A Day at UIUC

Despite the vastness of its campus, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign feels very personal and community oriented.

  It is full of kind, intelligent people who are all connected through an insane amount of Illini Pride, a pride that I felt as soon as I stepped foot on campus. UIUC has some of the best facilities, programs, and faculty in the entire country, and it is evident in the performance of its students. It is clear that the students that come to The University are determined to make a positive impact on this world!

My Wednesday Morning

I prefer to take my classes in the morning as opposed to the early afternoon, so I am up at 8:00 am. Like most college students, the very first thing I do upon waking up is check my email, and then I get out of bed to start the day. Wednesday’s are my busy days (I have 3 lectures), so I try to keep that in mind while I get ready. I brush my teeth, wash my face, and grab some of my favorite snacks and am out of the door by 8:30. I currently live in a dorm so I am already on campus, and choose to walk to my classes. If I decide not to walk, I take one of the many bus routes that span UIUC’s campus. The buses are free to students and stop at just about every building on campus, which makes traveling very convenient if I’m running late, or just not feeling up to a walk. 

My first lecture of the day, Introduction to Differential Equations, is at 9:00am and is a graduation requirement. I am an Aerospace Engineering major, so all of my classes are math and science related, which I love! This has been, by far, my favorite math class I’ve taken at UIUC. Differential Equations ends at 9:50, and then I am off to grab a coffee on Green St. and head to CIF (the Campus Instructional Facility) to sit and study before my next lecture at 11:00. CIF is one of the newest buildings, and is also my favorite: it has some of the best classrooms, study spaces, and views on campus. At 11:00, I head to my next lecture, Thermodynamics. At UIUC, the Thermo class that engineers take is taught with an emphasis on sustainability, which is very important when we finally go into the working field. I feel that sustainability is an important topic that is often shoved under the rug in engineering, and I respect that UIUC brings light to the issue and makes its engineers learn about it. Also, this course is held in one of the most interesting classrooms I’ve ever seen. There are 9 TV’s located in the center of the room, and all of the seats are arranged circularly. CIF has huge, state of the art classrooms and this unique set up is one of the reasons why I love this building so much. 

A Typical Afternoon

In the afternoon, I only have one more lecture at 1:00 pm and then I am done for the day. It is Aerospace Flight Mechanics, and is my favorite class I have taken so far! The course is a general introduction to flight vehicles, and is the first class that I have taken that has really dived deep into the world of aerospace. I feel that all college students have at least one class that, after taking it, really made them sit back and say, “I’m in the right place.” This is that class for me. It has really made me fall more in love with my major and made me realize that I made the right choice in pursuing it.

After class is over at 1:50 pm, I walk to one of the dorms, ISR, to grab a quick meal to eat at the dining hall. The ISR dining hall is huge, and has 7 different stations that serve different types of food. From Asian cuisine, to pizza and pasta, to Mediterranean, there’s always something good to eat. After a long day of classes, it’s important to me to get a good meal before I continue on with my day, so I grabbed some Ramen and cookies for dessert.

After I eat, I decide I am going to go to the Grainger Engineering Library for a few hours to finish up some work. I am a regular here, and like to joke sometimes that it’s my second home. The way that this specific library is set up is that the 1st and 4th floors are collaborative, and the 2nd and 3rd are quiet floors. This is nice because it gives me the option to study in silence or with friends, whatever I am feeling that day. 

Wednesday Night

After I feel like I have made good progress on my school work, I go back to my dorm. Today has been a long day, so I want to spend the rest of the day relaxing and taking time for myself. Once I’m back to my dorm, I put on some Netflix for an hour or two to decompress. I have also taken up crocheting as a hobby and stress reliever, so I do that as well. When I watch Netflix, it’s usually some cheesy reality show that makes me laugh, which is much needed after a work filled day. I also make sure to find time to shower and eat at the dining hall. College can be super stressful at times, and so I try to make it a point to take care of my body and give myself the breaks I need when I need them. Every college day isn’t glorious, and every once in a while you’re going to have a day that mainly consists of work. In these times, it’s important to take care of yourself and remember that you got this!

Written by Catherine Maali, PathIvy UIUC Ambassador