used to commute 130km a day for university. No one would consider that in Germany, but I knew several people from high school making the same commute as me

Did you even suggest carpooling with any of those people?

Part of the reason people outside the US would not spend what, 3 hours and 5?, 6? gallons of gas per day is that US petrol is stupid cheap. If it weren't, you and your high school buddies would have rented a place closer to your school. Seriously: 3 guys each paying $8/gallon for 5 gallons/day 4 days/week? $2000/month is rent. At $3/gallon, $250/month to live with your parents makes sense.

I use encryption whenever I can not so They can't see my ops, but so that the encrypted comms of people who actually do need opsec are less suspicious.