Written by Anjali Mehta (University of Virginia), Student Correspondent for CET Siena, Spring 2024
8:00 AM
Wake up! I wake up and get ready usually around 8 to 8:30 AM, even though my first class isn’t until 11 AM. I like to rise early and have peaceful, slow mornings. I usually get ready, eat breakfast, and do some homework. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and Italians don’t really do big breakfasts. So, I have taken it upon myself to try to make it for myself each day. Then, on the way to classes, I usually grab a cappuccino.
8:30 AM
Today’s schedule is slightly different because I volunteer at the local Siena High School on Tuesdays! Some of our CET professors overlap as teachers at this high school, so we have had the opportunity to meet the students here and learn about the Computer Science program, as well as volunteer in the English classes. It is such a fun experience and I love speaking with the students. I arrive at the CET center in the morning and start the roughly 20-minute walk to the high school. Here are some friends that I’ll be volunteering with!
11:00 AM
After volunteering, I go straight to the CET center for the first class of the day, Italian! The class sizes here are very small, and because of that, it’s so easy to have a personal relationship with the professors. That is something I am not used to due to the size of my university, and the experience here has been very refreshing. Next I have Discrete Math and Theory, which is one of the computer science courses for my major. I love taking computer science courses in Siena because I feel like I am engaged with the material and learning so much.
1:30 PM
Tuesday and Thursday are my shorter school days, so I’m done! Now, I am going to stop by Piazza del Campo, the central piazza, to unwind and read a bit before heading back to my apartment. Relaxing and reading by myself with this beautiful scenery before me has truly been so great.
2:30 PM
Now it’s time to make lunch! One of my favorite things about cooking here is that since we have a smaller kitchen space and the grocery store is a 5-minute walk away, I can always eat what I am craving! Today, I warmed up some soup from the grocery store and made a pesto mozzarella grilled sandwich.
3:30 PM
Getting some exercise! I did some yoga in my room to unwind. I love yoga, and it’s really important for me to make time to do it.
7:30 PM
Finally, dinner time! 7:30 is actually very early for dinner for Italians, but some days I just can’t wait. I picked up a pizza from the shop right next door to me and devoured the whole thing. Living in a 10-person apartment is so fun because my roommates eat meals together. The apartment is always lively.
9:00 PM
Now I do some homework and weekend trip planning with my roommate to wind down for the night. I get daily homework from my Italian class and occasional homework from my Computer Science classes. I like to review my notes before classes as well to make sure all of the content is still fresh.
10:30 PM
Sleep! I like to sleep early when I get the chance to because it sets me up for a great day. Thanks for coming along on my day today!