USF’s “commuter school” label is actually a strength. ORACLE PHOTO / KEATON DUKE

Students everywhere talk about the “college experience,” often characterized by a college town where the local community is an integral part of campus life. 

USF is often thought to be lacking this aspect of the college experience. 

Only 19.53% of USF undergraduates live in college-owned, operated, or affiliated housing according to USF’s common data set for 2024-2025.

This leads us to wonder where the other 80% of students on our campus commute from and what their local communities offer them.

The USF Tampa campus is about a 20-minute drive from downtown. This leads some people to believe that USF lacks opportunities for students to participate in off-campus activities.

But USF students are not lacking a college town. They are embedded in the broader Tampa Bay region, with opportunities to contribute to and be impacted by it.

Related: OPINION: Commuting to USF can be lonely, but it has its upsides 

As a commuter student from Palm Harbor, I found a perfect example of the potential of the connection between Tampa Bay and the USF campus.

I learned early in college that each person needs art to create and to consume. 

For this reason, I began sharing my poetry at open mic nights all across Tampa Bay — in Safety Harbor, Clearwater, Lutz, downtown Tampa and more. 

The First Amendment Forum at USF typically hosts weekly discussion meetings to promote free speech and civil discourse.

As president of the student organization, I decided to host a special “hot take open mic” night. 

At the “hot take open mic” night, I invited creatives from each open mic I had been to across Tampa Bay.

The creatives came to USF and shared music, poetry, comedy and hot takes alongside students.

During these visits, I found that many USF students realized Tampa has much more to offer than they expected. It offers spaces to contribute, places to explore and areas to volunteer.

As I watched creative USF students interact with creatives from around Tampa Bay, I realized that being a university in a major metropolitan area gives us something just as valuable as the typical “college experience”.

It gives USF students access to diverse people, places and opportunities to learn and to contribute. 

With a short drive to downtown Tampa, students can find a multitude of events and opportunities — including places to dance, read, garden, run, pray and build community.

Since that open mic night, I began seeing more USF students at creative events in Tampa Bay, such as writers’ workshops and poetry readings.

I’ve also seen a greater willingness from USF creatives to venture a bit off campus.

There has also been more excitement towards the fact that, although we may not have a college town, we have the vibrant and diverse Tampa Bay area. 

Related: OPINION: USF shows that college is what you make of it 

Another overlooked benefit of USF’s proximity to a major metropolitan area is the opportunity to interact with and learn from people of every generation. 

Whereas most college towns keep young people around only other young people, Tampa is intergenerational — with 19.4% of the population under 18 and 13.7% aged 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

As a young person, you have so much grace in the eyes of the people around you. 

People who are older than you can be mentors who shape your perspective and change your life. People who are younger than you can be mentees whose lives you change. 

Cultural diversity also characterizes Tampa Bay, as regional data show that about 26.2% of residents are Hispanic or Latino.

Students will find that a relatively short drive off campus can integrate them into a variety of cultures. 

Just this semester, my USF friends and I have been to Greek, Syrian, Jamaican and Cuban cultural festivals and events in the Tampa Bay area. 

These events gave me a better understanding of how to connect with people different from me. I also learned that there are incredible foods, dances and traditions that I had yet to explore. 

These cultural events offer stories and lessons for every USF student.

Related: USF’s Fletcher District approved in Board of Governors meeting 

Over the next few years, the Fletcher District is set to be built — a development consisting of academic, housing and retail spaces that will replace USF’s former golf course. 

The first phase of this project is projected to be completed by July 2028.

The Fletcher District will give USF a stronger college-town feel that so many students crave. 

However, even as the campus evolves, we shouldn’t ignore the unique benefits our university already enjoys as part of Tampa Bay.

Being a predominantly commuter school near such a major city is not a drawback. It is an opportunity. 

We should take advantage of this and start exploring Tampa Bay.