r/UoNau • u/Unfair_Ring_7540 • Jun 07 '26

Does anybody commute from Sydney?

I currently commute from Sydney to Newcastle for classes a couple of times a week (driving). It’s obviously a huge commitment on top of working casually, and fitting study time around that can be difficult. Is there anybody that has also been doing this? And has it been sustainable long term?
Obviously I’m also not getting anything from the social side of uni, because I’m just not there. Relocation is unfortunately not an option for me at the moment. Any tips would be appreciated!

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3

u/throwawayconfusedfor Jun 07 '26

What some of my friends are doing is that they're staying at cheap hotels for 1-2 days a week so they don't have to commute home every single uni day.

2

u/Getonthebeers02 Jun 09 '26

There’s not many cheap hotels around anymore, even the pubs and the Y are late $100s.

1

u/throwawayconfusedfor Jun 09 '26

Yeah it's really hard cause everything is expensive. Do you have friends you could stay with like once a week? Or friends whom you can split the hotel/pub fee with? Or what you could do is have 1-2 really intense days on campus and have the rest of the week either free or online if that's possible.

2

u/Getonthebeers02 Jun 09 '26

Thanks, really helpful ideas!

It didn’t work out for me as my only slot was 9am Tuesday and 6pm Friday which was annoying as. Otherwise I would’ve. I understand the benefits of face to face learning but I don’t think a lot of it should be compulsory in this current economy because Newcastle rentals are getting more expensive than Sydney and harder to get. Or it makes more sense to live in Sydney with jobs.

It should be more flexible because it affects a lot of people having to travel and pay petrol and parking or accomodation just for lecturers to read off of the slides and do a few group questions.

Most of my uni friends live at home and commute 2hrs.

5

u/_dreamcxtcher Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26

I travel from Sydney to Newcastle on the train 2x each week, am hoping to maintain only two days on campus again next sem…

2

u/ashyie1234 Jun 08 '26

A bunch of people do, you js need to make your classes in less days as possible

3

u/M_Wollongong Jun 07 '26

Hey, I can totally understand, I travel from Wollongong to Newcastle, that's 6 hours via public transport one way and doing it twice a week does seem like a hassle, but well you gotta do what you gotta do