A Day in the Life of a Blugold: Calley
College is supposed to be one of the most memorable times in your life, jam packed with fun memories. Like everyone else, my life has changed quite a bit over the course of this pandemic and my college experience has been anything but normal. Instead of heading to campus in the morning or out to dinner at night, I’m spending more time at home to stay safe! Here’s what a day in my life as a Blugold looks like:
Morning
I want to say I’m a morning person, but it takes me a while to actually get my day started. I’ve learned to set my alarm early enough that I can snooze the alarm a couple of times before I actually get up. Once I’m up, I start with a cup of tea and a bagel to power through a couple hours of class and homework! I have a virtual class at 9 AM (shout out to POLS 404: Constitutional Principles), but I’ve learned to sit at my desk to get the best notes and pay the most attention, rather than tuning in from the comfort of my bed.
Pro-tip: With virtual class and spending more time on my laptop and screens in general, I recommend blue light glasses! I got a few pairs from Amazon for cheap and they have changed the game.
Before I jump into work, I like to take 10–15 minutes to chat with my roommates and get away from screens. It’s good to step back for a little while and grab a snack before shifting gears.
Afternoon
I’m a big fan of lists, so I make a to-do list or a ‘brain dump’ for everything I have to get done for the day. Without the structure of in-person instruction and commuting to campus, I like to estimate how much time each task will take me and block out my work time. It helps me focus on each task and prioritize assignments if they’re going to take longer. If I get it done quicker than I planned, I like to use it as time to relax before my next task (or jump on Tiktok for a little while). Before it gets dark, I like to get outside and go for a walk — when it’s not absolutely freezing out.
Evening
I try to have my work done by the time it’s dark out, so I can have the evenings free to hang out with my roommates. Lately, we’ve been doing paint-by-numbers and it’s a great way to unwind after a day of class and work! I really like to cook, so I try to find new and fun recipes to try out (I finally tried Gigi Hadid’s spicy penne recipe, and IMHO not worth the hype). When I cook, I listen to podcasts (More Perfect and true crime podcasts have been my favorite lately!) or listen to new music.
Ideally, I would like to work out in the morning, but with morning classes and it being too cold to run outside (I’m a total freeze baby), I’ve been doing at-home workouts. I usually find a video on Youtube for whatever I’m feeling that day or try something from TikTok. Most days, I forget until around 9 pm and try to get in a little workout before I’ve lost all motivation for the day. After getting ready for bed, I watch a little Netflix (Criminal Minds has been my latest binge show) or some Tiktoks before finally calling it a day!
Like everyone else, I want life to go back to normal. I miss going to class in person, meeting up with friends for lunch in Davies, or even the crowded bus. Trying to keep my daily life as close to normal has made me feel like I’m not missing out too much, and I’m looking forward to visiting UW-Eau Claire as an alum after graduation this spring!
