Treacherous treks or relaxing rides - Hampshire students have given their candid reviews of the college commute.

With Hampshire’s celebrated colleges, such as Barton Peveril and Peter Symonds, attracting students from across the country, pupils are forced to ferry, bus, or train in order to get the best opportunities possible.

This harsh reality racks up over three hours per day for some unfortunate students.

With the 40 hour work weeks, a recommended part time job and the need to sustain a social life, this time leech is a heavy commitment. The real question - is all this worth it?

The Cosham-Winchester direct route for many Peter Symonds students takes an average of 40 minutes.

While a lovely time to catch up and sit with friends, with the regular train strikes and delays, this 40 minute journey can take up to four hours.

This means that it would take less time to travel to Cardiff than college. This theft of the time only restricts the little freedom the ‘drained’ students have.

Furthermore, the over-crammed and suffocating spaces in trains have cost many students their ride home as they are simply unable to fit into the doorways, leaving them station-stranded.

Some students even reported having to hide in the train toilets as there was no room in the drowned train corridors.

One HSDC student quoted that with the continuously delayed trains, ‘there’s lots of people and not a lot of seats’.

Another Peter Symonds student quoted that particularly with changes, cancellations and late trains can be ‘detrimental’, resulting in many students waiting in the dark for hours for the next available option.

Despite this, these often rain-soaked nights huddled in the train station with slightly soggy Tesco’s baked goods are the perfect breeding grounds for new friendships: forming bonds through train traumas.

This also allows you to connect with people from similar backgrounds that you never noticed before, allowing a familiar face on the train to turn to a possible lifelong friendship.

Pupils have even made group chats or online fan accounts surrounding their train experiences, allowing them to bond over the fondness they have for these mishap-ridden rides.

Many commuters also consider their travels ‘moments of relaxation’, allowing them to ‘clear their heads of the events of the day.’

Another Peter Symonds student stated that he finds trains ‘allow you to unwind.’ The whirring cogs and gentle journeys also let some catch a much-needed nap after a long day.

From Great Western to South-Western railways, the commute can divide a day or unite a community.

Ultimately, whether two hours or ten minutes, this commitment can take a toll on our younger generation.

Yet, the number of pupils on trains surely speaks for itself and the cost many are willing to pay for their education, future and for some- a fortunate break from a heavy school day.

  • This article was written by Anna Bryant-Philpott, from Peter Symonds College, as part of Newsquest's Young Reporter Scheme.