How many times have you sprinted towards a bus only to watch the driver shut its doors in front of your face? One too many, I assume. Most of us spend so much time commuting, something bad is bound to happen sooner or later. But why obsess over your own failures when you can laugh at others? Some people on tumblr and Imgur have been sharing their funniest bus stories, perfectly describing the everyday life of both drivers and passengers.

Image credits: shrinkin’violet (not the actual photo)

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average, one-way commute in the U.S. takes 26.1 minutes. So if you commute to a full-time job five days a week, that adds up to 4.35 hours a week and over 200 hours (nearly nine days) per year.

But the numbers might change a lot depending on the state you’re commuting in. For example, while an average one-way public transit (excluding taxis) trip in South Dakota takes 29 minutes, in Nevada it’s 57.2 minutes.

But sitting in traffic doesn’t have to be a drag. There are ways you can reclaim your commute. Those “who maintained small routines on the way to work—such as checking the news on the train or having a look at the calendar for the day—felt more excited about the day ahead, more satisfied with their jobs, and less stressed-out than those who had no set routine.”

And they should be. Rituals have been shown to produce all sorts of benefits, even for people who don’t believe in their value or effects. “They lower our anxiety before we engage in high-stakes performance tasks, increase our enjoyment of the activity at hand, and even help us recover faster when we experience failure or loss. So consider establishing your own commuting routines. You might buy a decaf latte from the same coffee shop every day on your way to work, for example.”

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