On the road again...and again

On the road again...and again

Junior biology major Gaby Hernandez Duran is a commuter. Each morning, she makes the trip from Hillsboro to North Portland and attempts to find parking on campus which she says is the most challenging part of commuting. She plans her day-to-day life around traffic, crashes, the weather and more.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Hernandez Duran arrives on campus at 8 a.m. so she has time to go to the gym and shower before class. She finds that going to the gym is a great way to start her long days filled with organic chemistry and other challenging courses.

Hernandez Duran's backpack is filled with books and other class essentials. She spends her days in Buckley Center, Franz Hall and Shiley Hall taking classes she hopes will help her get into graduate school.

Hernandez Duran appreciates the quiet parts of campus because it gives her a good atmosphere to study in. This is also why she likes living at home –– she can get away from the often extremely social nature of the campus.

Hernandez Duran still has close friends despite being a commuter. She wishes the university would be more conscious about commuters driving in harsh weather conditions.

For Hernandez Duran, commuting isn't just about saving money. She says commuting helps her to maintain a connection to her home and has also benefited her academic performance and made her feel more comfortable. Graduating debt-free is the best perk of being a commuter for Hernandez Duran as she starts to think about graduate school.