With the semester coming to a close in the upcoming weeks, I thought I would walk you through what a typical “first-semester” week in my life looks like here at The University of Iowa! Granted, every week looks a little different, but here is a peek into my classes, extracurriculars, and how I spend my free time!
My morning starts between 10:00 and 10:30 AM. I am fortunate enough to have no classes before 11 this semester, so mornings are a time for me to wake up, focus on what I need to do, and get anything done for a class that I didn’t get around to the night prior. I have microeconomics from 11:30 to 12:20 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We do a lot of group work here since it is a flipped classroom (watch lectures on our own time and do problem-solving in class). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I start with sociology from 11:00 to 11:50 AM.
I usually head down to the dining hall with my friends somewhere between 12:30 and 1:00 to grab lunch and spend some time together. I always love the little moments and conversations we have during meals. I always say the more the merrier when it comes to mealtime. It’s like the college version of a big family lunch/dinner!
After lunch, I come back to my room and try to get some work done before my math class from 2:30 to 3:20 on Monday’s Wednesdays and Fridays, and my Classical Mythology class from 3:30 to 4:20 on Monday’s and Wednesday’s. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have more time during the afternoon; these are the days I set the goal of going to the gym. While I aspire to go every day, sometimes I don’t have the time (or the motivation).
Thus far, the classes I’ve mentioned are on zoom currently. The university is hoping to continually transition larger lectures to in-person formatting, which students will see more of in the spring semester. As for my in-person discussion sections, those change every day. On Monday’s I have sociology from 4:30 to 5:20, Tuesday’s I have math from 5:00 to 5:50, Wednesday’s I have microeconomics from 6:30 to 7:20 PM (late, I know!), and on Thursday’s I have mythology from 9:00 to 9:50 AM, as well as math again from 5:00 to 5:50. Lastly, Friday I don’t have any in-person classes!
I aim to have dinner anywhere from 5:00 to 7:00. Generally, anytime I can fit it in and get some more time with my friends. Then the rest of my nights are spent either doing homework or watching TV and movies with my friends.
Now mix in random sorority events, sporting events, exams, and extracurricular activities, and you’ve got a week in my life! No day is like the last, and that’s what’s so exciting and special about college life. I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I can’t wait to see what next semester brings!
As always, go hawks!!
Abbie
