Hi! My name is Jatin Gupta, and for this blogpost, I am sharing a typical day in my life. I’m a dual degree student in the M.E.T. program, studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, along with Business Administration. The M.E.T. program is a dual-degree program in which a small cohort of students pursue an Engineering degree and a Business Administration degree, allowing students to be at the intersection of Engineering and Business.

On average, I wake up at around 7am (some days I wake up earlier). After I get ready, I look at my schedule and things-to-do for the day, which I will have refined the previous night. I like to use a combination of Google Calendar and the Notes App, and once I’ve done this, I grab breakfast. For breakfast, I usually eat at Foothill Dining Hall, but if I’m pressed for time, I’ll eat a banana or two, along with some trail mix.

I try to knock off a few things from my list (school work, emails, etc.) till my first class, which is generally Economics, Data Structures, or an EECS Lab. I leave my dorm, go to class, and after my first class, locate a spot where I can get some more work done. My go-to study spots are the MLK building, Moffit, or the Haas Courtyard, when the weather permits.

Speaking of which, the weather this week has metamorphosed into a fine balance of direct sunlight and occasional breeze, and so as I stroll through campus, it is obvious that a significant number of students are out and about, sitting on benches, lying on the grass, or playing sports. With better weather, the vibes just feel immaculate. I take a moment to appreciate everything.

So, after my first class today, I go to the Haas Courtyard, ardent to soak in some sun. I’m currently writing this whilst sitting on the chairs in the Haas Courtyard, the sun beaming down on me. I oftentimes peek behind my laptop to appreciate the exquisiteness of Haas. In the case where the weather is slightly off, I utilize the fantastic Haas undergraduate lounge, or expansive study rooms in Chou Hall. Additionally, the top floor of Chou Hall is one of my favorite locations on campus – I have listened to world-class guest speakers there through the Dean’s speaker series (example: founder of NVIDIA) whilst looking out at the scenic views across the Bay Area.

After I’ve jotted down initial ideas for this post you’re currently reading, I get lunch. Frequently, I’ll use lunch as a chance to catch up with friends, or form new connections and friendships. I like to get meals at the dining halls or at one of the excellent food spots around campus. Cafe Think (in Haas) is great!

Today, I have a meeting at 1pm for the research I’m involved in. It’s about predicting content for users using techniques in Machine Learning and Statistics, in collaboration with a Haas Professor and Graduate Students. Typically the meeting is held in one of the Haas library rooms, so I find myself there again. 

After my meeting, I get some more work done, eat a snack, then hit the gym – either Foothill, Memorial Stadium Gym, or RSF. All have their trade-offs, which is distance from my dorm with the number of machines and wait time. Once I’ve finished working out, I head back to my dorm room.

On this particular day, I have time in my schedule, so my friends and I drive up to the Lawrence Lab viewpoint and to Grizzly Peak, perfectly (and unknowingly) coinciding with sunset. It’s stunning. One of my favorite photos that I’ve taken.

Driving through Grizzly Peak and down back to Foothill, I look out at the scenic horizon; my eyes trace past the Berkeley campus, darting from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, finally falling upon the San Francisco skyline. I’m truly thankful for the opportunity to be studying at Berkeley.

Upon returning to my room, I do more homework and studying. I then have a meeting for my club (AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley), in which I am Vice President. This meeting in the week is virtual, so I log onto Zoom; we talk about the startups we are working with. We also discuss the logistics of the upcoming events we are organizing (P.S. check them out, one of them is in Chou Hall!). 

It’s around 9:30pm now, so I finish whatever work is left, and then catch up with my suitemates. Sometimes we’ll catch up over a game of pool or table tennis, or simply just sit in one person’s room and have conversations.

I go to bed after all this, usually by 11:30pm, and the next day arrives rather quickly. Not every day is the same, but they tend to follow a similar pattern.

So, that’s the day in my life. Hope you enjoyed reading!

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