by Maddie Cambier
It’s 8:45 a.m. and my alarm blares full blast right in my ear. I roll over and can see the bright sun shining through the blinds. I roll back and check my phone and contemplate sleeping through my first class – which is especially easy now that it’s online. I remember the exam I have coming up, so I force myself out of my warm, comfortable bed and quickly get ready for class. My roommate is still sleeping, so I am careful to be quiet.
I groggily climb down from my lofted bed and sit at my desk that I moved underneath it. I check the time and see that I have five minutes before my class starts, so I log onto my computer and open Microsoft Teams. I see that my Professor has already started the meeting, so I join and quickly get my notebook out. He talks way too fast for 9:15 in the morning! I take sloppy, rushed notes until around 10:05.
I do my hair and leave my dorm room, making sure I have everything I need for the day. I begin the short (but seemingly long) walk to my first in-person class of the day. I’m excited to have somewhat of a normal college experience because I know not everyone has in-person classes, so I try to make the most of it. I hear pieces of muffled conversations as I walk past the other rooms in my hall.
Once I get to the stairs, I remember my fear of heights and walk as far away from the railing as possible. This is the only time I don’t like living on the third floor. The three flights of stairs I have to climb up and down every day are brutal. Especially after practices! The stairs in Bornhuetter are restricted to up and down on opposite sides of the building, but no one ever follows those rules.
As soon as I am outside, the cool, crisp air wakes me up. I forgot to check the weather and assumed it would be a lot warmer than it was. The cars rush past me on the road to my left, and I feel the wind hit me after they pass. Occasionally, people will yell out of their car windows – but I’m used to it by now. This is definitely the longest part of my walk. Sometimes, the tennis team is practicing as I walk by and I can wave to my friends.
As I walk up through the arch, I enter my favorite part of campus. My class is here. I love looking at the sculptures and statues along the way. I also enjoy seeing other students coming and going to and from their classes. As I walk, I listen to my shoes hitting the pavement. I follow that rhythm until I reach the building where I have my first in-person class.
I enter the building for my first class. It is by far my favorite and most interesting class I am taking this semester! I also absolutely adore this professor. I make sure I am fully awake as I walk in the building, to learn and comprehend as much as possible. My mentality immediately begins to shift and I begin to focus before I even reach my classroom.
After my class, I go to Knowlton café, where I get a coffee and get some homework done before my next class. The other students around me are also studying and doing their work. Focused and determined looks appear on all of their faces as they read their next questions or take their notes. The amount of natural light that soaks in from the large windows makes me happy as I continue to do my work.
After doing some homework and attending my last class of the day, I walk back through the arch. I hear the same rhythm of my shoes hitting the pavement. It’s getting cooler and the wind is picking up; I think it might rain. I hurriedly make my way towards the library to study with some friends.
At the library, I am able to find a little nook where I can properly focus with minor distractions. I set my bag down and pull out a book that I have to read for one of my classes. For some reason, I am able to focus so well whenever I go to the library. It’s like magic! I easily complete three assignments before I check the time. I realize it’s almost time for practice. I quickly pack up my supplies and say “goodbye” to my friends.
As I walked over to the Scot Center from across the street, I begin to shift my mentality into “practice mode,” focusing on what coach wants us to do for practice. This semester, we are required to show a badge that says we are “good to go” for the day. Without this, we can’t enter the Scot Center. I also go here to get my weekly Covid-19 tests. I am eager for next year when we might not have to take all of these precautions.
After changing in the locker room, I head out to the soccer field with my teammates. This is by far the best part of my day. I get to focus on something other than schoolwork, and I also get to play the sport that I love! Soccer is a great way for me to relieve stress and exercise. I am also extremely grateful that I am able to continue playing in college. Although practices are two hours long, they seem to fly by, and soon I am on my way back to my dorm.
Walking back to my dorm room, I veer off onto a new path and take in the oak trees that greet me. I think of the fall and how pretty they all are when the leaves are changing. I noticed some new buds on the branches, and I become excited for summer. I continue my walk to class and listen to the birds chirping and singing their songs around me. A wave of calmness rushes over me and I am content.
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