What’s up everyone,
I thought it would be interesting to run through my daily routine for the average school day since things have obviously changed compared to last year. I also hope it could provide some insight into my life as a student and who I am as a person.
So, to begin with, my alarm goes off at 6:50 and I hit snooze since I know I already have a second one set up to go off at 7:00. Once I’m up, I go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and take care of my morning routine before heading to the kitchen to have a light breakfast. I never wake up hungry, so I usually stick to something light just to have something in my system before my online classes start. I’ll typically do oatmeal with some fruits and maple syrup on top and a double shot espresso to start the day.
On Mondays, I have my physiology II class at 8:00 until 9:05. Once that class is over, I’ll have a protein bar, get changed, and head to the gym, shooting for 10:00. Given the current pandemic, we have to schedule gym appointments online ahead of time and we only get 50 minutes so I’m in and out in under an hour. I generally leave my apartment early so that I can squeeze in a COVID-19 test before my workout since we do get tested every three days and it’s on my way to the gym.
Once I get back, I make a quick omelet or scrambled eggs for an early lunch and quickly hop in the shower to wash off before my next class at 11:45, which is Advanced Writing in the Health Professions. So, this class is a workshop and discussion based class of only eight students, which I really enjoy since we can really get that community feeling where everybody is engaged and working together. This class runs until 1:25 but sometimes ends early, depending on our current projects and how invested we are in our discussions.
I, then, have Organic Chemistry II at 1:35 until 2:40 with Professor Chung, who might be the most passionate instructor I’ve had to date. He is always so excited about what he teaches and finds a way to keep the entire class focused even if remote. This class is actually a hybrid course so I can choose to go in person to the classroom or join the lecture online through Zoom. By the end of this class, I’m most likely hungry again so I’ll make myself a smoothie with frozen strawberries, a whole banana, some baby spinach, and a scoop of peanut butter protein powder.
Finally, my last class of the day is from 3:15 to 3:50 and is my Pharmacy Practical Lab. This course is actually really cool because we reenact real life professional scenarios. Basically, the week before, we are given a handout with a hypothetical new medication prescription as well as a refill and we have to counsel a patient, who is an actor, as if they were coming into a pharmacy. We get to mimic the real life situation, which I find to be amazing practice to have before going into our first internships this coming summer.
Once this class is over, I’ll hang out with my roommates, get some dinner going, and maybe watch something on TV or YouTube or whatever I’m feeling. Always have to end the night with a little snack to kill the sweetness cravings, whether that be greek yogurt and granola or some chocolate rice cakes or an english muffin with jelly.
I, then, relax for the next few hours of the evening and I’ll squeeze in some light work to get ahead or some emails if there’s anything that needs to be done but I’m honestly just laughing with my friends and enjoying our free time as the day comes to an end. I aim to be in bed and trying to sleep by 12:00 everyday as a good role of thumb, sometimes I’m dead asleep by 11:00 and sometimes I’m up later just because I get distracted or sidetracked by something.
Anyways, that’s basically my entire Monday at maximal efficiency. I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and getting a better understanding of what a packed day of classes looks like for me. If you have any questions about my experience here at Northeastern University in Boston, feel free to reach out to me at the following email: chenin.s@northeastern.edu :)