A Day in the Life of an Honor Student

It’s hard to imagine a better example of a student who’s “getting the most out of college” than Reaghan Ard. Her passion is palpable, her curiosity is contagious, and her schedule is more jam-packed than some heads of state.

For many young adults, college is when the world begins to open up to you. Choosing to say “yes!” to as many opportunities as possible is one of the most impactful moves you can make. It’s important to strike a balance, though; make sure that schoolwork and self also get the attention they deserve.

Reaghan excels at all the above. Come along to experience a day in her life as an Honors student at the University of South Florida. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. Try to keep up!

Wake Up and Prepare for the Day

Reaghan’s alarm rings at 7:00 a.m. and she hops out of bed, well-rested. She takes sleep hygiene seriously, which helps her maintain energy throughout the day.

Her morning routine is simple, but she still allows herself plenty of time to get ready. “I just feel better when I wake up early,” she said. Today, it consists of light makeup and hair styling — a little self-care to make her feel ready to conquer the day.

Music really sets the tone for Reaghan’s morning, though. She requires no fancy sound system; she just drops her phone in a plastic cup to amplify the volume. She’s a major Swiftie, so Taylor is her pick today, but her taste is eclectic. Another time, she might choose Elton John or Fleetwood Mac for a mellow vibe, or go back to her Nashville roots and play somethin’ country.

Ready for action, she’s out the door by 8:00 a.m.

Work in the Morning

This semester, Reaghan’s schedule was shaken up. Normally, she prefers to take morning classes, but she’s a third-year student now, and the courses she needs to graduate all start at 11:00 a.m. or later. So, instead of class, Reaghan goes to work.

Here’s where the concept of “a day in the life” gets complicated by Reaghan’s sheer number of obligations. She’s got several jobs, and each shift is carefully placed onto her weekly calendar like pieces of a puzzle. Monday after Monday flows the same, but Tuesdays have their own rhythm, and so on.

Reaghan spends some mornings at her new internship under Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell. She’s dual-majoring, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy (plus a minor in biology), so working for the highest-ranking Democrat in the state House of Representatives is sure to be a transformative experience.

Today, though, she heads to the Judy Genshaft Honors College (JGHC) building to serve as an Honors ambassador — the perfect job for someone who’s quick to say flattering things like this: “I feel lucky to be an Honors student because it is genuinely such an incredible community. I haven’t seen community like this very often. It’s cool to be at such a large research university but also have the JGHC, where it’s almost like a small liberal arts college within the greater USF.”

Reaghan loves the variety of unique courses, the experiential programs, and the exclusive resources available to Honors students, like recording studios and an industrial kitchen, but another aspect really stands out. “The people working in the Honors College are truly invested in the students, and it’s a really special feeling,” she said.

As an Honors ambassador, Reaghan works as a receptionist on the upper floors, checking people in and delivering mail. She gets to be the first smiling face that greets people as they enter and exit the space. Sometimes, when things are slow, she’s allowed to knock out some of her schoolwork, freeing up some time later.

Afternoon Classes or Outdoor Recreation

Clocking out from job number one, Reaghan heads to class. Along the way, she may pop into Chick-fil-A or Starbucks, both near the Honors College, and take brunch on the move.

Reaghan’s current class schedule reflects her dual passions of the environment and public policy. She’s taking five courses:

• Climate Change

• Sustainable Healthy Environments

• Global Conservation

• Introduction to Political Theory

• Violence in Modern Thought

These are all upper-level electives, fulfilling many of the remaining credit requirements for her degrees. Of the four, she’s most excited about Climate Change. She never realized that climate processes were so intricate! The professor does a wonderful job making the concepts digestible, though, and her two close friends in the class have joined her in forming a reliable study group.

At first, Reaghan only wanted to study science at USF, but she realized that science’s impact is limited by what policy allows. Her current path gives her a more holistic view of the relationship between science and society, plus opportunities to explain scientific findings to laypeople. She wants to be a bridge between the two camps.

She has classes four days a week, but most of her class time is packed into just two. When she has no classes, Reaghan instead works for USF Outdoor Recreation. As the program assistant for hiring, marketing, and outreach, she smartly seized the opportunity presented by this article to solicit followers for the Instagram account, @usfoutdoors. But the full scope of her role takes her much further.

She could be scheduled to serve as an attendant at the USF Boathouse or another recreation facility, like the bike repair shop, but she primarily serves as a trip leader for the adventure trip program. She leads outdoor excursions throughout Florida (forests, springs, waterways) and the southeastern United States (backpacking the Appalachian Mountains), but sometimes much further; some of the program's past expeditions have gone to Hawaii and Iceland.

“I’m a cheerleader for them,” she said. “I believe a lot in the program, and they’re like a second family to me at this point.”

Reaghan is looking forward to exploring the Great Smoky Mountains over spring break and summer hikes in Washington state. When big trips are coming up, USF Outdoor Recreation takes up a larger chunk of her schedule.

“It’s so cool to be able to share a hobby I’m passionate about by guiding other people through the outdoors,” she said.

Dinner with Friends

Reaghan’s preferred place to eat dinner is Juniper Dining, conveniently located on the ground floor of the residence hall where she lives and serves as a resident assistant (RA) for the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC). As an RA, she has her on-campus housing and meals covered by USF.

Juniper Dining has an awesome variety of food options across ten stations, but Reaghan has a clear favorite: “The Cuban station is the best! They often have pork, rice, and black beans, and it’s so yummy.” She’s clearly embraced Tampa food culture, which was heavily influenced by Cuban immigrants.

At dinner, Reaghan is joined by her best friend, Delaney. When it’s time for dessert, they work as a team.

Juniper Dining serves an ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookie that’s super soft in the middle but crispy around the edges, and both Reaghan and Delaney love it. Here’s the rub: Reaghan only likes the soft center, while Delaney prefers the edges. Instead of wasting precious cookie, they pull it apart and each take what they want — a sustainable, responsible collaboration that’s been three years in the making.

Free Time

From late afternoon into the evening, Reaghan is free from responsibilities and has time to herself. She reads a lot from a variety of genres, but her favorites are historical fiction “and cheesy romance novels, if I’m being truthful,” she shared with a laugh. “I have a lot going on, so it’s always nice to escape into a book. I like when it sucks you into the world, and if the author does a good job, I learn things.”

But Reaghan prefers to spend this time in the company of friends. Lately, they’ve been screening films for her, concerned by major gaps in her viewing history. She often goes to the movies with them, too — especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when the local AMC Theater offers half-priced tickets. She tracks what she’s seen by writing Letterboxd reviews.

Reaghan’s friends share her love of the outdoors. USF Riverfront Park is a favorite hangout spot for the group, grilling out or planning a potluck picnic. On weekends, they hit Tampa Bay’s world-class beaches or visit one of Florida’s over 1,000 springs. Reaghan and her besties have created a “Florida bucket list” of adventures they want to have while living in the state.

She also stays in touch with family and friends back home through daily calls. Her grandma lives in Tampa Bay, so Reaghan visits her often, too.

“Some people say I'm the busiest person they know, but I don't really feel that way,” she said. “I’m content with my level of busyness and I seldom feel like I don't have enough free time. Of course, there are times when I have too much stuff going on. But I feel like I’m pretty good at keeping that balance.”

The Honors Living Learning Community

As the sun sets, Reaghan returns to Juniper Hall and the Honors LLC. Tonight, she’s on duty as RA. After this, she’ll have several days off.

As RA, she’s responsible for the residents in her pod, which includes a central common area and all the rooms that surround it. “I come home to a bunch of people who are excited to tell me about their day,” she explained. “I get to be a mentor to them.”

Her RA duties look a little different each day. In about a week, she’ll be assigned to remain on call throughout the weekend, just in case one of the LLC residents needs help. Her responsibilities this evening are a little less demanding: She’s leading a Rocky Talk, gathering her pod residents to share updates and build camaraderie. Other times, she arranges events for the pod, like watch parties or craft nights.

Reaghan relishes her role as RA, viewing it as a chance to pay forward the amazing experiences she’s had. “I met my two best friends in the whole world in the LLC,” she recalled. “One was my freshman year roommate — a completely random match. Our biggest issue now," she joked, "is getting people to see us as individuals and not a duo because we are such good friends.”

She sees the next cohort forming the same strong bonds. “My residents have all created this friendship with each other. It's really sweet and special to see how wholesome and organic it is. The LLC hosts events, but I feel like just the nature of the building and the type of people that are in it fosters community so well.”

Winding Down for the Night

Having finished her RA responsibilities (for now), Reaghan returns to her room for the night. If she has homework or studying left to do, she tackles it now, but she prefers to sprinkle it in as time allows throughout the week. Her advanced planning and organizational skills keep the burden spread out evenly, so she rarely has to cram. She’d rather use her time before bed for winding down.

Familiar tunes bookend her day. “When I’m in my room alone, I always play music — whatever I’m feeling,” Reaghan said, with exceptions. “Sometimes, I’ll watch an episode of a show or read a book.” She also paints if she’s feeling up to it, but that’s a hefty time commitment that’s tough to squeeze in. And her best friends visit her room for a girls’ night at least once a week.

However Reaghan chooses to wind down on any given night, it ends at 11:00 p.m. That’s her bedtime, and it’s sacred. As mentioned earlier, she’s big on sleep hygiene, so she always gets eight hours. “My first two years of college, I really struggled with that. I was always wondering why I felt so tired. I decided to make a change. Once I felt my body start to heal and recover through sleep, it was easier to be more productive throughout the day.”

By investing eight hours of her day into sleep — a challenge at first, because there’s always something exciting happening on a USF campus — Reaghan discovered that she was able to maximize the other 16 hours. She says it’s been one of the biggest factors in her success, and she encourages her residents to establish good sleep habits, too.

An Enriching Life at USF

Another major factor in Reaghan’s success has been the people she’s met through all her involvement at USF, particularly in Honors.

“There’s not a day that I enter the Honors College and don’t see someone I know, don’t feel seen,” she said. “Everyone is equally valued, from Dean Adams to the students to the staff members to the custodians.” As part of the first Wilcox Scholars cohort, Reaghan has found ready mentors in Dr. Ralph Wilcox, an Honors professor who is the program’s namesake, and dedicated advisor Kate Ashmore. Her boss in Honors ambassadors, Hannah Craig, has been another tremendous positive influence.

“I know I’m appreciated here,” she added. “I know people are investing in me, and I get to invest back into them and into this place. It’s such an awesome, awesome thing.”

The confidence instilled in Reaghan by her incredible support system has allowed her to flourish at USF, having an enormous impact on the school. Her experiences have shaped her into a compassionate, capable leader with a clear vision of where she’s headed. “I went from knowing nobody to knowing there are people rooting for me,” she said. “It showed me I can do this.”

What Will Your USF Journey Look Like?

Like Reaghan Ard, you’ll find a rich field of opportunity and a caring support system here at USF. You’ll dive into courses that will inspire amazing paradigm shifts and resources that will help you become the best version of yourself. You’ll forge lifelong friendships and create treasured memories.

Imagine what a day in your life could look like as a Bull! I bet it’s amazing, but there’s only one way to find out for sure. Start a conversation with one of our friendly admissions recruiters by calling 813-974-3350 or emailing admissions@usf.edu.

We want to hear about your dream scenario for college. If Honors is part of your vision, apply to the Judy Genshaft Honors College now!

Eager for more? Experience a day in other students’ lives, like lacrosse superstar Sofia Chepenik or digital communication and multimedia journalism major Alisha Durosier. We also have a series of Day in the Life videos you can check out.