Attendees of our High School Summer Scholars Program share a typical day in the program.
A Day in the Life of Sarah from Boston
I enrolled in two courses, Biomedical Ethics and Biology of the Brain. I typically started my day around 9:00am. I liked to spend my mornings either journaling or doing yoga in my room, and then I would head to breakfast with friends. My classes met each day from 11:00am-12:45pm and 1:00-2:45pm, so I always made sure to have a good breakfast (the DUC had awesome hot breakfasts), and then I would have a hearty snack between classes and a late lunch which worked well for me. After classes, I would meet my study group in Bauer Hall. We would talk about content from class and make plans for how to study for our upcoming exams. The program assistants that led the groups were really great at helping us stay on task and organized!
After study group, I would head back to the residence hall. The college planning seminars were usually at 4:00pm, so I liked to attend those as often as possible. The advice in these sessions was invaluable, and I appreciated the personalized feedback on my essay and resume. After college planning, I would head to the South 40 Fitness Center to work out for a bit. After working out, my friends and I would usually grab dinner on campus and then study. Our favorite study spot was the Newman Exploration Center in Olin Library.
James Byard/Washington University
We got back to the residence hall around 8:30pm and signed in for the night. There were always fun social events happening. My favorites were the arts and crafts nights when we painted or made friendship bracelets. It was so relaxing and really fun to meet other students in the program and hear about their day. I also liked to spend time in my suite talking with my suitemates. We were all in different classes, so it was cool to hear about what they were learning. I would head to my bedroom around 10:30pm. On busy days I would go right to sleep, but other times I might read for a bit or watch a show. I really liked that the program allowed me to organize my own time outside of classes and offered so many great opportunities to socialize and practice healthy habits. My time management skills were much improved by attending this program.
A Day in the Life of Jack from San Diego
I enrolled in Social Problems and Social Issues which met each day from 9:00-10:45am. I usually started my day around 7:30am. There were a few of us with 9:00am classes, so we would meet in the lobby of the residence hall and go to breakfast together. After breakfast, I would head to class. I really loved my class, but there was a lot of reading. I liked to stay on top of my reading so right after class I went to my favorite reading spot in the Law Library.
I usually met up with friends for lunch. Bauer Hall has great lunch choices, and it wasn't as crowded as some of the other dining halls on campus, so it was our favorite lunch spot. After lunch I met with my study group and then I would head back to the residence hall. There was always things to do around the residence halls: puzzles, board games, scavenger hunts, basketball games, so it was pretty easy to find someone to hangout with. I also liked to go to the Millbrook pool on really hot days.
One of my favorite parts about the program was getting to go off campus and exploring St. Louis in the evenings. My friends and I loved to go to dinner on the Delmar Loop. So many great restaurants, and it wasn't too far of a walk from campus! After dinner, I'd head back to the residence hall and wrap-up any homework or studying I needed to do. The residence hall was really quiet at night, so it was easy to study and just rest after a busy day. My greatest takeaway from the program was learning how to balance my academic responsibilities with social activities. It's a skill I am definitely taking with me to college.
