I went to UT Austin and for me the solution to this problem was: - buy a cheap, 10-year old car - live in a pretty decent apartment about 20 miles from campus

I went to UT Austin and for me the solution to this problem was: - buy a cheap, 10-year old car - live in a pretty decent apartment about 20 miles from campus - get up at 4:30 AM, drive to campus before rush hour, and do my work in the library - pack "hiking food" (trail mix, etc.) in my backpack and eat for real at night It worked out well and my living space was much cheaper and nicer than what was available near campus. Audiobooks for the commute were a plus.