It can be difficult to picture yourself as a college student. You may be thinking, “What are my days actually going to look like?” I didn’t realize how different a typical day in college was from high school until I experienced it for myself — which is why I’m writing this for you. I know it varies for each individual student, depending on majors, jobs, commuters, residents, sports etc. but I thought it could still be useful to get a broad idea of what a typical day looks like for an undergraduate student at Nazareth College. I’m a junior communication and media major with a minor in digital marketing and design and I’m a commuter from Penfield (15-minute drive from campus).

Monday

My alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. but I hit snooze until 7 a.m. (which happens almost every day). When I started college, most of my classes were in the afternoon which was distinct from high school. I didn’t have to wake up early like I did in the past. Now that I’m a junior in college, I have a greater amount of homework and projects going on at all times. I wake up early to ensure I can get some work done before my day really begins.

I only have one class today, so I guess it’s not fair to say that I have the case of the Mondays… but doesn’t everyone? I’m leaving my house a half hour before my classes each day because it takes me approximately 15 minutes to drive to Naz and there’s constantly morning traffic.

Commuter tip: Calculate the time it takes you to get to Naz, plus potential traffic, plus the time it will take to find a parking space!

My first class goes from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and is located in the Arts Center. Since this is one of the only early classes taking place on Mondays, I get a parking spot right up front. It’s a longer class because of the fact it occurs twice a week, rather than a more common Monday/Wednesday/Friday 50-minute class. Although, it doesn’t feel as long as it really is and my professor gives my classmates and I a break around 10 a.m. to grab a coffee or snack.

This class is titled Digital Imaging Foundations, but I like to call it, “Photoshop and Illustrator 101.” I’m taking this course for my minor requirements and because a student with my major should have at least basic knowledge in some of the Adobe software.

You’re probably thinking how lucky I am to have only one class on Mondays that gets out at 11 a.m. But, the work doesn’t stop here. I’m walking over to the library to print portfolio materials for a different class and to work on some homework before my week gets busy. Then, I’ll be going home to hang out with some friends!

Tuesday

My phone is yelling at me to get out of bed but I refuse for an extra half hour. I pull myself downstairs to pack my lunch (busy day ahead), get dressed, and place everything I’ll need for the day into my bag.

My first class, Intro to Web Design, is in Smyth Hall 302 (School of Management) at 9:25 a.m. After learning code for creating websites in this class, I’m walking from Smyth to Golisano Academic Center (GAC). Intro to Web Design finished at 10:40 a.m. and I have to make it to my next class in a different building by 10:50 a.m. This is one reason why I love the size of Naz’s campus. It’s not impossible to walk from one building to another within 10 minutes and make it to class on time.

I have a portfolio due in this class, Written and Visual Rhetoric, for a paper I finished last week. On Tuesdays, I typically go to a computer lab in GAC during lunch hour (an hour break on Tuesdays and Thursdays when there are no classes) to eat my lunch and take a break from the day. But, today I’m attending a meeting for an internship program in Washington, D.C. which I was accepted to a couple of months ago. Naz has numerous internship opportunities, in addition to programs out of state.

Student tip: Make sure to check your email frequently to stay up-to-date with internship and job openings in the Rochester area.

It’s currently 1 p.m. and my next class, Feature Writing, begins at 1:10 p.m. back in Smyth Hall. I’m feeling extremely thankful right about now that Naz has tunnels because it’s pouring rain and I left my umbrella in my car.

Feature Writing is one of my favorite classes because each week we have a different type of essay due. Throughout this semester, I’ve written a profile of a fellow Naz student, a preview for an event happening on campus next month, a food and drink article based on the diners in Rochester, an immersion piece where I wrote about my experience attending a comedy show in New York City, and a review of a movie I recently saw in the theater.

This class finished around 2:25 p.m. and now it’s time to head to the Job and Internship Fair happening from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Shults Center. I’ve been applying for summer internships and I think it’s going to be beneficial for me to explore more options at this event. There are over 95 companies in attendance!

After the Job and Internship Fair, I’m going to go home for a few hours, eat dinner, and hang out with my family. Then, I’ll most likely come back to school to work on a homework assignment and take home quiz for one of my classes. After that, it’s time for sleep. Today was a long but rewarding day!

Wednesday

I have my Monday/Wednesday class today from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. I don’t have any meetings or classes again until 6 p.m. on a typical Wednesday, so I’m going to the library to get homework done, and then going to head home.

Student tip: Get into a comfortable routine as soon as you can. It’ll help you plan for the rest of your semester and keep you on track!

It’s 1 p.m. and I’ve finished most work that needed to get done. My class tonight, Digital Storytelling, is canceled because my professor is encouraging me and my classmates to attend an on-campus event which is taking place during the usual hours of my class.

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Rochester Chapter is hosting an event from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. which I’m on my way to with some friends from Naz. The event is a session led by Communication and Media Professor, Leah Stacy and her husband, Pete Wayner. Here, they will be discussing multimedia storytelling.

The event covered the planning and execution process for telling stories through media platforms. Many of my classmates were at the event, as well as other students in the field of communication and media. One of my favorite things about Naz is how the professors encourage their students to take their learning outside the classroom. Naz makes this easy by hosting on-campus events each month!

Thursday

Thursdays are one of the best days of the week for me because I start my day off with yoga promptly at 8 a.m. I take yoga as my Health and Wellness course for my schedule. Each Naz student is required to take a Health and Wellness course before graduating, if they do not play a sport or are not a dance major/minor. It’s a way to ensure students are exploring the many options Naz presents for staying healthy and active.

After yoga, my schedule follows the same course as Tuesday. The only difference is I’m attending a meeting with Golden Creative, Naz’s student-run marketing agency, during the lunch hour break. Throughout this meeting club members and I will be discussing marketing, communication, and design tactics for an upcoming event we are planning for a client.

Friday

If you plan your schedule out strategically, you could have Fridays off from classes, like me. I still get to the English and Comm/Media Lab by 9:30 a.m. though, to get a head start on homework. At 10:30 a.m. I’m going to my office hours for my on-campus job through the Marketing and Communication department at Naz.

After meeting with my supervisor, I’m in the computer lab editing articles from students who have submitted work for The Golden Gazette, Nazareth College’s newspaper. I’m the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, so I have the responsibility (in coordination with the associate editor) of reading over the articles submitted and making any edits. In about an hour, all of the members will be joining me in the lab for a meeting. Being a part of the newspaper on-campus is rewarding for students of all majors because you gain experience as a writer and can put on your resume that you’ve been published!

After the meeting I get to go home and spend time with my friends and family for the weekend. It may seem like my life is a chaotic routine of waking up early and spending hours on end at school, and honestly it is. But, I don’t mind it at all because I get to see all my friends on-campus and I enjoy my classes. Naz is my second home. Hopefully this helps you get an idea of what a day-to-day routine looks like for one college student!