Any super-commuters here?

yipeeyay · 2024-08-31T09:36:07+00:00

Just weighing up a potential move to a city for a new fixed term job (3 years) about 3.5/4ish hours away versus commuting to it instead. It's very research/writing heavy and any teaching I might do (if I want to take any up) would be capped to about 2 hours per week, hence the hesitancy to uproot and move. I was wondering if anyone here does a 'super' commute to work - how long is it and how it works for you? Do you end up staying overnight? Really keen to get some insights before making a decision!

YellowAsteroid · 31/08/2024 11:00

I used to do a job in another small city where I did NOT want to live. It was 2 hours each way, by train, and against the main rush hour commute, so I always got a seat & the carriage was usually quiet. I got a lot of reading & a lot of marking done. I used to work in the morning going to the office, and read for pleasure in the evening going home. I did need to sleep a lot on the weekend though as I got up at 6am to do the commute on the days I went in to work.

I do miss those hours of intense reading!

Worried1305 · 31/08/2024 11:11

I wouldn’t move under those circumstances. It sounds like you’d be fine doing the odd day on campus here and there. I did similar in an old job which was 90% research and it worked fine - I just organised all my meetings on the same days and did a very occasional overnight in the Travelodge or Premier Inn.

Post-Covid I really don’t think there is an expectation of presenteeism anymore in a lot of universities - a lot of people work from home when not teaching, even those who live locally.

parietal · 31/08/2024 11:31

I did 2 years with DH and I in separate cities 2 hrs apart. But we had 2 tiny apartments.

Another colleague had a job in London and family 3 hours away. She got a room as a lodger 2 nights a week in London (spare room in elderly lady's house) and spent 3 long days in London each week and the rest at home.

sonjadog · 31/08/2024 11:35

I did a six hour driving commute for 5 years. I had a little commuter flat in the town in which I worked and I was there for two weeks, home for two weeks (more or less). Then out of term I just worked from home. It worked well for about 4 years and then I started getting too much for me and I moved to the town where I work. I really do miss where I used to live though, and am considering getting a small flat there so that I can be there outside of term.

Original poster

yipeeyay · 01/09/2024 10:54

Worried1305 · 31/08/2024 11:11

I wouldn’t move under those circumstances. It sounds like you’d be fine doing the odd day on campus here and there. I did similar in an old job which was 90% research and it worked fine - I just organised all my meetings on the same days and did a very occasional overnight in the Travelodge or Premier Inn.

Post-Covid I really don’t think there is an expectation of presenteeism anymore in a lot of universities - a lot of people work from home when not teaching, even those who live locally.

Thanks so much @Worried1305 - that follows my instincts too. Like @YellowAsteroid I'm not keen on uprooting everything to live in a city I don't really want to for the sake of going to campus once a week or fortnight... Maybe I'm just getting jaded and tired, but until an institution commits to giving me a permanent job, I'm getting more and more antsy about just moving my whole life willy-nilly lol.

Re: the presenteeism - at one of my old institutions, I know there is a push for staff to be on campus at least 3 days a week, but I'm not sure how rigorously this is actually being enforced... Where I am now, it's very flexible - people coming in to teach and for essential meetings, but wfh in other cities (and even other countries!!) for the bulk of the other time...

OP posts:

Original poster

yipeeyay · 01/09/2024 11:00

sonjadog · 31/08/2024 11:35

I did a six hour driving commute for 5 years. I had a little commuter flat in the town in which I worked and I was there for two weeks, home for two weeks (more or less). Then out of term I just worked from home. It worked well for about 4 years and then I started getting too much for me and I moved to the town where I work. I really do miss where I used to live though, and am considering getting a small flat there so that I can be there outside of term.

Wow, that was a long commute! I hope things are easier now without it, but I totally get the wanting to be somewhere else - it's difficult when your heart is just elsewhere. I always thought I'd pick the job over the place and just go wherever I had to, but I'm not so sure these days... Is there scope for you to get a job closer to home/in your home town?

OP posts:

Original poster

yipeeyay · 01/09/2024 11:04

parietal · 31/08/2024 11:31

I did 2 years with DH and I in separate cities 2 hrs apart. But we had 2 tiny apartments.

Another colleague had a job in London and family 3 hours away. She got a room as a lodger 2 nights a week in London (spare room in elderly lady's house) and spent 3 long days in London each week and the rest at home.

Thanks for this - yes, I think some sort of combination of lodging/air bnb might be the best option if I don't move. It's just reminded me that I also ought to need to look into whether someone at my new institution has a room for a casual/flexible lodging arrangement...

OP posts:

Worried1305 · 01/09/2024 13:00

yipeeyay · 01/09/2024 10:54

Thanks so much @Worried1305 - that follows my instincts too. Like @YellowAsteroid I'm not keen on uprooting everything to live in a city I don't really want to for the sake of going to campus once a week or fortnight... Maybe I'm just getting jaded and tired, but until an institution commits to giving me a permanent job, I'm getting more and more antsy about just moving my whole life willy-nilly lol.

Re: the presenteeism - at one of my old institutions, I know there is a push for staff to be on campus at least 3 days a week, but I'm not sure how rigorously this is actually being enforced... Where I am now, it's very flexible - people coming in to teach and for essential meetings, but wfh in other cities (and even other countries!!) for the bulk of the other time...

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As you say, expectations about being on campus will vary between institution but my experience is that even where there are “X days in the office” rules there is no one actually around to monitor them because they are all working from home!

Pepperama · 01/09/2024 23:36

I did a long commute for many years and kept not going in unless I absolutely had to. Worked on, career professed fine. Now being somewhere where I can easily pop into the office I notice what I’ve missed. It’s a totally different relationship with people here, much less transactional and not just via teams meetings. It’s nice to actually get to know people I don’t immediately work with, go for a coffee or a drink after work. Don’t think I’d do long distance again

YellowAsteroid · 02/09/2024 00:02

Yes, @Pepperama I did my long commute at a time when remote working (Teams, teaching on Zoom etc) was not even invented. So if I was teaching, or for meetings etc, I went in.

It was my choice not to live in the town where my university was, so it was my responsibility to be there if needed.

I think that while the possibilities for remote/hybrid working have some very positive aspects, there are also negative ones. Open Days on Saturdays when colleagues who don't live in my current university town don't do their share, for example ...