A Day in my Life as a Student at York University's Glendon Campus

Natashia, an Education and French Studies student at Glendon, shares her schedule for a typical day at university.

This blog post gives future students a view into my life as a current Glendon undergraduate student in Toronto (Future Glendon students, click here!). I'm majoring in French Studies, minoring in Hispanic Studies, and I'm also in the Concurrent Education program. Most of my courses this term are related to education so that I can soon become a French as a Second Language high school teacher. If you have been wondering what a day in the life of an undergrad university student looks like, then keep reading!

9 am — Self-care

As university classes start at different times of the day, take advantage of any extra time in the morning to take care of yourself. Luckily, the earliest class at Glendon starts at 9 am. However, when my class starts at noon, I make sure to start my day by making my bed, doing some skincare, and eating a healthy breakfast. Life gets busy with coursework, but it's important to make time for yourself.

10 am — Staying organized

If you're planning to take a full course load, as I am right now, it can be easy to fall behind on class assignments. I check my calendar daily, and check items off my list as I complete them — this helps to keep me productive. I highly recommend keeping a calendar of all your important class work, and the extracurriculars you would like to participate in, in order to keep everything organized. Whether you go paper-based or digital is up to you!

11:30 am — The Glendon Forest

After commuting to school by car, I arrive at the Glendon Stairs. If you're looking for a free daily workout, make sure to buy a parking pass for Glendon's lower lot. To get to campus, I will climb up about 100 steps. I'm still working on my breathing techniques, but it's seriously a beautiful walk up through the forest.

12 pm — Class

I try to arrive at least 15 minutes before class. Of course, I can't control traffic, but my goal is always to arrive early. For class, I typically bring my laptop, a notebook, pens, my calendar, any required books/reading materials, my phone charger, a water bottle, and food. Most professors will allow for a 10-15 minute break halfway through the class, while others may choose to end the class early.

3 pm — Return home

Once class ends, I most often rush home to complete homework assignments, walk my dog, and eventually eat dinner. Some nights I tutor to fulfil an Education degree requirement, while other nights I go to group workouts with my mom. There are times when I may stay on campus longer to hang out with friends, work a few hours at my part-time job in the recruitment office, or participate in an event, but it depends on the day.

10:45 pm — Sleep

Make sure to get enough sleep. I'm guilty of starting an assignment last minute, and staying up late to complete my work, but with an irregular schedule, sleep is so important. Especially if you're choosing to commute, you need to sleep. Find a bedtime routine that works for you!

This is simply an example of one day in my life, as seen on TikTok, but each day and class looks a little different. Try to create a class schedule that works for you, and maintain a routine as much as possible. As well, it's always beneficial to book a meeting with an academic advisor.

Good luck in your degree!