SRJC Freshman Morgan Bladwin lives in Petaluma and wanted to take his classes at that campus, but since he plays water polo in Santa Rosa, he opted for the commute.

“One day I had a huge paper to turn in, and I accidentally left it at home. I asked my teacher if I could go run and get it. She asked me how long it would take me to get back and then laughed in my face when I told her it would probably be more than an hour.”

Students residing in Petaluma have a choice to make: stay close to home to attend the much smaller Petaluma campus or make the trip up the 101 to take courses in Santa Rosa. As evidenced in Morgan’s story, there are numerous pros and cons to consider and many Petalumans are split in their opinions of which campus they prefer.

It may seem like a simple decision when signing up for classes, but this choice dictates a student’s learning environment, instructors and social interactions for the entire semester and should be taken seriously.

One thing most students who take classes at both campuses agree on is that the Santa Rosa campus provides a much more well-rounded and professional learning environment. “I feel like I’m at an actual university with all the brick buildings, ivy and studious looking people walking around,” said SRJC student Kevin Markey. “It’s not like the Petaluma campus, which is basically just a small group of buildings with no campus feel.”

A larger campus means more resources, a primary concern for SRJC student Mike Dagnino. “The Santa Rosa campus has twice as many cool things, like the career and tutorial centers, art museum and sports facilities,” he said. “They are also better staffed which means that I can see a counselor more often and more quickly. I’m trying to get into UCLA, and everything I’ve ever done to work towards that goal has taken place at the Santa Rosa campus, even when all of my classes were in Petaluma.”

The community aspect is also better at the Santa Rosa campus, where students can attend sporting events and plays, or lounge and interact in any of the multiple campus hotspots. These advantages of the Santa Rosa campus are a favorable choice among the more scholarly or spirited student.

While the Petaluma campus might lack a few key elements, there are definite advantages to staying in town every day. One of those is saving money on gas. For SRJC student Becca Martinez, the price factor turned the decision into a no-brainer. “Why would I want to pay the same amount to attend school two towns over when I can literally walk less than five minutes to class every morning?” Martinez asked. “That is not only a waste of my money, but unnecessarily harmful to the environment as well, and every little bit counts in this atmosphere.”

Others are hampered by a busy work schedule. “I’d like to take some classes up in Santa Rosa, but my work is really nice about working around my Petaluma school schedule, and I’m not so sure they would be about one where I had to commute,” said student Billy Cole. “Plus it would just be impractical. I can’t drive the 20 or so miles multiple times in a day, it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Accessibility is another factor that drives students away from the long commute. They can handle sudden issues or business much more quickly without a 20-plus minute drive. If a student leaves a paper or other important materials at home there is no chance of heading back to pick it up.

Petaluma residents will be glad to hear the two campuses are equal in a particularly important aspect: the quality of professors and classes. “I’ve taken a lot of classes at both locations, basically switching off semesters because I have wrestling in the fall and not the spring,” said student Andrew Collins. “I’ve had good and bad professors at both, but I wouldn’t say that my education was at all compromised at either.”

This leaves Petaluma residing SRJC students to make their choice based on their schedule and interests. That is really what college is all about: the ability to focus on whatever activities or subjects you choose and mold your schedule to support those interests.