“A Day in the Life of an English Major” is pretty much what it says on the tin: A look at how the elusive Rice English major spends their time each day. Do they really spend six hours a day reading Mark Twain up in a tree, as the pre-med students suspect? Do they hide out in the library waxing poetic about Sylvia Plath, like the Econ majors hypothesize? Find out in this month’s edition of “A Day in the Life of an English Major.”

This month’s spotlight is on Laura Fagbemi, a Hanszen senior who currently serves as the English Undergraduate Association President. Laura is double majoring in English and Social Policy Analysis with a minor in Politics, Law, and Social Thought. After graduating, she plans to stay in Houston and find an entry-level job in law or policy for a year or two before applying to law school.

Here’s how Laura describes her typical day:

9:00 AM- I usually wake up to my phone alarm. Actually, I wake up to several of them, because I’m not a morning person. I drink water or iced coffee, feed my very vocal and hungry cat, Catco, and put together an outfit and simple makeup look. 

10:30 AM- Since I’m not a big morning person, I tend to strategically schedule my classes to be later in the morning or afternoon. My mornings often consist of Zoom meetings with faculty partners for my SOPA (social policy analysis) capstone, which focuses on the effectiveness of recent reforms made to the bail system in El Paso, Texas.

11:30 AM- I live OC (off campus), so I tend to drive to campus around lunchtime and grab a bite at one of the serveries or at Brochstein Pavilion, where Little Kitchen is. 

12:00 PM- After a quick meal, I might work on some English assignments in the library. Fondy 4th (the fourth floor of the Fondren Library) is my favorite place to write papers or browse the stacks. My recent English work has been a series of essays for my ENGL 410 capstone project, which focuses on the intertwined histories of horror media and racial fear-mongering in America, and studies how many of our modern cultural notions of terror, fear, and disgust are informed by ideas of racial non-normativity.

1:00 PM- It’s the winter break now, but during the semester I spent many afternoons in the social sciences building Kraft Hall, where I have meetings for my SOPA Capstone in the Texas Policy Lab’s Conference Room. Kraft also has tons of great study spots, and it’s right next to Hanszen, so I like to catch up on readings or emails there between classes. 

5:30 PM- At dinner time, the Hanszen terrace is a nice quiet place to eat and catch up on readings or plan EUA events like study breaks, panels, and selling merch! I’m so excited for our new merchandise coming out next year.

7:00 PM- As a member of Basmati Beats—Rice’s South-Asian fusion a cappella group—I attend and help run team rehearsals three times a week. I’ve been a member of BB since I was a freshman—and now I’m a captain—which is crazy to think about. I’m so grateful for the intimate sense of community we’re able to foster while learning intercultural music.

8:00 PM- If I don’t have too much work, I try to hit the gym two or three times a week. I especially love weightlifting because it gives me a chance to connect with my body and check in with myself. I find that the intensity of each rep requires all my focus, which helps take my mind off of other emotional or mental stress. 

9:00 PM- After evening meetings or rehearsals, I usually go home around 9 pm. I do my weekly house chores based on the chart we keep in our kitchen. Then I shower, hang out with my roommates, and decompress with a good nighttime skincare routine.

10:00 PM- Unless I have extra readings to catch up on, I like to listen to podcasts and watch documentaries before bed. One of the podcasts I’ve been interested in lately is Dark History with Bailey Sarian. It features episodes about chilling but obscure (often deliberately obscured) events or disasters in history—like the Tulsa Massacre or the history of birth control in the U.S.; events that often reflect the social tensions of the historical contexts in which they took place. She’s a great storyteller, and you learn a lot listening to it. 

12:00 AM- I try to go to bed around midnight or soon afterward so I can wake up in eight hours and do it all over again. Goodnight!

Come back next month for another issue of “A Day in the Life of an English Major.” Any English major who wants to be featured in an upcoming issue can let us know via the Submissions page. Until next time!