Nicole LaPlante, Second Year Pharmacy Student at Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy What is a day in the life like for a second year pharmacy student?
Are you wondering what it’s like to be a second-year pharmacy student?
Nicole LaPlante is a second-year pharmacy student at Concordia University Wisconsin. Nicole shares what a typical day is like for her.
This day in the life is part of a series. Also check out what it’s like to be a third-year pharmacy student from Vinny Rotunno.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Nicole LaPlante. I am from Eagle, WI, and I am currently a second-year student at CUW School of Pharmacy. I have spent the past six years working in the pharmacy at a local Walgreens and am also completing the Interprofessional Education (IPE) certificate while here on campus. Additionally, I have a bachelor’s degree in Education and American Sign Language Studies.
What are you involved with on-campus?
On campus, I dedicate my time to a few different organizations. I am currently the legislative and membership chair of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) and will transition to the operation immunization chair for the next school year. I am also a member of Kappa Epsilon, a pharmacy student ambassador, and a volunteer at our Concordia COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
What is a typical day like for you?
Each day is a little different for me depending on if I am on campus or virtual that day. If I am on campus, I usually try to wake up by 7am and get to school by 9am. I spend a little time getting ready for the school day or finishing up assignments and then have class from 10am-3pm with an hour lunch break at noon. During the lunch break, I either work on my assignments, have organization meetings, or socialize with my friends.
After school, I either go to work or go home to spend time with my family and get things done around the house, ending the night with a bit of studying. On days that I have virtual classes, the only difference in my day is that I sleep in and get a Starbucks run in before classes start. Fridays we usually have morning exams and I spend the rest of my day doing some of my hobbies.
What do you do when you’re not studying?
When I am not studying, I work as an intern at a Walgreens in Franklin, WI. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, rock climbing, CrossFit, traveling, spending time with my friends and family, and playing with my dog.
What has your experience at Concordia’s School of Pharmacy been like?
My experience at Concordia’s School of Pharmacy has been both positive and rewarding. The faculty and staff at Concordia truly understand how stressful school and outside responsibilities can be and understand that life happens. They encourage us to practice self-care and are extremely personable, so it is easy to approach and talk to them about your academic struggles or about life in general. They truly want us to succeed and will reach out to students if they are not doing well. They are also flexible should emergencies occur and they have also worked extremely hard to keep us all on track and as connected as possible with COVID precautions in place.
I also love that the School of Pharmacy is small, which allows us to know each of our classmates and create meaningful friendships. Our class schedules also allow us to be able to have time to work and have personal time outside of school. Overall, I’m extremely happy that I chose to come to Concordia.
Feeling inspired?
If you want to know more about Concordia University’s School of Pharmacy, you can click this link.
—
If this story has inspired you, why not explore how you can help further Concordia's mission through giving.