Now that the semester is almost over (how did that happen?) and I am looking back, I realize that my weeks during the semester followed a consistent pattern. Since assignments are regular (and usually weekly), I often find that I do homework for the same classes at the same time each week! I thought I would provide a brief overview of what that looked like this semester. As a fair warning, this is just my schedule, and it looks very different from many of my friends or other Mudders. Some students like a regular schedule, some don’t, and most are more social than me so just be aware this isn’t necessarily representative!
Monday
Monday morning I have classes at Pomona, so I usually start walking fairly early to get there on time. Weekday mornings I also try to exercise before classes. After morning classes, I have a two hour break for lunch and any catch up work I have to do. Then I have Computer Systems and Algorithms in the afternoon! Monday is also the day that group study hours from Algorithms happen, so I usually go to them after class and spend the rest of Monday working on the homework. Monday evening I grutor (grade/tutor) for CS 81 (Computability and Logic). I really enjoy grutoring, as it helps me better understand the material, plus I always use it for the classes I am in so it’s nice to give back.
Tuesday
Tuesday my class schedule looks very similar to Monday, with some classes in the morning, a lunch break, and then some more classes in the afternoon (though with different classes). My afternoon class is an Environmental Analysis class, which is held on the grounds of Pitzer’s Robert Redford Conservancy. It is kind of a long walk to get there, but it is really beautiful especially on clear days. After the afternoon class, I do work for the Admission Office–both as a tour guide and for the blog! Tuesday evening, I have meetings for the Living Learning Community (LLC), which is a social justice oriented group on campus that plans educational activities and all lives on the same floor of Drinkward Dorm. Throughout Tuesday, I usually try to finish the Algs homework.
Wednesday
Wednesday looks a lot like Monday, but without the group study hours or grutoring. Instead, Wednesday is when I meet with my pair programming partner for Computer Systems! The coding homework for that class is always done with a partner, which is a lot of fun. There is dedicated lab time on Friday, but the homework generally requires additional time to finish.
Thursday
Thursday is my busy day! I have morning classes, then during my lunch break I generally go to Pomona’s Oldenborg tables for Spanish conversation, a requirement for the introductory Spanish class I am taking. Then it’s afternoon classes, which on Thursday includes Computer Science colloquium, a series of speakers that all majors have to take. I also do some more blog work in the afternoon, then I have to eat dinner early so I’m ready for physics Academic Excellence, where I tutor for the core physics classes. After that, I usually do the Spanish homework for the following week.
Friday
Friday my morning classes start at 10:00 instead of 8:50, which is kind of like sleeping in! Instead of afternoon classes, I have lab for Computer Systems and research. I work in HEAT Lab with Prof Jim and several other Mudders, which is a ton of fun. We spend several hours on Friday afternoon working together on our projects. Friday evening, I usually do my politics reading for the next week.
Saturday
I don’t typically do much homework on Saturdays, unless I have a really big project. I do give the Admission tour in the morning, and after my friends and I all get brunch at the Hoch together. We usually end up eating together much more than this during the week, but having a dedicated meal on the weekend means we always have a chance to chat and catch up. In the afternoon, there’s often an LLC event that I go to. Saturdays are also a great day to keep an eye out for the sunset, which can be really spectacular! Saturday evenings, sometimes my friends and I head down to the Claremont Village to get ice cream or watch tv shows together.
Sunday
Sunday morning I go to Mass at the McAlister Center (the faith center on campus), and then call my family for a chat. Sunday afternoon I do another round of AE, which is always fun. The evening is for prep work for classes coming up in the week, including any readings or activities that have to be done before class, as well as organizational stuff to make sure I’m ready for another week.
Bonus!
Although not quite a weekly activity, I did spend a lot of my time this semester in the California Botanic Garden, which is about a five minute walk from Mudd. It is really, really beautiful there. It has a huge amount of biodiversity (all native California plants dedicated to conservation) and many paths to take. I also did some of my class readings there because it was so quiet and peaceful!
