June 23, 2022 by

What Does a Day in the Life of a Cedarville Student Look Like for Me? 

Everyone’s routine and schedule at Cedarville looks different — especially from major to major. Here is what a normal day looks like for me on campus, and I hope my routine gives you a good idea of what to expect! 

Before Classes 

It took me a while before I got into the habit, but I always start my mornings now reading my Bible and praying, normally for at least 30 minutes. Before Cedarville, this was a struggle for me, but after taking The Bible and The Gospel and Old Testament Literature (two of the Bible minor courses), I know how to better read a passage and relate it to the Bible’s cohesive story. Those classes also taught me how to strengthen my prayer life, starting each prayer with praise and gratitude. This helps me start every day focused on God.
After reading my Bible, I eat a quick breakfast in the dorm — usually an apple and a slice of toast. Some students prefer eating at the dining hall, but I like to spend less money on the meal plan and spend more time sleeping in. Then, of course, I get dressed and ready for classes! This also includes making sure I have everything for the day — my notebooks and textbooks for whatever classes I have that day, my chapel notebook, my laptop and charger, a full water bottle, and maybe a snack. 

Chapel and Classes 

I make sure to leave 10 minutes before my first class, so I have time to walk across campus without rushing. Morning classes can be nice because you get them out of the way early, get productive earlier, and finish classes early in the day as well, but some semesters I don’t have any classes until after chapel, which is also nice because I get to sleep later!
At 10 a.m. the whole student body gathers in the Jeremiah Chapel to worship God with music and listen to a sermon, from either a professor on campus or a guest speaker. As a freshman, I was worried chapel would get time-consuming and tedious. But after two years attending Cedarville, I still love and appreciate chapel, especially because it is built-in time for my friends and I to meet with all the other students as a community and remember what’s most important. If anything, it’s a time to leave behind the stress and schedules of busy student life and focus on God and the rest He brings us.
After chapel, I’ll head to one of the dining locations at Cedarville for lunch with my friends! The dining hall is a great choice because of its variety — everything from sandwiches, to salads, burgers, pizza, burritos, to whatever new dish the dining hall workers have at home-cooking. Some people prefer to eat lunch at Chick-fil-A across the lake, however, and maybe get a milkshake, too (Dr. White would recommend the cookies and cream milkshake). Tossed is right next door, and they have personal pizzas, chips, soups-of-the-day, salads, and wraps! Finally, if none of those sound good, I’ll head to Stinger’s where I love ordering specialty items off the menu, like the spicy chicken Stinger’s sandwich, or the chicken Rah-cue wrap.
Lunch normally lasts an hour, so around 11:50 a.m. I will head to my 12 p.m. class! For the next few hours, I’ll finish my other classes of the day and spend any free hours or breaks working on homework. I find it’s a lot easier to do homework between classes when you’re already in class-mode than when you’re finished for the day and return to the dorm with friends. The library is a great place to study away from distractions, but I also sometimes work on homework alongside my fellow English majors in the ELML lounge or by the big windows in the Center for Biblical and Theological Studies (or BTS). 

After Classes 

How I spend my time after classes depends on the day and what I have going on! Often, I need to use the time before dinner finishing my homework and studying, but if I’ve used my time wisely throughout the day, and don’t have any big papers, then I won’t have much more to do. Other days I’ll just take some down-time in the dorms and catch up with the friends in my hall.
Then, around 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., my friends and I will all meet up for dinner somewhere on campus. Or, if we want to change things up a bit, we can eat off campus! There are plenty of options in the surrounding towns like Xenia and Springfield, but there’s a surprising number of restaurants even in the tiny town of Cedarville. Mom and Dad’s Dairy Bar and Grill is right across the street, and they have burgers, hot dogs, wraps, and so many appetizers — also the best ice cream in town! There’s also Colonial Pizza (probably my personal favorite), Lola’s Mexican Restaurant, and a café/coffee shop, Beans-N-Cream.
After dinner, the last few hours of the evening either go to finishing homework, spending time with friends in the dorm, going to an org event, or working a shift. The past two years I’ve worked at the dining hall, helping clean after the gate goes down. I’ve enjoyed that job since I’ve been here, especially because I get all the inside information about how the dining hall operates and can listen to music or an audio book while I’m wiping tables and sweeping. There are many other on-campus job opportunities, too, and it’s a great way to make money and add to your resume while also serving the student body.

Tips on Making Your Own Routine 

Everyone’s routine will look different, but it’s important to have some sort of schedule to follow throughout the week so you don’t lose track of time or tasks. Once I receive my class schedule, I’ll plan the rest of my time around that. Most of the time, it’s necessary to make a list of priorities: Spending at least a bit of time with God and reading your Bible is top of the list, then homework and work (if you have a job), and then time to rest and spend time with friends. The biggest tip I learned at college, though, is while homework mostly comes before rest and friends, sometimes you need to prioritize homework less, so you don’t burn out. If you start classes believing you need to give 100% of your energy to every homework assignment, you won’t have time for anything but homework, and you won’t feel anything but stress. That’s why learning to balance time between all the other good things Cedarville life has to offer — Bible reading and chapel, community with friends, and org events — is vital. Building a healthy and varied routine takes time, but with the support of my friends and professors, and a habit of reading my Bible, I quickly learned how to make the most of my time at Cedarville! 

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