials more critically, you can record activities to self-test concepts. For example, you can consider using your phone to record yourself asking a question, waiting 20 seconds, then recording the answer.

Pros:

• Adaptable in any type of transit whether you are driving, busing, or walking from dorm to class.
• Suitable to those who can find a seat on a busy bus and those who can’t.
• The preparation for recording audio clips is in itself a great way to study.
• An alternative to those who get motion sickness reading visual materials on vehicles.

Cons:

• It can take longer to prepare some of the audio materials such as recording activities.
• Motion sickness can arise from listening to materials as well, even through selecting materials to listen to.
• The noise on the bus can prevent an effective environment to listen to the audio materials; a good pair of headphones are recommended for the optimal experience and these can often be expensive.

 

General Tips for Studying on the Bus:

• On longer buses like the R4 and 99 and even the regular buses, the back part of the bus often has better lighting (Good for studying 😊!)
• A pair of earmuffs or headphones can go a long way to help with your concentration.
• Staying hydrated can also help with motion sickness.
• Leave study materials that require the least amount of movement or equipment for transit trips. For example, it is easier to read a PDF or flip through flashcards than to type your paper.

At the end of this post, I want to acknowledge that the most productive way to study is dependent on you; the best way does not exist! There are many approaches to using your commuting time effectively. Whether you transit, drive, or walk, I hope you enjoy the trip and learned a little something extra today!

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Stay tuned for part 2 that discusses approaches to commuting while practicing self-care.

How do you use your commute time to study for courses? Did we capture your experience? Please feel free to share any feedback, resources, or your commute approach down in the comments. We would love to hear from you!