Taimur Rehman '24
Nov 4, 2022
Mercersburg Academy is home to around 374 boarding students, making the school 84% boarding. The remaining academy students are day students, giving them the unique experience of being able to go back home at the end of the day. Taimur Rehman ‘25 is one of these 71 day students, and he agreed to do a “Day in the Life of a Day Student” to provide a glimpse into the vibrant lives of day students.
7:00 AM: I wake up around this time every day. I head to the bathroom and take a quick shower before returning to my room to pray before the sun rises. Then, I grab three sets of clothes; one to wear to class, another to wear to practice, and another to wear after practice and during Yearbook. Before I leave, I like to sit on my deck for a little bit and enjoy the sunrise.
7:40 AM: It’s time to go! I grab my backpack and my bag of outfit changes and head out to meet the van. The van, provided by the Greencastle School District, is for any day students who wish to use it in the area. I’m able to start my morning without bothering my parents and while getting to see friends, like Jack Lewis ‘25.
8:10 AM: I exit the van in front of Tippetts and climb up to the third floor. This is where my locker is located and where I store my semi formal dress and any sports equipment I might have. I meet up with Devin Rotz ‘25, and before I leave, I deposit my bag of clothing in my locker and head to breakfast.
2:30 PM: Oops! I’m in class when I realize I’ve left my notebook at home. It’s rare for me to do so, but mistakes happen when you’re working at night. I’m blessed by the fact that there wasn’t much of a need for it today, and I depart class at peace.
3:30 PM: I’m back in the common room, where I change into my second outfit for practice. My school clothes get folded and placed in my locker and I grab my bag with my cleats before leaving the dorm.
5:40 PM: Practice is finished! I’m feeling pretty sweaty so I head back to the common room and to my locker. I grab my towel and my third pair of clothes, my casual ones, before hitting the shower. Once I’m finished, I change, rummage through my bag to find a comb and some deodorant, and then head off to Yearbook.
6:30 PM: Yearbook time! Yearbook is one of the best parts of my day. It's so much fun to work on creating a good book to remember the year by with some talented and fun people. Bonus points: we get pizza.
8:45 PM: After a quick stop at the writing center post-Yearbook, I return to the dorm to collect my belongings and head out. I say my goodbyes to Mr. McKevitt.
9:10 PM: Ah, you thought the day was finished, didn’t you? Well, it’s not. Once I get home I toss my unclean clothes into the laundry and head upstairs to finish up some homework. One major benefit of being a day student is that because I have a kitchen, I can make whatever I want, whenever I want. I make myself some tea and resume the grind.
11:30 PM: I finish up my homework and once I plug my laptop in, pack up my backpack, and decide what I’ll wear tomorrow, I get ready for bed. Before I sleep, I go downstairs to my parents’ room, and unlike the boarding students, I get a big hug from both of them before I retire to bed. But the hugs aren’t finished yet! I head to my grandma’s room and bring her a glass of water before getting another big hug and a goodnight from her before going to bed and doing it all again in the morning.