Hi! My name is Jack and I am a Sophomore at Dartmouth. I currently plan to major in sociology modified with anthropology, all with a human-centered design minor. Outside of class, I enjoy performing and I'm currently involved in both a student dance group and acapella. I love hiking and running outdoors and have already explored a lot of Dartmouth's surrounding trails. I am also involved in Greek Life, the Student and Presidential Committee for Sexual Assault, and the Inter Fraternity Council.
I thought it would be interesting to share a day in my life off-campus taking classes remotely. Here's a record for how I spend an average Tuesday during my time in Boston.
9:00 AM- Wake Up and Get Ready
I don't have any classes super early in the morning, so I'm lucky enough to sleep in a little bit before starting my day. My regular morning consists of convincing myself to get out of bed (always the hardest part), taking a shower and getting dressed, making breakfast (personal favorite has been a yogurt bowl with some fruit, granola, and other ingredients), and then preparing and getting organized for the start of classes.
10:20 AM- Statistics Class
This term, I'm taking Sociology 10, which is a statistics class, focused on applying statistical tools to sociological research. This class has been extremely enjoyable and as someone that never took a statistics class in high school, I've learned a lot of important mathematical information. I especially like this class because it focuses on the application of statistical tools to topics I'm interested in, making every concept feel relevant and practical.
12:10 PM- Lunch/Work
After my sociology class, I fix another bite to eat and start to make some progress on the day's homework I have. I normally spend this time working with some readings and taking notes, or maybe watching a recorded lecture for one of my classes.
1:30 PM- Exercise
To take a mental break, I've found that exercising is something that helps me lower stress levels and improve my mood. I normally brave the cold and go on a run around my neighborhood, even in low temperatures (layering is key). I am no professional, so most runs aren't super extensive or intense, but I always feel better physically and mentally afterwards, and it allows for me to refocus myself before continuing to work.
2:50 PM- Acting Class
My second class of the day is Theater 30, which is the introductory acting class. I was apprehensive about taking this course virtually, but I've found it to be very enjoyable and rewarding. I did a lot of theater and acting in high school, and I feel as if my acting process has improved significantly after the mere seven weeks that I've taken this class.
4:40 PM- "Self Care/Social Time"?
After having two 2-hour classes in a day, especially when they're virtual, I normally feel mentally exhausted, so I give myself a bit of time to unwind and find ways to have fun. It could be a quick TV episode in bed, or hanging out with my roommates; as long as it's a break from schoolwork, I'm happy.
5:15 PM- Return to Work
At this point, I come back to the schoolwork I have, and give myself a focused, solid 45-minute effort to crank out whatever progress I have available. This period normally yields the best result for my homework endeavors, so I normally focus on larger assignments, like essays or research.
6:00 PM- Dinner
I enjoy cooking, so around 6, I normally start to make dinner for myself and my two roommates. I have been trying a broad range of new recipes, some of which are raving successes and some that we try not to speak of. Even when a dish fails, I enjoy the process of preparing food and I think (I hope) my skills are improving.
8:00 PM- Ujima Practice
As you may know, I'm a part of the dance troupe Ujima, and we practice a few nights a week. The majority of our practices this term were focused on a Valentine's Day project that ended up turning out pretty well!
9:00 PM- Back to Work
At this point, I return to the stack of work left and knock out anything else I need to accomplish. Normally it's not too bad, since I've spaced out the workload throughout the day.
10:30 PM- Movie Night?
Normally around this time, I hang out with my roommates for the rest of the night. Most of the time we watch a movie or another episode of a series we're interested in. It's always a great way to end my day with some friends that I wholeheartedly cherish.
12:30ish AM- Goodnight!
This is pretty self explanatory, but I hope you've enjoyed this documentation of my average day as a remote Dartmouth student!
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
