A Day in the Life of a BUSSW Student: Jazmine
Graduate school is rewarding, but it is definitely time-consuming. For me, this semester is unlike any other. I am enrolled in five classes, work at a field placement three days a week, and have a part-time job as a resident assistant. This post is a chronicle of my typical day at Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW).
A little about me
My name is Jazmine and I am the lead student ambassador at BUSSW. I am an Advanced Standing student majoring in macro practice and I’m currently in my fist year. I’m going to reflect on my typical hump day (Wednesday) because this is the day I get a little bit of everything done.
7:00 a.m. – Gotta hit the gym
Rise and shine! I wake up at 7 a.m. because I like to get a workout done at the beginning of my day. Due to COVID-19, all Boston University students have to complete a daily symptoms survey before heading out for the day, which keeps the campus and its students safe. The gym on campus requires students to reserve a workout time (also because of COVID-19), so I reserve 7:00–8:30 a.m. My class schedule and internship schedule cut close to the gym’s closing time, so early morning workouts are best for me. This is an essential part of my day because it keeps me active and is key to my self-care routine. I find myself stuck in my apartment a lot, so I take advantage of the gym as much as I can.
9:00 a.m. – Get ready for the day
After my freshen-up routine, I make a filling breakfast every morning. This is mandatory for my schedule. I do not function well without a cup of orange juice or tea and an excellent breakfast! While eating breakfast, I usually turn on Netflix so I can get in a good episode or two from one of my favorite shows, “Girlfriends.”
10:10 a.m. – Time to log-in for Learn from Anywhere (LfA) class
On Wednesday I have two classes, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. My first class is one of my favorites. It’s called “Ferguson is Everyone” and is taught by Professor Philipe Copeland. I make sure my laptop is fully charged and I am sitting at my desk with a cup of water next to me since this class goes until 11:55 a.m. We start with an open discussion and check-in. During this time, everyone sends in one word about how they are feeling that morning. Today my word was “blessed.” In this class, we learn about the start of the Black Lives Matter movement, the movement’s growth, and how it is connected to many other important organizations.
12:00 p.m. – You probably thought I would be taking a break here…
No breaks for me. During this time, I’m preparing for my next class, Research 1. This professor, Ashley Davis, is exceptionally organized and I’m very grateful for that! I go onto our Blackboard page and click on this week’s content. She uploads a few presentations to watch before class with an outline of the chapter reading for the week.
2:30 p.m. – Lunch break!
I’m hungry, time for lunch. I usually try to make big dinners so that I don’t have to worry about spending too much time cooking for lunch the next day. I usually try to mix up my environment a little bit and move from my desk to my sofa-chair. Of course, those aren’t far because I live in a studio apartment! During my lunch hour I usually take time to call my parents. I speak to them daily.
4:00–6:00 p.m. – The (in-person) classroom experience
Finally, I get a break from being inside my apartment! My Research 1 course is my only class that is offered in a hybrid format, and I am one of the students who opted to attend class in-person. The walk from my apartment to class is about 12 minutes. I enjoy walking at this time because Boston is so lively. I watch people running, biking, and sitting outside eating. When I get to class, my professor is usually setting up her computer so that the students who choose to participate via Zoom can see everything. Today only one other student and I are attending in-person. We sit a few chairs apart and everyone wears a mask. In front of the room, we have a screen that shows everyone on Zoom. We can see them, and they can see the classroom. Discussion groups can be a little challenging, because I don’t have the opportunity to speak with everyone since many students are on Zoom, but those of us who are in class make the best of it.
7:00 p.m. – R.A. duty
After getting back to my apartment, I try to get as comfortable as possible for my weekly Resident Assistant meetings. Every Wednesday we are expected to be available from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. for meeting time. So far, the meetings have never gone to 11:00 p.m. – thank goodness! During this time, my supervisor shares updates about COVID-19 and any matters concerning our residents. Sometimes I’m stressed during these meetings because I don’t have enough time to eat between the end of class and the start of the meeting. So instead of having a hot dinner, as I prefer, on Wednesdays I usually make sure to have a few snacks next to me.
9:00 p.m. – Winding down
My day is finally coming to an end! I’m in my comfortable pajamas and, since it’s late, I made a sandwich because the snacks weren’t enough tonight. At this time, I do my best to unwind. I open my yoga mat to sit down for a 15-minute meditation. After that, I get back to my sofa chair and turn on a funny movie. As a graduate student, it’s essential to take care of yourself. I engage in self-care by making sure I speak to the people I care about most throughout the day, and try to end the day with a funny movie so that my sleep isn’t disturbed by anything scary.
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I know one person who has almost the same classes as me yet even we still have so many differences in our day. No one’s day is the same at BUSSW, but we do all know how important it is to emphasize self-care which can easily get overlooked with all the competing demands of graduate school. A semester like this has me appreciating every moment I spend outside getting fresh air. I can’t allow myself to feel trapped in my apartment so over the weekends I like to take a walk by the Charles River, located just across the street from the School of Social Work building. My classmates and I are so lucky to have such a pretty view just a few steps outside.
Thank you for reading my “Day in the Life” blog, and I hope you enjoyed getting a sneak peek into life as a BU MSW student.