A Day in the Life of a Harris Student

This week kicks off the start of the Autumn Quarter here at the University of Chicago and Harris Public Policy! Thanks to Laurel Harnett, Class of 2019, for providing us with a snapshot in the busy day of a Harris student. 

via GIPHY

6-7 a.m.: Wake up and pour a big cup of coffee

There are no 8 a.m. classes during the core so I am taking advantage of leisurely mornings while I can!

7-7:45 a.m.: Get in a workout

So hard to do because I want to sleep longer. When I can’t drag myself out of bed, I make sure to at least go for a walk to Promontory Point.

7:50-8:30 a.m.: Get ready for the day

There’s a Lunch and Learn today, so no need to worry about that. There’s almost always free food available for students at Harris. Don’t forget to pack some snacks! Even with a free lunch, busy days require extra fuel and I save a few bucks by bringing my own.

9-10:20 a.m.: Analytical Politics I

In this core course, I’ll learn about game theory and decision trees between an agent and a principal, for example.

10:30-11:50 a.m.: Statistics I: Data Analysis

Here I’ll learn how to complete and interpret a Stata output table. 

12-1:00 p.m.: Lunch and Learn at the Institute of Politics

Take advantage of all the lunchtime lectures that are offered across the University! I like to frequent the events of David Axelrod's Institute of Politics here at UChicago, where distinguished guests across the political spectrum come to speak to students and the public. 

1-1:45 p.m.: Break

Here, I like to catch up on emails, take a walk to the quad with my friends, or attend Stata Bar to get my coding questions answered from a Teaching Assistant.

2-6:30 p.m.: Work Shift

On campus jobs are convenient because the hours are flexible around your academic schedule. UChicago Grad and HarrisLink are great resources to find an on campus job. I am a research assistant with the Behavioral Insights and Parenting Lab and a student ambassador with admissions. 

6:30-7 p.m.: Grab a quick dinner from home or on the go

Favorites: Jimmy Johns, Starbucks, and the Regenstein Library cafe. Visiting campus? Check out other student recommendations here! 

7 p.m.: Meet with problem set group

My groups would always attempt the problem sets before meeting up so that we can talk through them. From there we can create a master problem set to submit. It’s a much faster way to work with your fellow Harristas.

~8:30-11 p.m.: Homework (just one more pset) and study time

My friends and I practically live at the Harper Library; we get to spend time together and bounce ideas off each other.

11:30 p.m.: RELAX/NETFLIX/SLEEP

Get ready to do it all again tomorrow!