When I was preparing for college, my biggest question was what was it like being a student at Chadron State College? I wanted to know how classes worked, what people did with their time between classes, and how to balance the day. Although every student has a different experience it might be interesting to share what my day is usually like.

Morning

Since I live on campus, mornings are really smooth for me. I can get up and head to class, a four-minute walk away, and grab breakfast all within an hour or less. The Eagle Market, located in the Student Center, has breakfast sandwiches and coffee to go so you can stop in and take it to class if you are in a rush. Some mornings I have a little extra time and I’ll eat in the Dining Room that has breakfast foods like fruit, cereal, waffles, eggs, and other options.

Class sizes are one of my favorite things about CSC. They are small (average class size is 14) and you get to have a more interactive college experience. I can get to know my peers and professors better and build good connections. As an English major, I have quite a few of the same people in classes so I get to build relationships and always have someone to ask for notes if I miss class. One of the most useful things is that in every building there is some sort of study room. If I have a small break between classes and don’t want to go to the dorms there are lounge areas to do homework or just relax. Doing a little homework throughout the day when I have time is one of the best tips I can offer to new college students.

Afternoon

Lunch time can be pretty busy on campus because students are getting out of class, athletes are heading to or from practice, and everyone is hungry. I normally grab some tacos or wraps from the Eagle Market to fuel me through the afternoon. There is a recreation area in the student center called The Pit. In this area, there are pool tables, ping-pong, mini basketball, video games, board games, and cards for students and guests to use. This is always a good place to take a break or just hang out during the lunch rush to get some socializing in. I usually meet friends in the Student Center to catch up on the day, hang out, and eat together. After lunch, I either go to work or do homework in the library. The library is one of my favorite places to study. On days I’m not studying I’m working on campus, so it makes getting to my job easy and it flows with my schedule really well. I get the chance to tutor and mentor a freshmen English class. It is an amazing experience to get a feel of what I want to do in the future, and the college helped me get the chance to do this. There are internships and jobs available on campus which I highly recommend. They work with your class schedule and if you live on campus it makes getting to work really easy. In the afternoon I also usually get a workout in at the NPAC. It has a weight room and cardio room, but there are also free classes like Zumba and Spin. CSC has a lot of fitness resources so students can stay healthy and active.

Evening

During the week, evenings are usually composed of me doing homework and hanging out with friends. Maybe even doing a study group at a local coffee shop. I usually do as much homework as I can during the week to open up my weekends. Weekends in Chadron can be so much fun. I love to attend sporting events and other activities on campus. Students, CSC employees, and community members come to the games and pack the stands. That makes the environment exciting. Sometimes clubs hand out free T-shirts at the games or raffle off prizes for students.

Some of my days do look the same and are repetitive, but having a good schedule and things planned out every day is an efficient way to manage time. But there’s always space to add events, studying time, and coffee dates with my friends. I really like being on campus and close to all the college events, classes, and my work. Everyone’s day looks different on campus but that doesn’t make anyone’s experience less enjoyable.