http___www.theridernews.com_ga_2012_04_26_commuting-students-have-a-drive-to-succeed__1.xml
1.1 2.1 3.1 3.2 4.1 5.1 5.2 6.1 6.2 7.1 8.1 8.2 8.3 9.1 9.2 10.1 10.2 11.1 12.1 12.2 13.1 14.1 15.1 15.2 16.1 17.1 17.2 18.1 19.1 19.2 20.1
Commuting students have a drive to succeed By Kirsti Rainville Awakening at the crack of dawn to fight traffic and the hordes of sleep-deprived zombies at Wawa all before making it to campus is not an experience most Rider residents need to contend with. But for senior marketing major and commuter Zak Pflieger, waking up before 5 a.m., and clocking in at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) by 6 a.m., has become a way of life. While commuters lead a different lifestyle, Rider tries to make the college experience essentially the same for all of its students. “As a commuter, I expected to spend much of my day in my car,” Pflieger said “I just didn’t realize how much time I was going to spend in my car. I don’t mind really, but it gets to be exhausting and expensive after a while.” While many students at Rider commute, those who don’t can fail to consider all of the particularities involved in the process. Although the cost of room and board is not something a commuter needs to worry about, there are other expenses that often go without thought. “One of my biggest expenses is gas, then food, and I also have bills [for] credit cards, utilities, rent, cell phone — everything like that,” Pflieger said. However, Pflieger has not been commuting his entire time at Rider. He started off as a freshman living in Conover Hall before moving to Olson Hall and eventually becoming a resident advisor. After being denied premium housing, Pflieger and his friends decided to move off campus and live independently for their senior year. Though some students like Pflieger opt to live off campus, Rider still tries to offer them on-campus opportunities. One of the most important options for involvement fot commuters is the Association of Commuting Students (ACS). “ACS is a branch of student government designed to help the commuters on campus find their place,” said ACS President, junior accounting major Michael Lombardo in an email. “Our main goal is to get commuting students involved on campus and do everything possible to make sure that they are aware of all the services and activities that Rider has to offer.” Lombardo also mentioned that ACS hosts various events throughout the year, such as a coffee house event once a month, to build the group’s reputation as a branch of student government and also to achieve its goal of student integration. Lombardo said he was driven to become involved with ACS when he was a commuting freshman. He said the organization helped him make friends and feel more at home on campus and he hopes to help other commuters feel this way with his position as president. Another service Rider provides for students is the commuter lounge, which is located in the Bart Luedeke Center and is intended for commuters to use as a place to relax between classes. Even with these amenities, some people believe that Rider could do more to include its commuting population. “I think Rider could cater to commuters more with class scheduling,” said Lindsay Tamuzza, a freshman education major who commutes. “There are so many classes at night and early in the morning, which makes it hard to get a schedule that lets me get home at a decent hour.” Commuters are given many of the same opportunities as residents — with the exception of swiping into dorms — such as access to meal plans, Bronc Bucks and the gym in the SRC. Commuters can also become a part of any academic club, student-run organization or section of Greek Life. While the option may be there, in practice there are inherent challenges. “Most clubs are late at night, so I feel I can’t get involved,” Tamuzza said. Overall, Pflieger feels there are positives and negatives to both living situation. He said he enjoyed being involved on campus and living the dorm room lifestyle, but now at age 22 and graduating in a few short weeks, he reflects that his decision to commute was a satisfying one. Additional reporting by Megan Pendagast
1.1 2.1 3.1 3.2 4.1 5.1 5.2 6.1 6.2 7.1 8.1 8.2 8.3 9.1 9.2 10.1 11.1 12.1 12.2 13.1 14.1 15.1 16.1 17.1 17.2 18.1 19.1 19.2 20.1
Tá mic léinn comaitéireachta a thiomáint go n-éireoidh De réir Kirsti Rainville Ní Awakening ag an crack an tús le dul i ngleic tráchta agus tagann na zombies codlata-bhaint ag Wawa go léir sula ndéanfaidh sé an gcampas taithí cónaitheoirí Rider is gá chun contend leis. Ach do sinsearacha mór margaíochta agus comaitéara Zak Pflieger, dúiseacht roimh 5 mise, agus clogáil isteach ag an Ionad Áineasa do Mhic Léinn (SRC) ag 6 am tagtha chun bheith, ar bhealach den saol. Cé chomaitéirí i gceannas ar stíl mhaireachtála éagsúla, déanann rothaí a dhéanamh ar an taithí a choláiste go bunúsach mar an gcéanna do gach ceann de na mac léinn. "Mar comaitéara, ag súil agam a chaitheamh i bhfad ar mo lá i mo charr," a dúirt Pflieger "Ní raibh a bhaint amach cé mhéad ama a bhí mé ag dul a chaitheamh i mo charr. Ní miste domh 'i ndáiríre, ach faigheann sé a bheith costasach exhausting agus tar éis tamaill. " Cé go leor mac léinn ag taisteal rothaí, is féidir iad siúd nach bhfuil theipeann a mheas gach ceann de na shainiúlachtaí páirteach sa phróiseas. Cé nach bhfuil an costas a seomra agus bord rud éigin de dhíth ar comaitéireachta a bheith buartha faoi, tá costais eile a théann go minic gan smaoineamh. "Is é ceann de mo costais is mó gáis, ansin bia, agus tá mé freisin billí [do] cártaí creidmheasa, fóntais, cíos, fón póca - gach rud mar sin," a dúirt Pflieger. Mar sin féin, nach bhfuil curtha Pflieger comaitéireachta a chuid ama ar fad ar rothaí. Thosaigh sé amach mar a chónaíonn i freshman Conover Halla roimh aistriú go Olson Halla agus diaidh ar ndiaidh a bheith ina chomhairleoir cónaitheach. Tar éis a bheith diúltaithe tithíochta préimhe, chinn Pflieger agus a chairde a bhogadh lasmuigh den champas agus maireachtáil go neamhspleách dá bhliain sinsearacha. Cé roinnt mac léinn mar rogha an diúltaithe Pflieger chun cónaí lasmuigh den champas, déanann Rider fós a chur ar fáil dóibh ar an gcampas deiseanna. Is é ceann de na roghanna is tábhachtaí do chomaitéirí fot rannpháirtíocht an Cumann na Mac Léinn comaitéireachta (ACS). "ACS é a chur le brainse de rialtas mac léinn atá deartha chun cuidiú leis an comaitéirí ar an gcampas teacht ar a n-áit," a dúirt an ACS Uachtarán, sóisearach cuntasaíochta mór Michael Lombardo i ríomhphost. "Is é ár gcuspóir mó a fháil ar mhic léinn comaitéireachta i gceist ar an gcampas agus gach rud is féidir chun a chinntiú go bhfuil siad ar an eolas faoi na seirbhísí agus na gníomhaíochtaí go bhfuil rothaí a chur ar fáil." Lombardo a luadh chomh maith go ina hóstach ar ACS imeachtaí éagsúla i rith na bliana, ar nós imeacht teach caife uair sa mhí, a thógáil ar an ghrúpa cháil mar bhrainse de rialtas na mac léinn agus freisin chun a sprioc de chomhtháthú mac léinn a bhaint amach. Lombardo dúirt bhí á stiúradh aige a bheith páirteach le ACS nuair a bhí sé a freshman comaitéireachta. Dúirt sé leis an eagraíocht a chabhraigh leis cairde a dhéanamh agus níos mó bhraitheann sa bhaile ar an gcampas agus tá súil aige chun cabhrú le comaitéirí eile a bhraitheann ar an mbealach seo leis a phost mar uachtarán. Soláthraíonn eile Rider seirbhís do mhic léinn a bhfuil an tolglann comaitéara, atá suite i Luedeke Bart Ionad agus tá sé beartaithe do chomaitéirí a úsáid mar áit a scíth a ligean idir ranganna. Fiú amháin leis na háiseanna, creidimid go bhféadfadh roinnt daoine rothaí níos mó a dhéanamh a chur san áireamh an daonra comaitéireachta. "Sílim go bhféadfadh Rider freastal ar níos mó comaitéirí le sceidealú rang," a dúirt Lindsay Tamuzza, oideachas freshman mór a comaitéireachta. "Tá ranganna an oiread sin ar an oíche agus go luath ar maidin, a chuireann sé deacair a fháil ar sceideal a ligeann liom a fháil sa bhaile ag uair an chloig réasúnta." Comaitéirí tugtar go leor de na deiseanna céanna cónaitheoirí - cé is moite de swiping i dorms - cosúil le rochtain ar na pleananna béile, Bucks Bronc agus an seomra aclaíochta sa SRC. Is féidir le comaitéirí chomh maith le bheith ina chuid d'aon chlub, eagraíocht acadúil mac léinn-reáchtáil nó d'alt den Saol na Gréige. Cé gur féidir an rogha a bheith ann, i gcleachtas tá dúshláin gné dhílis de. "Clubanna chuid is mó go déanach san oíche, mar sin is dóigh liom nach féidir liom a bheith páirteach," a dúirt Tamuzza. Tríd is tríd, mothaíonn Pflieger tá positives agus negatives chun staid ina gcónaí araon. Dúirt sé taitneamh as bheith i gceist aige ar an gcampas agus ina gcónaí ar an stíl mhaireachtála seomra dorm, ach anois ag aois 22 agus bhain sé céim amach i roinnt seachtainí gearr, léiríonn sé go raibh a chinneadh chun taisteal a ceann a shásamh. Tuairisciú breise ag Megan Pendagast