The Reality of Commuting to the DePaul School of Music

by Mateo Estanislao

Fall Quarter for the DePaul School of Music ended just this week and I’m so relieved to have more time for myself. One challenge that I didn’t expect, and made much more difficult as a commuter student, is the compounding fatigue of being a full-time music student. Despite my own difficulties with adjusting, I have found a few things that make my days much more productive and enjoyable even when I am feeling especially tired or unmotivated.

Most days I have to catch a 6:30 am train from Elgin to Union Station to get to Lincoln Park by 8:00 am to practice. Then, I’ll have my core music classes, a break for lunch, orchestra rehearsal, more practice, and finally I go home. Once a week I also have studio class, which ends at 7:15 pm. Because of this, it’s not that uncommon for me to have 12-hour days or longer. It is a lot more demanding than what I expected, both mentally and physically, so I’ve learned to manage my time to be as productive as I can during the day.

Exercising

One thing that might seem counterintuitive to this is getting some exercise, in any form, throughout the week. I was not able to start exercising my first few weeks because my body needed some time to adjust to a commuter schedule, but I felt so much better when I did. I personally go to the gym to lift weights 2-3 times a week to help support my body for bass playing. While it is tiring, I have so much mental clarity and a heightened focus after exercising, which makes my practicing and studying more productive. Another benefit I’ve experienced is better posture with my instrument, less strain on areas I’ve had playing injuries, and a pretty significant increase in my playing endurance. Investing some time and effort into exercising can benefit anyone, but it has made commuting so much easier for me.

Online Classes

I haven’t mentioned anything about liberal arts classes yet, which are required at any university music program, and that’s because I take them asynchronously. Even now, DePaul offers courses online, both with and without class meetings, along with regular in-person classes. I didn’t know this was an option until I showed up to register for classes, but it has made my schedule much easier to manage because I can do most of the work on the train. Commuting can get really exhausting and you won’t want to do any homework at the end of a long day, so getting any homework done on the train frees up so much time. Many of us probably have some bad memories of online school during covid, which might make an online class seem unappealing. I was apprehensive about it at first, but now I’m planning on taking as many asynchronous gen-eds as I can.

Discover Chicago

The final thing I wish I knew before starting at DePaul is how Discover Chicago is scheduled. For anyone interested in going to DePaul, every first-year music student is required to take Discover Chicago to learn about the history of Chicago’s music scene. The class starts a week before the Fall Quarter with Immersion Week, where you go to various places of historical significance, see concerts, and learn about what makes a “scene.” During the quarter, Discover Chicago meets every Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:30 pm as a more traditional lecture/discussion class. Discover Chicago is both incredibly fascinating and entertaining, but a required class in the evening is a commuter student’s worst nightmare.

I am lucky enough to have family in Chicago, so I was able to stay at their house when I had Discover Chicago and studio class. Without that, I would have gotten home between 11:30 pm and midnight on those days. Despite how tiring it is, this class brings together all of the different music students and gives perspective on what it means to be a musician.

Manage Your Time

These are just a few things that I wish I knew before I started commuting to DePaul. Most of the music students either live in the dorms or a nearby apartment, but that isn’t financially feasible for everyone. Commuting can be difficult at times, but it is also rewarding in its own way. With good time management and organization, you often have significantly more time on your hands than you’d expect. This allows you to practice even more, explore Lincoln Park, or spend some time with friends.

Some people would say that commuting doesn’t allow you to have a college experience. From a certain lens, they are absolutely correct. However, as a music student with aspirations to play in a professional orchestra, a college experience isn’t what we all need to reach our goals. I can personally say that commuting has helped me build better habits with my sleep schedule, eating healthier, and practicing more efficiently. It’s not for everyone, but consider commuting as an opportunity before dismissing the option.