A Commuter’s Life

While the majority of students have a short walk from their bed to their 8 a.m. class, one senior travels an hour-and-a-half to get to class. Commuter Savannah Patick does not have the average story when it comes to commuting.

Coming from West Covina, Patick has traveled 40 miles to and from school twice a week since her junior year. On the days that Patick is not traveling to school, she is sitting in meetings at her full-time job at her home church in West Covina, Calif. 

After working in her job off-campus for almost a year, Patick has started her post-grad life before most students in a full-time position by the age of 20.

Patick is the producer and coordinator for her church’s Worship Department at all three campuses and oversees details for each, as it pertains to worship and the weekend service experience. After starting her full-time job back in May, Patick has learned significantly about the meaning of balance as a full-time student while also making her new job her own.

Balancing school-work and a full-time job is never easy, according to Patrick. She has additionally been involved in several different on-campus leadership positions.

“It has honestly been one of the most challenging years of my life. I have grown and learned a lot, but it has come with a lot of new challenges, some of which I anticipated and some that I did not,” Patick said.

According to Patick, balance is much more than just schoolwork and a job, it also goes into mental health. 

After coming into her position and being pulled in several different directions, Patick had to learn what it looked like to wear different hats and be excellent in her word.

“In any given day, there is no way that I can tend to every task, email, phone call, and person that is pulling my attention. I have made choices instead of trying to do everything well every single day. It’s impossible,” Patick said.

According to Patick, it is important to eliminate the things that are necessary for further growth when trying to accomplish all that she is a part of. Trying to balance so many things can be difficult when the majority of time is taken up with a job and school. 

“My days are consumed with work tasks, homework assignments, creating presentations, [and] replying to messages. The list goes on and on. Trying to maintain friendships and other relationships has been difficult, and I definitely haven’t always done it well. With my schedule, it has forced me to eliminate the things that truly are necessary in my life to free up time to do the things that are important,” Patick said.

While it can be challenging for any commuter to balance school, traffic, social life, jobs, and family, it has been a rewarding process for Patick.

“In three weeks, I will be able to say that I’ve graduated and that will also be very rewarding. At the same time, it has been exhausting and very draining. This season has caused me to reevaluate my priorities and learn what it means to truly rest in the middle of craziness. I have learned more about myself through this season that I ever thought I would. I am thankful for the trials and triumphs that this season has brought for me. It is worth it,” Patick said.

Patick will graduate in December and will use her degree at her job following post-grad.