Three Students, Three Days at Cleveland State
- May 4
- 6 min read
A commuter, a returning student and an international graduate student offer a look into their everyday lives at Cleveland State.
Written by Helaina Rucinski
There’s no single way to “do” college at Cleveland State University. For some students, the day starts before sunrise. For others, it begins closer to noon. Some move constantly, class to work to campus and back again, while others build their routines around structure, stillness or an 8,000-mile distance from home.
To understand what student life really looks like, I followed three CSU students through their days, from the moment their alarms go off to the moment they finally fall asleep.
Elma Kudic
Kudic is a 20-year-old sophomore marketing major on the pre-law track, and a first-generation college student from a Bosnian immigrant family. She commutes daily from Lakewood, balancing classes, work and campus life.
9:30 a.m.
Her alarm goes off. Not for the first time.
Kudic hits snooze, then hits snooze once again, before finally getting up. She already feels tired. Most of her homework gets done late at night, so mornings come quickly.
10:00 a.m.
Breakfast is quick, but intentional. Scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, usually blackberries or raspberries. Something with protein to hold her over.
10:42 a.m.
She takes her dog, Chico, out for a short walk. 10, maybe 15 minutes, just enough to wake herself up a little more.
11:30 a.m.
A bagel counts as an early lunch. She grabs her keys and heads out, already thinking about her first stop.
11:40 a.m.
Most days, she stops at Rising Star in Lakewood. Her iced vanilla bean latte with lavender isn’t really optional anymore. The baristas, Phil and Madison, know her by name. What used to feel occasional, now feels like a necessity.
11:52 a.m.
Back in the car, she turns the music on, usually pop.
The drive to campus is only about 15 minutes, but she’s weaving through traffic, feeling a little on edge already thinking about parking.
12:07 p.m.
She chose not to buy a parking pass, so every day turns into the same routine – scanning streets, circling blocks, hoping something opens up.
She checks Euclid Avenue near Rascal House, then loops toward the law building.
12:10 p.m.
Still nothing. Another turn, and she spots an opening. She makes a quick U-turn and takes it before someone else can.
12:15 p.m.
She’s out of the car and moving fast. There’s never quite enough time for parking, and she’s been late more than once because of it.
12:30 p.m.
Business statistics. She sits next to her friend, Joe, who makes the class more bearable. She tries to stay focused, knowing her next stop.
1:30 p.m.
Class ends and she heads to Atmos Coffee in Detroit-Shoreway and orders a pistachio matcha. It’s one of the only moments where her day slows down. She spends about an hour and a half working on assignments and catching up on emails.
3:00 p.m.
Time to go again.
3:20 p.m.
Back home, she changes into scrubs. There’s no true break between school and work, just a quick reset.
4-7:00 p.m.
Her shift at the senior living facility where she serves residents dinner and helps wherever she’s needed. The work is meaningful, but emotionally draining.
7:15 p.m.
Home again. She greets Chico before heading to the kitchen where her mom has made burek, a traditional Balkan dish.
8:00 p.m.
She heads back out, this time to campus, not for class, but for friends. As a commuter, these moments matter more. It’s how she stays connected to campus life.
8:40 p.m.
She’s on the couch, watching a movie, laughing and catching up. For a little while, nothing feels rushed.
9:30 p.m.
She heads home. Again.
10:05 p.m.
Back in her room, her laptop is open. Homework, round two. A show plays in the background, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” more for noise than anything else.
12:00 a.m.
She finally closes her eyes. No energy left, but knowing she’ll do it all again tomorrow.
Matthew Robinson
Robinson is a 42-year-old College of Arts and Sciences student, a military veteran and a father of two. He returned to college after realizing his previous career in software development wasn’t fulfilling and chose instead to pursue his passion for art.
Now, living in downtown Cleveland, he approaches each day with structure and intention.
5:00 a.m.
No alarm needed. Robinson is already awake. He starts his morning the same way everyday – coffee from his Nespresso, cream and sugar. The apartment is quiet.
5:20 a.m.
Meditation, then yoga, then mobility work. The routine is structured and intentional. There’s no rushing.
6:15 a.m.
The morning stays quiet and focused. He uses his time to think through ideas, sketch concepts and work through design projects. It’s when he does some of his clearest thinking.
8:30 a.m.
Still at home, he continues working through ideas, sometimes refining a design, sometimes starting from scratch.
12:45 p.m.
He gets ready to leave for campus, gathering his things and stepping into the city.
1:15 p.m.
It’s a little over a mile to campus, and he prefers to walk. On warmer days, he skateboards, always with a helmet. He notices everything. What’s changed, what hasn’t, seeing familiar faces he observes daily.
1:30 p.m.
Some days, he stops at Brass Moon in the Statler building for a white mocha, his favorite in the city.
2:00 p.m.
Class starts. Design work requires long stretches of focus. He can spend hours locked into a project without realizing how much time has passed.
3:15 p.m.
Second class begins. The work continues. He likes being challenged, even if it takes effort to stay engaged.
5:45 p.m.
Class ends, but some days he stays for an American Institute of Graphic Arts meeting, connecting with other design students and building relationships.
6:30 p.m.
He heads home. The apartment is quiet, everything in its place.
7:19 p.m.
Time for the gym. Staying active is important to him, and he tries to move as much as possible throughout the day.
8:30 p.m.
Dinner. After fasting most of the day, he’s ready to eat. Lately, that means takeout from Hola Tacos in Lakewood.
9:45 p.m.
He puts on his favorite show, “Daredevil,” and lets himself relax for the evening.
11:50 p.m.
He gets ready for bed. It’s not much sleep, about five hours, but it works for him.
12:00 a.m.
Lights out. Within minutes of his head hitting his pillow, he’s asleep.
For Robinson, going back to school isn’t about earning another degree. It’s about finding something he truly loves to do and setting an example for his kids by showing them what consistency and hard work looks like over time.
Teja Bandaru
Bandaru is a 25-year-old graduate student studying information systems and is an international student from Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Since arriving in the U.S. in summer 2024, he has immersed himself in campus life while staying closely connected to home.
6:30 a.m.
His day starts with routine.
Bandaru wakes up, showers, and begins his morning with prayer, a ritual that keeps him connected to his culture.
7:00 a.m.
Breakfast comes next. Some mornings it's dosa, a South Indian dish that reminds him of home. Other days, it's an omelet and orange juice.
7:40 a.m.
He checks the time, both in Cleveland and India. There’s always a calculation in his mind of figuring out when to call his family.
8:00 a.m.
He leaves his apartment at Reserve Square. If the weather is nice, he walks. If not, he takes the RTA.
8:30 a.m.
When he arrives on campus, his mornings are busy. He begins work with the Graduate Professional Student Association. As president, his mornings are filled with office hours, planning and meetings.
10:00 a.m.
The GPSA meeting begins, and he listens, contributes and leads discussions. He enjoys helping other students get involved.
12:15 p.m.
Lunch with friends at the Viking Marketplace. Quick and convenient.
1:30 p.m.
Class, then another. He keeps his schedule full by choice.
4-5:45 p.m.
His shift at the Center for Campus Engagement, working with student organizations to create a more connected campus environment.
6:15 p.m.
Back at his apartment. He starts cooking dinner, usually chicken or lamb with rice. It’s different from home, where he’s used to his parents cooking.
8:00 p.m.
He relaxes, usually with a show. Right now, it's “Suits.”
9:30 p.m.
He checks in with family. The nine-hour time difference means it's early mornings for them.
10:45 p.m.
He winds down, scrolling through his phone, catching up on what’s happening back home.
12:00 a.m.
He goes to bed, ready to follow the same routine again tomorrow, and that’s the point.
There’s no single version of a “typical” CSU student. For Kudic, the day is a constant balancing act between commuting, working and connection.
For Robinson, it’s structure and discipline, all driven by a long-term goal.
For Bandaru, every day is a mix of responsibility, all shaping toward a new life here while staying tied to the one he left behind.
Their schedules don’t match. Their lives don’t look alike. But each day, in different ways, they’re all building something.