A Semester in Review
At the end of my third semester, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share my experiences as a sophomore here at Tufts. Going through my fall semester…
A Day in the Life - Fall 2021
This semester Tufts is bustling with nostalgia and welcome changes. I’ve reached the halfway point of my college career and I can confidently say that this is one of the semesters I’m most looking forward to. This year, I made the decision to major in STEM and liberal arts, keeping me academically motivated and fulfilling all of my interests. From delving deep into my computer science major to taking on foundational requirements for my history major, I’m busier than I’ve ever been before. There’s also the initial adjustment of living off-campus and the return of in-person classes, all of which have created a sense of a “new normal.”
Below, I’ll take you through my day in life at Tufts. Get ready for my Mondays, a day packed with back-to-back classes, lots of speed walking, and a wide variety of classes.
9 am - 10 am: getting up, getting ready and getting started!
I try to wake up at 9 am sharp, though the snooze button permits me to sneak in a couple extra minutes of sleep. I roll out of bed, shower, before contemplating if I have the motivation to eat breakfast or not (I’m more of a two meal girl.) I settle on a KIND bar, make myself a cup of instant coffee and sit on my desk for my one and only asynchronous class: CS 170. So far, I like the class content and CS 170 (Computation Theory) seems much more relaxed than CS 160 (Algorithms.) The professor, Marty Allen is fantastic and gives off a retired-pirate-becomes-an-academic look.
10 am - 11:30 am: Lunch time / Last-minute-in-a-frenzy readings
Hunger kicks in early, since I rarely have a proper breakfast. I occasionally spend some of my JumboCash on a dining hall swipe or a tasty Nashville hot chicken sandwich from Commons, but I typically cook. Though cooking quickly and in between classes can be stressful, I find it rather therapeutic before the three classes I have in a row on Mondays and Wednesdays.
12:00 pm: Districtr (pronounced like Grindr and Tinder)
My weekly MGGG (Metric Geometry and Gerrymandering Group) Lab Districtr meeting. The MGGG Lab is an interdisciplinary lab at tufts that aims to use mathematics, computer science, and policy to promote civil rights and fair redistricting. The lab runs an awesome tool called districtr.org that allows users to map their own communities and voting districts. My weekly meeting deals with the upkeep of the website and any new tasks and challenges we’ve encountered.
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm: Walking up the hill and Modern South Asia
Around 1:00 I head towards campus, never not running out of breath when I go up the hill near Fletcher. One of my history courses for my history major this semester is Modern South Asia, taught by Professor Ayesha Jalal. She’s a BIG deal and I’m honored and excited to be taught by someone who is at the top of their field. The only downside of this course is that the class is taught in Lane Hall, Tufts’ ugliest building (they can’t all be as nice as the SEC…). Lane Hall has depressing architecture and a lack of lounging areas, but I do enjoy the huge world map on one of the walls in my lecture hall.
2:45 pm - 4:15 pm: CS 121 and trying not to fall asleep
I usually blast out of Lane Hall to go downhill to my third class of the day, CS 180 (Software Engineering.) I always fear I’ll be late to class, since the SEC isn’t very close to Lane Hall, but each time I forget that anywhere at Tufts is (at most) six minutes away. I sit into my chair usually a bit out of breath and this is when I start to get lethargic. Tired. Exhausted. In need of a Hotung Matcha coffee. Getting through this class is a bit difficult, not because of the material or the professor, but rather because it’s during that time of day when I get into an afternoon schlump. The class itself is very straightforward, with a bunch of coding demos and interesting tidbits about the history of software engineering. After class is over, I run back uphill for my last class of the day.
4:30 pm - 5:45 pm: Latin American Politics (let’s hope you did your readings!)
My final class of the day is Latin American Politics with Professor Cruz. It’s in Barker 001, a lecture hall that has hosted many, many of my courses. I took Professor Cruz’s Political Violence class back in freshman year when I was easily intimidated and incredibly shy to be taking a class with many upperclassman International Relations majors. Now, I’m a little less intimidated but still a little shy. Professor Cruz is an incredible lecturer with a funny sense of humor that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. She’s also NOT afraid to put you on the spot. Her class is definitely not a class to snooze off in. Nonetheless, I’ve loved the class so far and it’s definitely a good thing to end the school day in a class whose subject matter you personally connect with. Do take a class with Professor Cruz!
5:45 pm - 7:30 pm: Dinner and Granoff
Sometimes I eat dinner on campus, other times I go home and cook myself a feast fit for a King. My go-to on-campus dinner is definitely a shawarma Pita Platter with a ton of harissa and garlic sauce and extra caramelized onions--it never disappoints. After dinner, I head towards Granoff to practice for my accordion private lessons. Yes, Tufts has accordion private lessons. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to learn how to play and I’ve been boasting about it to the world for the months leading up to the school year. Now that my lessons have begun and I’ve realized that playing the accordion is more than fantasizing about sitting on the side of a bustling street playing Cumbias and Waltzes, the pressure to practice is on. After a prompt 45 minute practice, I store my accordion and head out the practice room hall, which is always full of music majors practicing and sounding much better than I ever will.
7:30 pm - 12:00 am:
The last chunk of my day on Mondays is always a wild card. Am I too tired to stay on campus? Yes, I am and I need a nap before I face my homework. If I go home will I actually get work done after? Probably not, go to Tisch and get started on your ungodly amount of readings. Is there a club meeting I’m forgetting about? It’s possible, check Instagram! Do you miss your sophomore year roommates? Yes, you do! Go to their Latin Way suite and spend half the time genuinely studying and the other half enjoying their presence.
Around 11:45, I start what I’m doing and remind myself that there’s nothing quite like getting a full eight hours of sleep. I turn off my lamp, roll around in my bed a couple of times, and occasionally spend a few minutes thinking about the past, the present, the future, and how to make the best out of my remaining time at Tufts!
