Leavey Ambassadors Program Blogs

A Week at Leavey

Wondering what life is like as a Leavey Student? Here’s what I experience in a typical week of classes, campus life, and exploring Silicon Valley.

Being in Santa Clara has allowed me to explore an exciting city and lifestyle while studying at an excellent school and developing habits that I will carry into my early adult life. A week in my and many other Leavey students’ lives involve studying, extracurriculars, meeting with friends, and time for other personal goals.

My week is largely structured by my class schedule. Most Leavey students take 16-20 units, or four to five courses, per quarter. In any given quarter, I have one to three classes per day, meaning two to six hours in each day are dedicated to class time. I generally spend two to four hours each week on homework for each class, although workload varies widely by class. For example, I am currently taking a tax accounting class and will spend about two hours a week doing homework and recapping concepts learned in class to prepare for midterms. I have found that these class schedules have left plenty of time to study, hang out with friends, and take care of other personal goals, while also enjoying free time most days!

In addition to classes, my schedule is also made up of extracurricular activities that often vary by quarter. Previously as a Peer Educator for the Business Law course, I would meet with students each week to discuss assignments and walk through legal concepts. This quarter, as part of my work as a Religious Studies minor, I meet weekly with my professors and mentors to discuss research projects in theology, ethics, and Catholic current events. As a peer advisor, I also meet each quarter with students to guide them through course planning and class registration.

After my classes and extracurricular commitments, the rest of my week revolves around meeting with my friends and accomplishing my own goals. I often study with my friends, whether at our apartments/dorms, in the library, or at local coffee shops. My accounting major friends and I love to go to Lucas Hall (the business school) at night before tests and work on problems on the white boards. We also prioritize exercising throughout the week and will go to the Malley gym in the morning or late at night. 

Outside of school, I spend a lot of time playing ping pong wherever we can find an open table! Additionally, I’ll golf on the weekends, play basketball at Malley, and relax with friends while sharing our favorite memes and reels. However, my favorite activity is to go out for meals and explore restaurants around the area! Some of my favorite spots are Sue’s Gallery Cafe, Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company, and In-N-Out. I also really value having downtime most days to relax and enjoy time with myself, which involves catching up on my favorite podcasts and watching my favorite sports teams’ games. 

Ultimately, Leavey demands a rigorous week of classes, studying, and extracurriculars. However, I have found that myself and other students have plenty of time to make friends and enjoy their favorite shared hobbies. Additionally, the great community and people at Leavey make working hard and attending classes and activities something that I look forward to every day! 

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