International Student Office

So, you want to study abroad in the US? Are you wondering how it will be? What to expect? Here is a typical day of  a CIBU (California International Business University in San Diego) sttudent.

7.00 a.m. – my alarm clock rings. Gosh, it’s far too early to get up, but the sun is shining through my window and I really think it would be a waste of time just to stay in bed. So I decide to get up and make myself a cup of coffee and enjoy it while cooling my feet in the pool. I could spend the whole day doing this, but I guess that wouldn’t be an efficient use of time.

7.15 a.m. – I pick myself up and put my sports kit on, then I head towards Lake Murray for a run. The most stereotypical Americans are passing my way – just the way you would imagine an American. If it isn’t the blond fitness queen with her iPod or the fisherman with his floppy hat and an American flag on his arm, it’s your model American student with either a baseball, basketball or football shirt. Almost an hour later it’s getting too hot for a run so I decide to go straight back home and have a shower.

8.35 a.m. – now is the time when things liven up here (but I guess it is maybe because I’ve smashed a cup making some coffee). My flatmates are getting up.  Since I’m a morning grouch but still have been awake for ages, the atmosphere is quite cheerful. We all start the day with coffees, bagels and the morning sun.

9.55 a.m. – oh no, I forgot to print out my assignment for today’s lecture. Hmm but I think it’s not just me. Half of my flatmates are desperately waiting around the printer trying to use the time left to print out their assignment.

10.00 a.m. – off to the university. Due to our mess with printing out our assignments we are running a bit late today. The debate about who is going to drive was settled pretty soon, as only 2 out of the 5 of us can reverse-park, which is precisely what the most convenient parking space requires. So we get into the car, fasten our seat belts and get going. But no damn!…We have also forgotten to get gas. First to the nearest 24/7. Now we’re on the highway heading towards the university.

10.29 a.m. – arrival at the parking lot and we’ve already parked the car.

10.30 a.m. – lectures start. We somehow managed to be on time, but there is no time to rest. The assignments have to be presented. Each of us has to present the edited articles in about 2 minutes. This is followed by regular class. Lunch break at about 12.30 p.m.. Afterwards we usually end up in Horton Plaza, a big shopping mall downtown. We grab something Asian to eat and have Ben & Jerrys for dessert. It is fantastic! Having eaten that much we feel kind of sick and so we drag ourselves back to university. With an outdoor temperature of 32 degrees the air-conditioned rooms of the CIBU feel pretty cool. The effect was more than welcome. And with lower temperatures you can definitely concentrate on the lecture better.

3.30 p.m. –University is over. Let´s hit the beach!
Today’s weather is just great (like pretty much every day here), so we need some beach stuff (which is always kept in the car). We drive to Mission Beach and look for a place where beach volley is played. That’s the place where a lot is going. We enjoy our lives, chill, study a bit and exhaust ourselves physically while practising surfing. All in all it was a very nice afternoon.

6.00 p.m. – it is getting cooler now. We are hungry and decide to get some dinner in the Wavehouse (which is directly located at Mission Beach). The Wavehouse is as usual very busy and crowded. The surfers cut an impressive figure in the artificially created waves, the DJ plays fun music and the drinks from the bar taste very good. What more could you ask for? I could probably take part in the rock-paper-scissors contest. Well, not tonight. We decide that it would be best to drive home.

9.00 p.m. we arrive back home. Hmm but somehow it seems kind of boring. In order to avoid that, we decide to have a quick meeting to plan the night. We decide to go to the Stingaree tonight. But first of all some things for University have to be done. Thanks to touch-typing and some team work, though, it does not take long to finish the work. Well, we get dressed up and step back into the car. A parking space is easily found. We pay the entrance of $ 20 bucks with mixed feelings. You can find everything you want at this club. A lot of people, nice atmosphere, good music you can dance to and a location you really won’t find that often in Germany.

2.00 a.m. Closing time
The bouncers make it pretty clear that it is time to go home. All people are thrown out the club sitting on the street still drunk from the party. We feel hungry again and therefore head the closest pizzeria.

2.30 a.m. – the pizza is devoured pretty fast and we feel so not tired. That’s why we decide to organize an after-party. On our way home we make a quick stop at a liquor store to buy a box of light beer just in case we need it. Who knows how many people come…and by the way the quick stop at the Liquor Store was more then necessary.

3.20 a.m. there is a big crowd romping around our house. Fortunately none of our neighbours are worried about that – quite the opposite. All in all 8 people from our neighbourhood join our party and have a couple of beers.

6.00 a.m. – I am sitting by the pool again cooling my feet. This time, though, not to start but more to come down and to end this day. I am getting a bit tired. The stress of all that free time is so exhausting. That’s why I go straight to bed. I mean it is Friday and we don’t have class so I think I will not get up till noon. Well…it would be a pity just to spend so much time in bed. You could miss something…but I quit worrying and take the bad with the good. It is exactly those things that constitute the lifestyle in California. You can do everything you want…but you don’t have to.