7 Commuting Struggles Millennials Deal With On The Daily That Make You Stronger, TBH
There are a few things that can make the struggle extra real, but in my opinion, none of them quite compare to the struggle of commuting every day. Your dream job may come along, and unfortunately, the office is located all the way downtown (and you live uptown). That's when you quickly learn the downside of having to drive or take public transportation to work on the reg. As much as you wish you could work remotely from the comforts of home, you know all too well the struggles of commuting that millennials deal with on the daily.
In a perfect world, your apartment would be right next to your office. But alas, you may have to settle for the neighborhood in your budget or live at home, which could mean making a trek. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I accepted a temp job in Santa Monica, which seems fine to any outsider, but living on the east side meant that every day I was adding an extra three hours to my journey. On the drive to work, the struggle was real only cruising 15 miles per hour on the freeway.
Whether you're commuting to class or your job, you know these seven struggles very well. Just know that you're not alone, and you're a much stronger person for dealing with it all.
01Literally Nothing Can Make Traffic Not Annoying
As much as you try to keep your cool during your commute to and from work, traffic always tends to get to you. It's inevitable that there will be a ton of people and backed-up cars during rush hour, but you are always shocked by how bad it gets. Even listening to the chillest beats doesn't seem help.
02Despite How Early You Leave, You Always Run A Little Behind
You try everything you can to avoid the early morning rush. That means even setting your alarm a little earlier to leave with enough time. Despite all of your efforts, most of the time, you still end up running late to work. (So you might as well just sleep in, am I right?)
03Picking Out Your Morning Playlist Can Be Difficult AF
You do whatever you can to keep yourself entertained. You've exhausted your go-to Spotify playlist and are tired of hearing the same old songs over and over again. You pretty much either have to keep switching songs out each week, or you alternate between music, a book, and different podcasts to keep things fresh.
04You Don't Have The Luxury Of Hitting The Snooze Button Forever
Unlike your friends and coworkers who live super close to work, you don't have the luxury of hitting the snooze button over and over again. (I am totally guilty of hitting that button, and every time I do, I know it's just taking time away from my getting ready time.)
05Trying To Keep Entertained While Waiting For Rush Hour Traffic To Die Down Gets Old
By now, you know the magic window of time when the traffic has died down and your commute home is much quicker. Though, that time is never right after work. Instead, you have to find local things to do to kill time while you wait. Sometimes, that means staying at work later than everyone else and trying to stay entertained watching YouTube videos. (Can someone please just invent teleportation already?)
06Sometimes, The Trip Isn't Even Worth It
On half-days or when your boss is feeling generous and lets you go home early, the commute isn't even worth it. You end up spending more time driving over to work than you do at your desk.
07You Have To Make Sure To Bring Everything With You
When it takes you what feels like forever to get back home after a long day at the office, you don't have the luxury of running back to grab something you forgot. You have to pretty much take everything you'd need for the entire day with you when you leave in the morning. That may include a change of clothes for going out with friends for happy hour after work, or your gym bag. (My bag when I commute honestly looks like a survival pack filled with extra clothes, snacks, and tons of chargers.)
