To Those who Take the Train…

If you live more than a 20 minute drive from Oratory, there is a very good chance this applies to you. My fellow NJ transit commuters, you may have first seen the Train as a great part of your daily commute, as it can be a place to mentally prepare for the upcoming day, finish some last minute homework, and have a nice breakfast before school, at Dunkin, Zappias, or Starbucks. 

All of these benefits are certainly true and consistent, but the bliss of them can be overshadowed rather quickly by NJ transit’s one tragic flaw. Delays. Delays, in some cases, can be beneficial. They can get you out of the first class if there is one in the morning, give you more time to finish homework, and sometimes, if the train is stopped in place, you can take a nap. The bad delays, and the more common ones, are ones that take place in the afternoon, usually after 4 o’clock. These delays are effective at ruining the rest of your plans during the day, and instead of getting home at 5 pm like normal, you may not be getting home until 8pm. This can be very dejecting, as you feel like the entire afternoon is wasted. However, there are ways to ensure that it is not.

The main focus during a delay should be using the time in as productive of a manner as possible. For most people, this will mean sitting down in the train station, connecting to the complimentary wifi, and doing homework. If you can bring yourself to focus on it while waiting for the train, you will be surprised at how much time you free up for yourselves. 

Without a doubt, the best game to play if you are a train taker is Clash of Clans. The game has perfect pacing for an NJ Transit commuter, as usually, the game requires you to log on roughly 2-3 times a day for the best results, without getting bored of it too quickly. So, with every train ride, if you don’t have any other obligations, play Clash of Clans. 

The final tip of advice I have is, when deciding where to eat breakfast, always choose Dunkin. Eating at places like Zappias and Starbucks every morning is extremely tolling on your bank account, and Dunkin’s food is sufficient enough and does not break the bank.