A day in the Life at Penn

Being a full-time graduate student at the Graduate School of Education while having a part time job can make your day pretty packed. Although it sounds like it would be repetitive, a day in a life at Penn actually can vary from time to time if you take the time to change it up a bit. My perfect day (and a day that happens more than you think) would be a combination of class, work, professional meetings, and friends. Starting the day out right is important. If you live further away from campus, you might have to take the bus or subway. If not, you can go straight to campus and get your day started with a morning coffee or latte. My choice is always to go to United by Blue, but the Penn GSE café and the three Starbucks nearby are also good options. I take my morning bus into Center City for work. If I’m lucky, I will arrive at my stop just as the bus arrives. At work, I might discuss updates with my supervisors, join in on team meetings, or work on my own projects. If I have time after work, I can venture into some of the shops like Banana Republic or Uniqlo around Center City. After taking a bus back into the University City, I usually attend a class such as Public Policy or Educational Statistics where I engage in conversation with professors and peers over another cup of warm coffee. On occasion, I’ll be able to meet up with a mentor or professor on the Take your Professor to Lunch program offered by the University Club for a free meal to talk about my future ambitions and listen to their wise advice on how to achieve them. As the day winds down, I could grab a bite with friends at one of the inexpensive food trucks surrounding UPenn or restaurants like Honey Grow before tackling some readings and preparing for the next day at Penn.