44/17 is the perfect gearing for commuting. Last year I was commuting with 42/17 which is similar to 44/18 and do just fine for my commute. Sure pushing big gears is cool amd all but it can get exhausting at times especially doing a 12-14hrs long shift. However I did gear up to 48/17 after doing my first road TT race but finished the season with 46/17. Like Carleton said, you get better at spinning faster and once you're there then you can start experimenting with different gearing but in the mean time just keep riding and eventually you'll get better.