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My name is Afia Nasir, and I am a first-year Optometry student at Salus. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at The University of Illinois at Chicago and earned a master’s in Biomedical Science at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Each day is a little different, packed with labs, lectures, and patient care. Typically, I wake up at 7 a.m. if I have an 8 a.m. class to get ready for the day. I don’t usually eat breakfast but grab a protein shake or snack to go. Classes generally run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but on some days, I finish earlier and head home by 3 p.m. to watch recorded lectures (Panoptos) in the comfort of my home, often accompanied by my cat. When I stay on campus all day, I either bring lunch from home (if I had time to prepare it the day before) or grab something from the café.

I study best at home, so after classes, I head back, make dinner, and spend some time playing with my cat. While eating dinner, I like to call my mom, which gives me a nice break. I’ll make tea afterward, which helps me get into the right headspace to start studying. Most evenings, I focus on reviewing lectures or preparing for upcoming exams until around 10:30 p.m., after which I head to bed.

Some days are more exhausting than others, and I might study less if I’m especially tired. However, I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to work toward a career I’m passionate about and for the chance to share this journey with my classmates.