A Day in the Life of an International Student

Bianca Revenga shares a day in her life at Felician University

Hello all, my name is Bianca Revenga, and I will share a day in my life as an international student at Felician University. Since I am also a student-athlete, I wake up at 5:30am every morning to attend soccer practice. After soccer practice, I head to breakfast with my teammates and normally have scrambled eggs, coffee, and some fruits. When I’m done, my day as a student officially starts.

My classes

Regularly my class day starts at 11:25 and ends at around 3:30, but it depends a lot on the day. I really enjoy my classes because the classes are relatively small, and the professors are always there to help with everything. Professors have office hours, which are moments where you can go into their office and ask them questions about the homework or any assignment you do not understand.

The rest of my day

After classes, I work as a student worker at the Office of International Programs, which is a job I enjoy very much. When my workday is done, I head to the gym to get some extra work done and then return to my dorm to work on my homework. Around 7:00 I go to the cafeteria again to have dinner with my roommates and my friends. Then I return to my room to do some more homework, then hang out in the living room with my friends watching a movie or just talking, and around 10:30pm I go to bed.

Why I chose Felician

I decided to attend Felician because of the soccer and the pre-physical therapy undergraduate degree they offer. When Coach Aris offered me a spot on the team, I knew I had to come to Felician. Being a student-athlete might be stressful at times, but it also has a lot of rewards. As a student-athlete, I need to manage my time effectively and efficiently because I need to excel on the field and in the classroom. Playing a sport has a positive effect on my education because it has helped me learn things that are not learned in a classroom such as dealing with people from different parts of the world and finding solutions for problems fast.

The Felician women’s soccer team

My job

Another important part of my day is my job. Working at the Office of International Programs has been a great experience for me because I have learned how to effectively complete all of my tasks at the office, which includes emails and phone calls from people from all around the world. Finding a job on campus is not hard at all, and the application process is very easy.

Different departments and offices start posting their job openings on a platform called Handshake, and from there you can speak directly to the person in charge of the application process. My hours accommodate my school and soccer schedule. I’m very thankful that I have an opportunity to work on campus and gain experience.

Time with friends

My friends and I enjoy hanging out in the quad, and during the day we play some music and play with a soccer ball. At night we make s’mores on the quad, and we organize movie rooms inside our dorm room and invite our friends from school. There is always something to do at school because almost every evening there are activities such as bingo, paint night, yoga night, and many others!

My campus and fun

Something that I really like about being here is that Rutherford, New Jersey, is a very calm place perfect for studying, going to class, and playing a sport. But, if you want to go to a crowded place and enjoy the craziness for a while, New York City is less than 30 minutes away! I really enjoy walking around Central Park in the city, and I also love visiting places like SoHo, the Chelsea Market, and the Meatpacking District. For me visiting the city is always impressive, and every time I go, I learn something new about it!

What I love

I really enjoy my time at Felician University because even though my schedule seems very tight and strict, I have time for everything, and there is always time to have fun. Another thing I really enjoy is that New York City is incredibly close, and there are always new things to discover in the city. Students are very nice to each other, and they understand the struggles an international student can have so they are always available to help.