
MORNING
The morning is all about deciding what time you’ll need to get to campus to secure parking. Sure, some days you wonder if you should just roll over and go back to sleep—but then you remember that you are supposed to be a responsible adult, and that entails waking up at 6 am to get to school on time.
As you’re driving to school, you’re amazed that traffic isn’t all that bad. Then you realize that it’s only 7:15 am, and morning traffic hasn’t really started. New instructions from the Google Maps GPS lady burn themselves into your mind as you turn onto Wayburne Drive; now is when you hope that you’ll spot some parking spots before you turn into the lot.
“Why is there more staff parking than student parking?!” you (and every BCIT student ever) wail.
You suddenly have an urge to risk parking in the staff lots. Sorry, but you’re almost 100% guaranteed to get a ticket for that. Nobody knows how Impark does it, but they do. Somehow.
As you pull into one of the last spots in Lot E, other cars drive past you in frustration. You know where they’re headed: the student dorm parking lot. You would only park here if you were late to class, or if you were just extremely unlucky.
Stepping out of your car triumphantly, you think, Am I just…better than everyone else?
AFTERNOON
Tim Hortons is packed! The wait will probably take a while, seeing how the line is literally out the door. You choose to sacrifice 20 minutes of your time anyway, because you’re pretty sure it’s the cheapest option on campus.
As you’re in line, you wonder why there aren’t more Tim Hortons around campus. Starbucks also crosses your mind, but you decide it might not be a good idea to spend $6 on a grande oat milk latte. Material, but not every day.
“Can I get a grilled chicken wrap and large double double please,” you say when you finally reach the counter.
“Sorry—we only have crispy chicken,” the staff responds.
Yes, you spent 20 minutes in line only to not get what you want. But of course, you can’t always get what you want in life. Grilled chicken wraps included. Then again, you don’t really care whether the chicken is grilled or crispy, as long as it’s (mostly) chicken.
As you wait for your order, you overhear a bunch of people ordering three hashbrowns. What’s up with that? Why specifically three hashbrowns? Is that code for something? Is it part of some experiment? Are they all mechanical engineering students? So many questions, so few answers.

EVENING
When classes are finally over for the day, the night is still young. The stars greet you as you walk towards your car, offering you a glimpse of peace in your chaotic day.
That is, until you hear cawing sounds. You suddenly realize the dark shapes on the tree branches are crows!
You speed-walk to your car, reminding yourself that they can smell fear. You erase from your mind that they could attack because they have nothing better to do. The murder flies over your head while you struggle to maintain your composure. You’re not getting bullied today!
The danger passes. You’re now holding your car keys between your fingers in the empty parking lot, just in case there’s something more threatening than birds lurking in the shadows. You can never be too safe.
Once you get into your car, you immediately lock the doors. You let out a sigh of relief—you made it! On-wards to the next challenge: driving through the six o’clock rush. It’s moments like these where you regret not taking public transit.
You sink into your seat and swipe through Spotify to find the perfect driving playlist—something to sing along to but has enough teenage angst to keep you awake. Soon, “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo starts blasting through the speakers. Perfect.
And—finally and after a long day—you’re home. Exhausted, you flop onto your bed and close your eyes for just a second and let out a sigh; the pile of laundry sitting at the corner of your bed and your long “To-Do” list can wait until tomorrow. Of course, that second of shut-eye turns into a three-hour nap.
It begins again, the daily cycle of the BCIT student.