Hi!
Thank you for your question. The first thing that came to my mind was that it is good to try first what works best for you. If you are planning to stay near your uni the first year, try that and then try to commute and see if it will work out. We cannot really plan that much ahead, 5 years is a long time. With commuting, you might get tired and demotivated, but if it works for your friend, it might work for you.
Cannot wait to hear what will work best for you.
Good luck.
Lucie,
PhD student
Cranfield university.