A Day in the Life of a Pre-med Freshman at UT Austin
I start my mornings at 7 am. Waking up to an alarm that early is not very pleasant, but after a cup of coffee, I feel better and more motivated to start my day. My roommates are still asleep by that time, so I have to be quiet about getting off of my lofted bed and heading into the bathroom to freshen up. My morning routine is not as extravagant as the typical morning routine all over YouTube, in which creators are the most productive possible. Because of the time to adjust to college, I slid into this routine without any research before its creation. My morning routine consists of brushing my teeth, fixing my messy hair, making instant coffee, and filling my water bottles at the floor fountain. I find the early mornings are tranquil and empty, mainly because it is rare that college students wake up earlier than 10 am. After my morning routines and chores, I work on homework or study for an upcoming quiz/exam. I find myself very productive in the mornings, so I try to take advantage of the boost in motivation to get a head start on the day’s work. Usually, I go through the genetics or chemistry modules until my first class at about 9 am.
However, since I am a freshman, I do not currently have as much work as upperclassmen, primarily because I am enrolled in introductory science courses. Pre-meds are typically not advised to claim AP credit completed during high school to add to their degree completion in university. Medical school requirements urge you to finish these intro classes at the college level to display that you understand the material. The number of classes per day depends, but most of my classes are on Tuesday and Thursdays, while fewer classes Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. On a typical day, I attend my first lecture at 9:30 am, a sociology course for freshmen. After this class ends at 11 am, I head down to the Kinsolving dining hall to eat lunch, which many consider the best dining hall at UT.
Since breakfast foods at the dining hall are generally filled with carbohydrates, sugars, and saturated fats, I skip breakfast to minimize my caloric intake during the day. After lunch, I head back to my dorm and make my last preparations for a chemistry quiz held at the end of every lecture. At around 12:10, I head to the genetics lecture, and right after that, I head to chem and take the quiz. Twice a week, I take the bus to Dell Children’s Medical Center, where I volunteer for a few hours to gain clinical experience after my classes are over. The bus stop I wait at is right in front of the Engineering Education and Research Center, a mesmerizing building with a lot of machinery. I study at one of the tables until I get on the bus.
After taking the bus back to UT after my shift, I head to the dining hall, where I eat dinner. Ordinarily, I use the kindle app on my phone to read while on the bus and while eating meals at the dining hall. I find it enjoyable and productive, so I do not waste time commuting to different places and while eating. After dinner, I come back to my dorm and watch a few anime/TV show episodes to relax before studying. I like to turn my brain off in the evenings and just enjoy the ride, so I watch a Shounen or Isekai genre of anime. After the brief relaxation period, I tackle the work due during the week until around 8 pm.
Once I reach a stopping point in my work, I walk a mile to the Clark Basketball Courts to get some cardio in. Before leaving my dorm, I contact my friends to see if any are down to play two to three games. After a good workout, I leave the courts at 9:30 pm and head back to the dorm to begin my nightly routine. This involves taking a shower, brushing my teeth, flossing, making my bed, and plugging in my devices to charge overnight. At 10:30 pm, I am ready for bed. I turn off the ceiling lights, climb up into bed, and I read for 30 minutes until 11 pm. Lastly, I put my book away, set my alarm for 7 am the next day, and sleep.