Regularly commuting to school can be tedious, difficult and demanding. With traffic, the threat of tardies and unexpected delays, most students find getting to school a challenge. However, there are those on campus who have to account for these issues even more than students: the teachers.

For art teacher Charlotte Kruk, the commute has been an ongoing struggle. Originally getting  around on a bike, Kruk now uses a car after an accident on the road.

“I got hit by a car, so that’s crippled my enthusiasm for biking,” said Kruk.

She finds the drives in the morning easier than those in the afternoon. The large crowds of pedestrians and parents rushing to pick their children up are a major source of the commute stress.

“I plan my days so that I just am not creating more stress in my life than I need,” said Kruk.

Kruk has regularly experienced traffic struggles during her daily commute, which more than doubles the length of the drive to and from school. In addition to cars, students and parents pose a common obstacle to reaching her classroom on time.

“It goes from taking 20 minutes in the morning to an hour on the way home from school, just because so many cars are on the road,” said Kruk. “I deliberately leave my house very early, because I have zero interest in entering a parking lot where parents are dropping kids off and teachers are racing in last minute.”

Additionally, Kruk tries to plan her after-school schedule to avoid traffic as much as possible.

“The later we teachers get out in the day, the more we sit in traffic, and it can be hard, because I like to let students work after school, which really puts me right in traffic,” said Kruk.

However, despite the traffic and long drive home, she finds the distance manageable.

“If it was too long-distance I would probably consider a different work option,” said Kruk.

While some teachers who have long or particularly hectic commutes have specific music or media to listen to during the drive, Kruk doesn’t have any preferences.

“I don’t listen to anything specifically,” said Kruk. “I listen to the radio. I think [some] people that have long commutes listen to books on tape or learn another language. Personally, I just can’t do it. There’s too many times where I need to get into the classroom, check a kiln, make sure I didn’t leave an acid pot on or something like that.”

For Kruk, a typical weekday’s commute depends on daily traffic and if she can leave her house by 6:30 a.m.. Although driving during rush hour is time-consuming, she still manages to reach her classroom on time.