Isabeau’s Day at the University of Chicago

Welcome to UChicago!

It’s the start of the autumn quarter, and I’m waking up, stretching out on my Twin-XL. When I moved from Florida to Chicago to attend one of the top universities in the US, everyone warned me about the harsh winters, but nobody told me the beauty of the fall: watching the leaves change color, seeing the ivy climbing up the brick walls of UChicago’s buildings, the light breeze that lazily flows through my hair. The University of Chicago feels like you’re in another world: the laboratories are expansive and the professors are passionate, the grass is plush and green, and everyone has something quirky going on. Sometimes there are dogs on the quad, and once, I saw someone have an entire wedding outside! Nonetheless, UChicago’s atmosphere feels charged with passion. 

There are tons of students milling around, and on nice days, many are out on the quad, or on weekends, heading to lake Michigan. Autumn is the best, because it’s the start of the quarter. Our quarter begins a month after the usual semester system for other colleges (we start at the end of September), and everyone is excited to see their friends, first-years are looking for their classes, and the professors have guided students in some sort of exciting summer research project. And while it’s true that the winters can be brutal, it’s worth it for the beauty I’ve found at my new home at UChicago.

Good morning, Sunshine!

It’s around 9:30 am, and my first class of the day doesn’t start for about an hour, so I have plenty of time to roll out of bed and do my morning routine, which includes a quick meditation session, getting showered and dressed, and grabbing something to eat. I live off-campus, but luckily live within walking distance (15 minutes) of campus, so I still feel like I live on campus. 

UChicago’s campus is very walkable, but if you find yourself running late (as I occasionally do), you can always hop on a Divvy Bike. Most of the time, I end up walking, as many students do, but the students that do use bikes are passionate about it! You can also buy your own bike and register it with the UChicago Police Department for extra peace of mind. The walk across campus always leaves me awe-struck. The buildings make you feel as if you’ve stepped into Hogwarts, and all of the trees are warm and inviting. My first class of the day is Calculus, a part of the core requirement for all students. As someone who does not like math, I was initially intimidated, but my class is broken up into groups of 8-10 students with our graduate TA. This tight-knit atmosphere means that we can all ask questions, and get to know each other more personally. I use my iPad and Apple Pencil to take notes, which is especially helpful in a class like calculus, where there are lots of figures from the textbook. Tons of students use some form of tablet or laptop to take notes, especially since we’re using a digital textbook. This class is over by 11:30, and then I’m off to the next one.

My Afternoon

After calculus, I gather my things to head to my favorite class of the day: Poetry and the Human. This is also a core requirement at UChicago, and falls under the humanities core. UChicago’s core makes sure that all students have the full liberal arts experience, even if you’re a STEM major (like me). All students are required to take classes in the following subjects:

• Humanities, Civilizations, and the Arts
• Natural Sciences (Biology and Physical Science)
• Mathematical Sciences
• Social Sciences

I love the core, as it gives me designated time to learn about things that are unrelated to my major, and in this case, it’s poetry. This class is also relatively small, with only 25 or so of us. Most of my classes are like this, and the classes that I have that are much larger are usually broken into smaller groups with a TA. After discussing the previous night’s poetry assignment, we’re done for the day, and I’m done with all of my classes until tomorrow. I spend some time on the main quad, enjoying the weather before I head back to my dorm to drop off any extra class materials and feed my cats. 

Since I usually eat a heavier breakfast, I head to the Harper Cafe to grab a snack and something to drink. I’ll then spend the next several hours in the library, tackling problem sets, assigned reading, and the occasional distraction as I see a friend or check my phone. I like to do my classes in the morning, so I can finish my homework around 4-6 pm and have the rest of my evening free. 

Goodnight, UChicago!

I usually have a pretty quiet evening of heading home and cooking myself dinner. Tonight, it’s leftover pasta. If the weather is nice, I’ll open my blinds and unwind with some yoga before finding my iPad again to read a novel. UChicago does have tons of reading assigned, but I still love to get lost in the world of a good book. To me, this usually means some sort of thriller or horror novel. If I’m too burned out to read, I’ll turn on the TV and watch some cooking show with my cats, unless one of my friends wants to go out to dinner or hang out downtown. I try to go to bed by 10 pm, but depending on the day, the time of year, and homework, that doesn’t always happen.

I am also a member of UChicago’s Multi-Ethnic Student Society. In this club, other students who identify as multiracial all hang out together and do a variety of things, such as writing and sharing poetry together, meditating, or discussing our personal experiences with being multiracial. This has been a safe and intimate place for me to go every other week to decompress in the midst of the quarter. Most of the club is upperclassman, but this has given me the opportunity to learn more about the structure of my 3rd and 4th years, as well as to think about what I want to do after undergrad. 

It is true that UChicago is rigorous- the classes are fast-paced (especially with the quarter system), the problem sets can be tedious, and core classes can feel overwhelming at times. However, if you form a study group, take advantage of office hours, and set up a schedule that works with your sleep cycle and lifestyle, then you’ll be able to truly enjoy all UChicago and the surrounding city has to offer.

Written by Isabeau Burnett, PathIvy UChicago Ambassador