Transitioning to college can be difficult but learning to manage time effectively can be its own set of challenges.
As someone who never had a busy schedule back home, being exposed to so many opportunities can be overwhelming; however, I’m glad that I’m slowly falling into a routine, and I’d love to share it with you!
7:50 AM- 9:00 AM Rise and Shine
Most college students will tell you that you rarely have to wake up early for a class after high school, and as someone who’s not an early riser, I definitely didn’t think I would be one to choose a daily 9 AM class. Though it was due to a scheduling conflict, I’m growing to love waking up earlier in the morning, grabbing a cup of coffee, and taking a stroll through the yard (which is absolutely beautiful in autumn)!
9:00 AM- 10:00 AM My First Class of the Day: Elementary Arabic
My first class, an Arabic language course, is small and discussion-based, which I love because it’s much more interactive than your typical lecture. Plus, I genuinely love learning from my professors, who always make it slightly easier to wake up to my alarms in the morning!
10:30 AM- 11:45 PM GOV 20: Foundations of Comparative Politics
After grabbing a cup of tea, I typically head to my next class, which happened to be about political science today. Most classes, I’m sitting in on a lecture which covers key ideas from the weekly readings. Though the lecture is usually large, we also have smaller, seminar-style discussions later on where we participate in interactive activities like debates.
12:00 PM- 12:45 PM Lunch at the Berg
Famously known as the Berg among first-year students (though I personally prefer Annie), Annenberg is the Hogwarts-esque dining hall where all first-years have their meals. The Berg is well-known as a great spot for socializing, where first-years can catch up with some friends or meet new ones over a meal! When it clears out at night, it’s also a great place to grab a late-night snack or even do some studying.
Me and my friends grabbing a meal at Annenberg, the first-year dining hall! Photo courtesy of Marwa Albaadani
1:00 PM- 4:00 PM Hanging with HFAI
After lunch, I head over to the Admissions & Financial Aid Office where I work as a Student Coordinator for the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative (HFAI). I absolutely love coming into the office, so it never actually feels like work!
4:00 PM- 6:00 PM Free Time
Most days, I have a social or academic event planned at this time. Last week, I had a meeting about preparing to tutor refugee and immigrant children in Boston. Other days, I might have a quick chat with one of my advisors or join a discussion on public service, which is one my interests. Today, for example, I attended a discussion at the Institute of Politics where Leader Nancy Pelosi and former Ambassador Caroline Kennedy joined us for ice cream!
Leader Nancy Pelosi speaking at an event that I attended!
6:00 PM- 7:00 PM Dinner
After whatever meetings I have for the day, I head back to the Berg for dinner with some friends.
7:00 PM- 10:00 PM Getting Down to Work
At night, I settle myself into a nook at nearby Lamont Library with an iced coffee from the library café and get going on any homework I have. Most times, I’ll be with a group of friends, chatting about our day (and hopefully actually getting some work done!).
10:00 PM- 11:00 PM Catching up with Pennypacker
After a night of studying, I head back to my beautiful (and objectively best) first-year dorm, Pennypacker, where I’m likely to find some friends in the common room. From having a Just Dance battle to celebrating a roommate’s birthday, people who live in Pennypacker are always finding a great way to spend the last few hours of the night!
Overall, adjusting to college can be challenging; however, with the amazing opportunities and support systems I have here, I am beyond happy to call Harvard home!
