Mindful Commuting
By SongYi Pang | Digital Column | Nov. 4, 2025
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPDA) — The average Stanton College Preparatory School student spends 30 minutes commuting to school each day. While commuting may be often regarded as an underwhelming passage of time, even the shortest journeys are filled with potential. When dedicated to intentional activities, time spent commuting can serve as a space for students’ reflection, creativity, and productive tasks.
Simply cranking up the radio or selecting a favorite playlist can make a commute more active and enjoyable. According to a 2019 study from the i-Perception Journal, listening to music with moderate tempos while driving leads to lowered levels of fatigue and increases driver attention. For students who do not sit behind the wheel, tuning into a favorite song or podcast is also a familiar way of relaxation.
Just as music aids focus, moments of stillness help balance sound with silence and relieve stress during commutes. Choosing to watch the passing trees or bustling streets gives students a chance to mentally recharge, even when scrolling through a phone or queuing another song feels tempting. According to the International Journal on the Biology of Stress, exposure to natural sounds is associated with a significant decrease in blood pressure and stress reduction. During commutes, taking the time to pause and listen to surroundings can build appreciation for what may be taken for granted.
At Stanton, students also commonly use commuting as a time to rest and recharge. In a Devil’s Advocate survey of 307 Stanton students, 41% of participants selected sleeping as one of their top three activities during commutes, and 82% of participants reported receiving less than the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep for adolescents per day. For students who feel fatigue or drowsiness in the mornings, sleeping can be a helpful method to regain focus. In 2011, Dr. Carl Basil, a neurologist at Columbia University, found in his study that short naps during commutes may provide a boost of energy and alertness. However, this benefit does not always apply to sleeping on longer commutes. According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, longer commuting times have a strong correlation with reduced sleep quality and duration and are linked to an increased risk of insomnia. By prioritizing sufficient sleep at night, students can set aside time during commutes to instead engage in productive and creative activities.
Commuting offers a space for students to build routines and reinforce knowledge. With consistent times on the road each day, commuting creates a built-in window that can be used to review notes, flip through flashcards, or pre-read lessons. A 2022 study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science found that spaced repetition, or revisiting information at regular intervals, leads to a boost in long-term memory recollection. While a 20-minute drive may appear negligible in the moment, repeated reinforcement throughout days or weeks strengthens understanding.
As the minutes build into hours, time during commuting develops into a meaningful opportunity for students to spend on personal growth and reflection. Approaching commuting with intention elevates a simple day-to-day event to one of promising opportunity and immense value.