College students are relatively busy, with the demands of the school week seemingly increasing as the semester progresses. It shouldn’t come as a shock most students look forward to the weekend to catch a break.
It’s no different for computer science major Anna Tulachan, a Nepalese international student. Compared to her busy Mondays, which consists of four classes throughout the day, and the rest of the week, the weekend offers her a brief respite.
Tulachan starts her day off connecting with family members by calling home to Nepal.
“I call to the point to where my mom says ‘Stop calling me, you call too much!’” Tulachan said with a laugh. “We call in our homes every morning or every night. When it’s morning here, it’s midnight [there]. We have to call when we’re about to sleep or when we wake up.”
The remainder of the day is centered on rest. Naps are enjoyed until Marletto’s, the on-campus dining hall, opens at 11 a.m. There, Tulachan and her roommate, fellow first-year student and Business major Sadiskshya Bayalkoti, share a meal together.
Pastries, eggs, potatoes, bacon and even pizza are up for grabs. While the food isn’t anything to write home about, moments like these at brunch are treasured.
“We’ve known each other before coming here. We applied together and we got here together. If she hadn’t been here with me, it would’ve been so different,” Tulachan said. “It feels safe having her here. Even if you’re so far away from home, she’s someone who has my back. Being together feels like home.”
As the two eat away at the assortment of food, they share inside jokes and references to popular TikTok videos. The dining hall may not be full but the sound of their laughter is enough for the space to come alive.
After finishing their meal, the real question is posed: How will they spend the remainder of the day?
“There are a lot of good restaurants in Old Webster…sometimes we go there,” Tulachan said.
The gym is also a regular part of Tulachan’s routine, but due to the lack of time, it’s out of the question for the day. Tulachan and Bayalkoti mull over the possibility of going to the mall, but ultimately decide against it.
“To go anywhere [in St. Louis], we need a car, an Uber or a Lyft. It costs so much,” Tulachan said.
The day is spent in the comfort of their cozy dorm room, located conveniently in Maria Hall, Webster’s freshman dormitory. There, they relax and, of course, nap, until the dining hall opens again at 5 p.m.
However, the dining hall’s slim offerings pose a challenge.
“We go to Walmart every two weeks. The food here is sometimes not it,” Tulachan said.
“Sometimes?” Bayalkoti interjected.
“Most of the time,” Tulachan said with a laugh.
The two keep noodles and other dorm-friendly foods stocked in their room on the off-chance that Marletto’s doesn’t satisfy. Following dinner, the two spend time working on assignments for their courses. The importance of studying and staying on top of the workload is emphasized.
“As an international student, we have to maintain our grades; otherwise, our visas will get terminated,” Tulachan said. “We have to be there in classes for attendance…sometimes when we feel like we don’t want to go to classes, we have to push ourselves to go.”
The stakes between receiving schooling in the U.S. and receiving it back home in Nepal are drastically different.
“We didn’t have to worry about being [told] ‘Go back to your country. You don’t study? Go back to your country,’” Bayalkoti said of being a foreign student in America.
When evening comes, it isn’t all about work, as the friends take time to indulge in their favorite shows, which has become part of the routine, as well. Tulachan and Bayalkoti often do this together, reinforcing their tight-knit bond.
While their day seems ordinary, it is the point.
“Our lives are not as different as yours. It’s just that we are so far from our country…” Tulachan said.
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