A Student in the Eternal City.
The number one question I get in my DMs is what a typical day at university looks like for me. As a 19-year-old living in Rome, Italy, and going to John Cabot University, an American university in the heart of Rome, it’s safe to say that no day is alike. I’d consider myself a very organized person who needs structure to function. Realistically, however, that can’t always be the case. Nonetheless, this is what a typical day generally looks like.
Mondays and Wednesdays are my busiest university days, with three classes from 11:30 AM to 5:45 PM. I start my day around 9 AM, walking to school by 10 AM. I always stop by Naturasi, a natural market, to grab an organic plum cake and cappuccino. I usually have around an hour before class starts, so I tend to sit in one of the courtyards at my uni to revise before the day begins. These classes are also the most labour-intensive for me, as they all require ample studying.
Luckily, I have a break after my first class. This break often involves my best friend and I working for the entire 2.5 hours at the university library. If not there, we’re at our favorite lunch spot studying. Mammò Trastevere has the best American coffee in Rome. It truly tastes like home, and they have the best American lunch known to man. Genuinely, this is a JCU classic. Our other favorite place to revise is Meccanismo, also in Trastevere, where we usually have afternoon tea.
After this break, it’s two more classes back to back. Once they finish, I always walk back to my accommodation. It’s about a 30-minute walk, but the perfect time to relax and listen to music while moving through the city. This semester I’ve gotten quite good at making my own meals, as I’ve found a new love for taking time to do things slowly and actually enjoying the process, especially when it comes to cooking.
After some more revising, I’ll go on a run. I usually do a light 5k jog to clear my mind, and I find it to be the best way to see Rome. On my run I see the Vatican in the background and my favorite monument, Il Vittoriano, also known as the wedding cake. Absolutely stunning.
Lately I’ve really been prioritizing self-care, journaling every night. While journaling is quite new to me, I make sure to set aside time every night to write a page. Whatever I’m thinking in the moment, don’t think, just write. I never look back. I like to note what song I’m listening to, what time I started writing, and the location I’m writing that entry in. Most times, I’m at home, of course. Some light reading after, and lights out by midnight.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are definitely more manageable, allowing most of my studying to get done. It’s also nice because my university only has classes from Monday to Thursday, which gives students a longer weekend and encourages traveling. My morning on these days starts around 8 AM and, just like Mondays and Wednesdays, I walk to school and stop by Naturasi on the way. I usually have about an hour to revise before my two classes, which are back to back, and I finish around 1 PM.
Since my classes end early, I tend to spend the afternoon at a café or rooftop studying and working on The Expat Editorial, usually with tea in hand. My most recent fixation has been the Nomos Hotel, which has a stunning brutalist interior and feels like a creative space that constantly inspires me. After a few hours I’ll walk home, unless I decide to spend time exploring the city a bit more. Then it’s a run, followed by my usual evening routine.
My weekdays are routine and not always overly exciting, just the reality of being a university student in Rome, Italy. Movement, studying, rituals, and small moments that make this city feel like mine. Then the weekend arrives, and Rome becomes something else entirely. A presto!
