The Regular Student

Day 8: Before and after

Day 7: Daily routine

On days when I have classes, I keep things pretty routine. I’m an early bird so I like to get up around 6 or 7, and have breakfast shortly after that. By 9 or 10 I’m on the train, where I catch up on any readings for class (or for fun!) Afterwards comes a barrage of classes... not pictured is me trying to scarf down lunch while running around between lectures. It wasn’t a very pretty sight! But my schedule kind of stinks this semester and leaves me with only 5 minutes between lectures so this is the price I pay. After classes I head over to the lab to work for a few hours, and then rush back to the train to get home.

Day 5: Favorite study snack

Day 3: What’s in your bag?

I’m a commuter so I practically live out of my bag during the semester. Here’s my everyday essentials:

Calculator

Subway timetable

Binder

Train pass and school ID

Pencil case, with: pencils, pens, sticky notes, USB

Lots of water and snacks

A few of my favorite Odyssey of the Mind pins

Planner

Work journal, for on-the-job note-taking

Laptop

Phone and laptop chargers

First aid kit

Day 2: What are you excited about?

So many things! I’ve been completely blessed in this life, and there are so many really cool things coming up, too:

Having real people back on campus, as strange as that sounds. The whole summer I was on campus working and it was completely dead. The energy on campus is so different during the semester and I had come to really miss it.

After so many years of contemplation I finally dyed my hair! With this hair color, I feel like I’m living in a spy movie; I’m extra cool, calm, and collected.

Moving! Right now everyone in my family is working on fixing up our first proper home in America, and we have to be moved in by the end of the month. This alone has made the start of the semester total craziness, but I can’t wait to be settled in.

A large part of my schedule this semester is CS classes, and I can’t wait to get down and dirty with the tougher concepts. This semester I also happen to be taking one of the most notorious CS classes and I’m ready to take on the challenge.

To kick off the new semester, I’m going to be doing the universi-tea back to school challenge! First up, my goals for this upcoming semester:

To not just stay on top of my coursework, but to stay ahead of it. I always have so much energy at the beginning of the semester, and it helps to knock as much out as early as I can. Then when the energy starts fading, especially around finals, I have more room to relax.

To take more time for myself and my friends. With this job, it has been so hard to take time away to just have fun. If it comes to it, I might honestly schedule relaxation like I schedule other things I have to do...

To not skip or leave lectures early. I’ll admit, I was super naughty last semester and by the end I couldn’t sit through some very boring lectures. This semester I need to put more energy into staying engaged and focused (though all of my professors seem great so far, so hopefully it won’t even be a problem.)

The first few days of the semester have been an absolute whirlwhind! Here’s a little peek into my Astronomy and Stats notes for the day (featuring a big fat salad, because I’m a busy, multi-tasking girl.)