He was on the edge of his seat. His backpack tightly strapped on and his face 12 inches from the computer screen, his hand was on the mouse was ready to click. His right leg jittered slightly as he quickly typed what seemed to be a very short sentence. A few more clicks of the mouse and in a flash, he was out the door of The Collegium.

Commuter students. Some travel great distances to set foot on Biola’s beautiful campus, while other students reside only minutes away by car. One would not know the difference between a commuter student, and one that lives on campus just by looking at them. However, the two types of lives are vastly different.

Biola student body one-third commuter students

According to the Department of Commuter Life, almost one third of Biola’s undergraduate population commutes to campus. Some commuters do not come to campus every day, but a majority of them are there daily. If they are not here for class, then they are here to work, or to attend chapels, meetings or other events. Junior Rebecca DiMarzio, a Commuter Life Assistant, has been commuting to Biola herself for three years. Though she lives only ten minutes away from campus, it can still be difficult for her to get involved.

“Sometimes it’s hard because everyone that lives here is so connected,” she said. Currently taking sixteen units, DiMarzio is on campus Monday through Friday. On top of working in the Collegium during the week, she also has a weekend job at Golden Spoon and attends church every Sunday, so she knows first-hand the busy life of a Biola commuter.

Exploring the lifestyle

“I am perpetually late for chapel,” said transfer student Ryan Thompson.

Thompson is a mother of three, and is taking on 12 units and a myriad of duties outside of the classroom. She laughs while reflecting on her tardiness to chapel, and then describes her mornings at home.

“School starts at 8am for my older two,” she explained. “Sometimes my youngest who is three, has hard mornings so I don’t leave the house until a little later with him.”

It takes Thompson an hour to commute to Biola. Outside of her school and family life, she also runs youth and women’s ministries and helps pioneer a church alongside her husband. With weeks jam-packed with Bible study Wednesdays, Saturday outreach days, Sunday services, and a monthly woman’s group meeting, Thompson’s days do not end when she leaves campus— they are often only just beginning.

This is Thompson’s first semester at Biola, but some commuters, like DiMarzio, have been commuting for years. According to the Department of Commuter Life, some commuters drive more than an hour to campus. They come from Los Angeles, Pomona, Oceanside, San Bernardino, Echo Park and other various locations around Southern California.

Why they do it

It seems the body of Christ has no boundaries when it comes to distance. For most students, it is the desire to learn in a Christian environment that gets them up and on-the-go every day.

“I’ve taken classes at a public university, and it was a little bit scary.” DiMarzio explained. “People were so closed off…. I have attended public school my entire life. People here just seem to care.”

For many students who commute to Biola, coming home after classes to deal with family, work life and church commitments can be a hassle— but they can also be a joy. One thing is for sure, these things are all a part of life.

“Going through so many things outside of school can really get distracting,” Thompson said. “I am so grateful to come to school and hear the professor’s prayer in the beginning of class or start off the day with chapel… even if I come too late for the credit, I appreciate it.”