The CSA welcomed many friendly faces, new and old, to pick up some essential items to prepare for a new school year. @MC.CSA/COURTESY
By Mary Haley, Asst. Social Media Editor
To ring in a new semester, Manhattan College’s Commuter Student Association (CSA) welcomed commuters to pick up commuter survival kits. The club set up a grab and go station for students to reunite with peers and get familiar with the club before the stress of a new semester settles in.
Enclosed in tote bags were alcohol rubbing pads, phone chargers, candy, fidget toys and stationary items like pens and stickers, all essential items needed for the daily routine of a college student.
Alyssa Kumar, vice president of CSA, spoke with The Quadrangle on the importance of holding an event for commuters, and how her experience commuting for two school years inspired the event.
“When I was a commuter, it was really hard to pay for all of my schoolbooks and socialize as well,” said Kumar. “We can’t give everyone everything, but we can try to ease off [the stress of the school year] by giving them something.”
The Quadrangle spoke with Ana McCabe, a junior who recently started commuting from Riverdale. McCabe is originally from the State of Washington and lived on campus for two years, but moved into an apartment near campus this summer. She spoke about her transition from a resident student to a commuter student, and her experience navigating the transition while being across the country from her family.
“I don’t have any family around me to help get groceries, or hang out with,” said McCabe. “It’s about having to learn a new community and having to learn it very quickly. I come from a small, rural farming agricultural town in the middle of the desert…[it was] a huge change to New York.”
McCabe elaborated on how even though she commutes from the same neighborhood as the Manhattan campus, it can be hard navigating a schedule of the most productive times to go back to her apartment in Riverdale between classes to eat or pick up things that she needs for her day. She told The Quadrangle what her survival items would be as a commuter.
“Dining dollars or Jasper dollars, or any discount for food around campus,” said McCabe. “In the hot days, a small fan or deodorant, and probably just simple school supplies.”
According to the Commuter Student Association’s instagram, @mc.csa, they provide “a platform for all commuters” and it is where questions and concerns about commuter life can be addressed and improved upon. The club also tries to communicate this with in person events like socials. Kumar spoke on why she took on the role of vice president and what she hopes for the club, despite her living on campus this year.
“I was a commuter up until my junior year where I was fortunate enough to get the resident assistant position,” said Kumar. “Since I was already on board with CSA I wanted to still help out with commuters because I know what it feels like to be a commuter in a school with a lot of programs for residents.”
This is not the first time CSA has held an event like this on campus, but its turnout was confirmation that the event will continue to be a celebrated tradition each semester. Ronald Leon, treasurer of CSA, spoke on the unexpected number of students at the event.
“[CSA] held this event last semester, but apparently turnout wasn’t as great as it was [on Tuesday],” said Leon. “We got an email from the person in charge of commuter affairs, he said there were over 120 students in the span of 40 minutes. We were excited about that.”
With the success of their most recent events, CSA is very enthusiastic about future opportunities as they have many new ideas for this school year.
“I was thinking we could possibly do a commuter “happy hour” with free cookies and ice cream,” Leon said. “I know we are planning to do events for Halloween, and another event at the end of the semester.”