A Day in the Life: An Athlete Who Is Active on Campus

Arianna smiling at the camera. Text reads: Brandeis, A day in the life of Arianna J. '25

By Arianna J. ’25

(she/her/hers)

Wednesday

6:30 a.m.

Getting an early start to the day.

I start my day rather early. As a member of the Brandeis women’s varsity volleyball team, this is nothing new to me. I have to wake up early for team practices and lifts throughout the regular and spring seasons.

In the fall, we practice almost every day and have anywhere between two and five games per week. It is a short season, starting in late August and ending in mid-November, so we make the most out of the time we get.

Computer and breakfast plate on a table
Scrambled eggs with cheese to start the day.

I want to take time to enjoy my morning while being productive. Typically, my morning routine consists of planning out the perfect outfit for my day. I love fashion, so a cute outfit can lead to a great day. I have a long day ahead of me, and I need all the time I can get. I prepare my bag for the day and all that is to come.

7 a.m.

The most important meal of the day

I make my way down to Usdan and grab breakfast. As many say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. My favorite breakfast food is scrambled eggs with cheese, but when I’m on the go I’ll take a protein smoothie. I find a place for myself to get some reading and notes done before class. This helps me physically and mentally prepare for my day.

A professor teaches at the front of a classroom
Environmental Law and Policy, with legal studies lecturer Julia Sauve.

8:30-9:55 a.m.

Environmental Law and Policy

I have my first class of the day, Environmental Law and Policy, with legal studies lecturer Julia Sauve. This class excites me because, ideally, this is what I would like to do with my career. It’s quite intriguing.

Today, we broke down two cases, taking a deeper dive into common laws such as public and private nuisance. One of the cases was Missouri v. Illinois, which focused on the discharge and regulations of pollution into Lake Michigan. The issue was the pollution was affecting drinking water for local people.

In class, we broke down who was responsible for what damage and if the initial ruling was just.

10 a.m.

Friends, film, and environmental justice

Right after class, I have more work to do, so I head to the library. I’m joined by friends to watch a movie, “Home,” for my environmental film and environmental justice class.

12 p.m.

Scheduled downtime for reading

Closeup of a laptop in a classroom
My view for Environment Film, Environmental Justice today.

I head back to my room to eat lunch and get ready for the rest of my classes. Usually at 12:20 p.m. I have my Black Feminist Thought class, but today we are not meeting in person. Our professor wanted to give us enough time to read the books for the next class. Our current book is “Paradise” by Toni Morrison. The author-narrated audio version is excellent, and I can’t wait to discuss it. Other great books we’ll read this semester are “Sula” and “Wildseed.”

1:20-2:10 p.m.

Environmental Film, Environmental Justice

My last class of the day focuses on looking at films and examining the perspective, meaning, and thought put into them as it relates to environmental justice (or injustice). Currently, we are talking about decolonization and ways films portray the “current” nature of cultures and environments around the world.

Once this class is over I go to Upper Usdan, grab a smoothie to refuel, and prepare for my internship. 

2:30-4:30 p.m.

Internship

Hand weights
Evening at Gosman. Time to lift!

My spring semester internship is with Massachusetts State Representative Tram Nguyen. I typically work three days a week. The internship is currently virtual due to COVID regulations at the State House. My responsibilities include assisting Representative Nguyen’s office with social media posts, infographics, and research preparation for hearings and meetings.

5 p.m.

Workout

After I finish my internship, I head to Gosman to get a workout in. Our team lifts and practices are held on Mondays and Fridays, so today is a solo workout for me. I take the time to do this every day because it keeps me in shape and ready for the season. I don’t only owe it to my teammates, but also to myself, to be in the best form possible. Working out allows me to be physically and mentally aligned. 

6 p.m.

Dinner and downtime with teammates

Four people smile for the camera in a dining hall
Dinner with teammates!

Once I have completed my workout, I grab dinner with a couple of my teammates. We go to Usdan and order dinner from the Hive Culinary Studio. We sit down and enjoy a well-deserved meal after putting in work at the gym.

7 p.m.

I have two meetings to attend tonight, so I head to my room for a bit to relax before my evening of meetings starts.

8 p.m.

Brandeis Black Student Organization

My first meeting of the evening is with the Brandeis Black Student Organization. It’s the first meeting of the semester, so we do introductions and have an exciting “Battle of the Beats.”

A meeting room filled with attendees
Settling in with the BBSO.

“Battle of the Beats” is where you break off into teams and have a musical face-off. The audience votes for the “better” song and that team advances to the next round. You can do it in bracket style or by points. Each round is a different music genre. For example, the first round could be ’90s rap, while the next could be the best breakup song. Unfortunately, I have to leave early because my second meeting is at 8:45.

8:45-10 p.m.

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

My second meeting is with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. This committee has representatives from each team to communicate news and updates about all things going on with athletics. We meet biweekly and always have something to talk about. Let’s go, Judges!

10:30 p.m.

Get ready for bed and wind down

Finally, after a long day, I head back to my room to do a little bit more homework and wind down with my roommate. With that, we end the day!