Life Outside the Classroom
In high school, I had a steady routine. I’d wake up, go to school from 8 a.m. until 3:45 p.m., head to cross country practice, a club meeting or a piano lesson, come home and do homework, then crawl into bed to get the sleep needed to do it all over again.
In college, however, my routine isn’t quite as set in stone. I still have classes every day, although thankfully not straight from 8 until almost 4, but when I’m not in the classroom, I have far more ways to spend my time than by being on a track, in my piano teacher’s living room or at my kitchen table doing homework. It might sound like an exaggeration but it’s true: when I’m not in the classroom at Carolina, I’m likely to be almost anywhere and everywhere on and near campus.
The fact that I spend time in so many places doesn’t just stem from my desire to make the most of each day; it also reflects the fact that at Carolina there are a myriad of ways to make the most of each day. In fact, even classes themselves seldom fall into the same routine. For example, on a nice day, one of my professors might suggest we have class outdoors on garden benches rather than in a dark classroom. Even on days that we stay indoors, many days of class don’t fall into predictable patterns. Taking notes and participating in class discussions have been common experiences for me, but so have been listening to guest lecturers or walking around campus interviewing students and professors for journalism surveys.
While many of my classes so far have been more enjoyable than exasperating, the times before, between and after these classes are often even better. Although I spend a good deal of this time in the library studying and writing papers, even this time isn’t horrible. I often manage to run into friends who are also studying or join a study group, which makes the time pass more quickly. Even when I study alone, I like having a choice of places to bring my books. From the comfy chairs of the Student Union, which also has a calming fish tank on its second floor, to the quiet confines of Davis Library, there’s always a place to study that fits my mood.
When I’m finished with my work or need a break from a marathon study session, I like to relax by going running. There’s no better way to spend a sunny spring or fall afternoon than by jogging on the brick walkways that connect the campus or on the Tar Heel blue track. On days when the sun isn’t shining, I instead go to the Student Recreation Center (SRC) or the newly-opened Rams Head Recreation Center and work out there. While there are rooms of treadmills, elliptical trainers and other machines to use, I usually enjoy trying out some of the fitness classes that the centers offer. These range from aerobic dance classes to yoga workouts, and while my attempts at certain activities like kickboxing are laughable, it’s fun to laugh along with 20 or 30 others who are also attempting to master the fine art of jabbing.
Many of my evenings are filled with meetings, which can take place in classrooms or even at a coffee shop on Franklin Street. Meetings not only give me the chance to see people interested in some of the same events and issues that I want to explore; they also provide the opportunity to plan for everything from fundraising for the annual Relay for Life celebration to deciding how to best introduce other students to current issues in Southeast Asia to choosing which stories should go in future issues of Blue & White magazine. Depending on the time of year, in addition to meeting with these clubs, I could also be doing other things with them, such as volunteering at the N.C. Children’s Hospital with my Dance Marathon committee, dancing for 24 hours in the Marathon itself, interviewing other students and professors for articles in The Carolina Communicator, or meeting for lunch with my conversation partner to practice her English and discuss our weeks. I could also be Pit-sitting, or standing in the Pit handing out fliers and selling food to benefit the Southeast Asian Interest Association (SEAIA). Even when I’m not helping with club activities, the Pit is a great place to sit, eat lunch and chat with friends or just people watch. Sometimes, there are musical performances by some of our amazing a cappella groups or, at night, vigils to show support for campus, community, national or international events.
College can certainly be hard work and, at times, it seems like classes, homework and meetings eat up a lot of time. However, I’m never too busy to find a few minutes to explore some of the many other things that Carolina offers. On a weekday evening or weekend afternoon, you might find me supporting other clubs’ activities by going to their benefit dinners or cultural shows. Last week, for example, I went to a Vietnamese Students Association’s performance called “My Big Fat Viet Wedding.” In addition to the hilarious show, which featured singing, dancing and a fashion show, there was also delicious Asian food, some of which I had never tried. I also might be spending my evening at Playmakers Theater or in the newly-reopened Memorial Hall watching a play or musical. The shows I have seen so far have transported me everywhere from Elizabethan England to the heart of Africa. On other nights, I instead opt to see a movie at the Student Union. At other times, I don’t even need to attend an event to have fun. I just hang out on the quad, especially on sunny days, and talk to friends or visit their dorms to watch movies, play games and unwind from a busy week.
Speaking of friends, with everyone’s different schedules, it can be hard to catch up with them sometimes. This is where the need to eat comes in handy. When I haven’t seen a friend in awhile and I’d like to but I don’t have much time, I’ll arrange to eat lunch or dinner, either on campus or at one of the many restaurants on Franklin Street, which is just a short walk away from the dorms.
There are always a ton of other activities going on across campus every day, from study abroad information sessions and career fairs to free lectures by distinguished guests from across the nation and even across the world. I know that what I do on campus and the events I’ve attended are just a fraction of all there is to do and see, so I search the Daily Tar Heel’s calendarevery morning, check my e-mail often and communicate with my friends to learn about other events that I don’t want to miss. And, when I’m not in the classroom, at any of the above activities or trying to find out about new and upcoming events, I leave a little time for another essential part of every college student’s existence. Sleep.
