-
Chai Mondays
Every Monday me and my closest friends meet up at one of our apartments and bond over cups of chai. One of my friends makes fantastic chai! She occasionally tries making different types of chai, too. I look forward to this part of my day so much. Regardless of how long it has been since we have seen each other, these are the types of friends that I can always connect with. They listen to my problems and advise me on anything I ask. These guys are invaluable to me. -
Work: Lab Assistant
I start my day working as the Genetics Lab Assitant. I don't have to be up that early, but a 9 am shift still means no sleeping in. I have a break for class afterwards. However, I'm back at work until 4:30, when my day officially ends. Work is absolutely enjoyable! I wouldn't give it up for anything. But, it does take a large chunk out of my day that I could use to study or simply relax. -
Class, Class, and More Class
I only have two classes on Mondays, back to back. Getting them both out of the way so early (I'm done by 12:30) leaves the rest of my day open for other things like work, studies, and friends. -
Period: to
Weekly Routine
-
ZUMBA!!!
Every Tuesday at 5 is an all girls Zumba class at Halas. I am not the biggest fan of exercise, but when you throw in a couple of salsa moves and some bhangra, I will be there every week! Going to Zumba gives me time to devote to myself, allowing m to do something I enjoy. Also, classes and my internship are sedentary commitments. Being able to move around helps me re-energize. -
Internship: Assistant Producer
Right after class is over I hop on the Red Line to Monroe and work at WCEV Radio until 4. I opt out of traveling to the studio today and help prepare for the day's scheduled show instead. Mostly, this includes confirming with the speaker and creating a brief on the topic. Once I start working, all my focus is there. Quite often I have to spend the first hour researching our topic and familiarizing myself with it enough to formulate good questions. -
Tuesdays are for Nerds
I LOVE my Tuesdays because of the classes I get to take. I start of bright and early with Anatomy lecture, then run over to Arabic, with one the best professors I have ever had. Finally, I wrap up my school day with my personal favorite class: Molecular Genetics. No sarcasm, that class is AWESOME!
While my schedule is full of tough classes, taking classes I really enjoy helps to lessen the burden of studying. I like doing work for these classes. In this way, my academics are less of a hindrance. -
SAMOSAS
Every Wednesday the MSA at Loyola holds a Samosa sale. I usually sign up to run the table in my short break between classes and work. I do it because my friends and I all sign up to run the same shift. It's the one time in my day I know I will see them. They help me relax with jokes and crazy stories about their day. My friends are a huge support me. -
Class, Work, Lab
My Wednesdays are pretty much full. The one bright spot is that today I get to sleep in until 10. Since it is the middle of the week, I definitely benefit from the extra hours of rest. After class I go work in the lab for an hour, until I need to leave for Anatomy lab. Labs tend to be fun because of the hands on components. But they are typically 3 hours long and take a huge bite out of my day. Luckily, I leave my evening completely open, balancing the long hours of work with hours of free time. -
Thursday is Bum Day
I know I said I love the classes I take Tues/Thurs. However, as the end of the week approaches, I get slower. My notes are usually a mess on Thursday as I struggle to get my brain to focus on my professor instead of how little time I will have to catch up on all the work that has piled up over the week. Every Friday, I have a paper due in my writing intensive class. Try as I might, I never manage to work on it until late Thursday night. The stress of the paper weighs on me all day! -
Internship: Assistant Producer
After class is over I go downtown to intern at the station. Aside from the the normal tasks of creating a brief on the day's topics, I am usually also asked to edit and upload the audio file from Tuesday's show. As a perfectionist, the job takes me at least an hour. Quite often, I finish my other duties first and begin working on this after the Producer leaves. This means I don't return to my apartment until aorund 6. It has been a long day. -
Friday: Family Time
Fridays are the days I finally get to go home. Living in the city is great and all, but I miss my family terribly by the end of the week. Being home just has such a relaxing and comforting feel. My family always understand my need to unwind when I'm home. As far as support goes, theirs has never wavered. I rely on them heavily with my emotional needs. Family understands you best. -
Train Rides
Friday means going home, also known as, 2 hour commute. I live in the Chicago suburbs, about a 60 minute drive from the campus. However, I use the CTA. My parents pick me up at the last stop of the Blue line , halfway home, and drive me the rest of the way back. My route is Red line (40 mins) to Blue line (25 mins) to parent's car (30 mins). I wish I could be more productive with these hours, but I never manage to get things done. -
Work, Class, Work, DONE!
Just like Mondays, I start my day working in the lab from 9-10. Then I have back to back class and work until 4:30. Work never finishes fast enough on this day. I spend half my time watching the clock. When I am finally out, it takes me a while to pack my things and head home. Unfortunatley, this means taht, while my day ends at 4:30, I don't get to rest until around 8, when I'm finally back in my house.
