Is commuting to NYC awful?

I am a student, and I currently dorm here in the city. I have just recently discovered that I cant stand living in NYC. I only have one year left until graduation, and I am seriously considering commuting for the next year. Is it absolutely awful? Or tolerable? Sooo cunfused .. what should I do?

My advice would be to tough it out for your final year, because finding housing on a student's budget, and commuting to school are headaches that you really don't need.

Without any traffic on the highways, I live about 25 minutes from where I work. On a typical day, in rush hour traffic, it takes me 1- 1 1/2 hours to get to work. On a Friday, or at the beginning of a holiday weekend, or when there is a major accident, it has taken me anywhere from 2-3 hours for the same trip. Trains aren't too much better, because they get delayed all the time. Now imagine that you are trying to make your first class of the day on time...

With that said, if your heart is telling you to move out of the city, consider locations that are very close to the subway or bus lines that get you to your school. Commuting sucks, especially during traditional rush hours, but the closer to your school that you are, the better chance you have to get there on time.

Also, don't just think about moving to the other boroughs. Consider moving across the river the other way into New Jersey. You'll be just as close to Manhattan, but the traffic is a bit better.

Good luck!

Commuting from where? Driving would be awful, but hundreds of thousands of people take public transportation into Manhattan every day and manage just fine. In fact, it has some benefits--you can read, use your laptop or take a nap.

It depends on when you go and from where. During rush hour, "45 Lincoln, Holland, George" is not unusual. That is 3 places with a 45 minute backup. Driving is tough, as is finding parking once you get there.
However, the train from Ossining isn't bad if you can get to your final destination OK from there.

If you driving, "forgetaboutit", driving in New York City is a nightmare. You'll spend more time in traffic than at school. If you're commuting by public transportation (i.e: subway, bus or commuter rail), you be fine. Just make sure you have a map and buy unlimited ride Metrocards to use on the subway or bus.

I take the subway to and from school everyday and my commuter, which is 45 minutes, is a breeze. So commuting in NYC is not awful as long a you which way you're going.

Good luck
Native New Yorker

Yes, if you're driving, it's very AWFUL commute with major headache.
Also, parking on Sundays are very hard to find.

Mass Transit are much easier, however watch out for construction work during Middays, Weekends and late nights, where it require free shuttle bus to reenter subway, back up to go forward, or trains being bypass.

In past, I have taken Rockland Coach #20 bus from Palisade Mall at 5:20pm and it took 103 minutes to get to Port Authority because of evening rush hour, and it was awful. It had traffic stretch from highway near Lincoln Tunnel, all the way to Dyre Av! It was traffic disaster and it took me 103 minutes!!

commuting by itself is lousy whether you drive, take the train, or whatever.

but if you can manage it, then do it. if you have a car, i would doubly recommend it. taking public transportation sucks and never on your schedule. imagine living in the bronx, or in inwood manhattan and having to spend over an hour, hour and a half taking the subway just to get to work downtown? on a car it would be far quicker.