Typical Day in Rennes

When I was preparing to study in Rennes and people asked me what I was most excited for, one of my answers was always that I couldn’t wait to build a routine and really feel like I lived here. Once classes started it didn’t take long at all to reach that point, and now that I’ve been here a month, I’m comfortable in my routine -- as well as with the fact that there are also new experiences and adventures every day! Since no two days are the same, I’ll walk you through what a day might look like, in general, for me in Rennes.

Most mornings I don’t have class until 10:45, so I don't have to get up terribly early. I like when I’m up early enough to have a leisurely breakfast and then walk to the metro stop (though admittedly it’s not uncommon that my breakfast is an orange I eat on the way to the metro stop because I didn’t get up early enough). It’s about a 15 minute walk, and I love the opportunity to explore my neighborhood! 

I ride the metro for about 10 minutes to get to l’Université Rennes II, where I have my classes. This is one of the biggest differences for me this semester. Back at my college, St. Olaf, I live on campus and my longest walk to class is potentially 10 minutes, whereas it takes me about half an hour to get to school here. It’s a pretty big change, but that’s one of the reasons I love it! I get to have a new experience as part of my daily routine, which is one of the things I was looking forward to about studying here for a whole semester. Every morning I look forward to my favorite part of the metro, before and after the Pontchaillou stop, where the metro emerges from its tunnel to be outside. It’s a pretty great view, and if I squint I can see the countryside, which is a nice reminder of home. What can I say? I’m from the prairie!

When I get to school I have my morning class, and then head to lunch at the university’s cafeteria, the RU. The first time I was in the RU was at peak rush hour, which was not the most fun, so now I try to go a bit early. The food is great, especially the bread that comes with every meal. My friends and I sit together and talk about our classes and new experiences we’ve had, and then I usually have another class to get to in the afternoon.

After my afternoon class, I’ll often head to a café with some friends, where we’ll hang out and talk or work on homework for a bit before going home. I’ve become a bit of a regular at a few spots, but I enjoy finding new places too! For example, we found a cat café last weekend and I know I’ll definitely be going back there. I grew up in a pretty small city, and my college is in an even smaller town, so it’s exciting to have the opportunity to live in and explore a bigger city. There’s always new things to do and new places to find! That being said, Rennes is small enough that after about one month here I already feel I know it well, and I enjoy the feeling of finding some favorite spots and spending time in them, like the café where I often gather with friends on Friday afternoons to hang out.

To get home I take the metro again and then like to walk the 15 minutes back to my house, where I live with my host mom and younger host sister, and their bunny. I love living with them! At St. Olaf I live in student housing, so it’s been a change coming to Rennes and being a college student while living with a family -- but I’m so glad I am! It’s so nice to have my host sister and host mom greet me when we get up in the morning and when I get back home at the end of the day, and to be a part of the daily life of their family. My host sister and I discovered that we like some of the same TV shows, so we like to watch those together (in French, with English subtitles -- my goal is to go without subtitles by the end!), and we’ve also gone swimming and played with some of her art supplies. I help her with her English homework sometimes too, and she’s taught me a bit of how to play her guitar. We all have a wonderful dinner together every night and talk about our day, and then my host mom and I sometimes stay up later talking for a while after my host sister has gone to bed. My host mom’s also helped me with my homework, which I definitely need!

Before bed I usually have some more homework to do, and then I might read or watch some Netflix before going to sleep. With all that’s going on here it’s important to get a good night’s rest!

And there you have it! A typical day for me in Rennes. There are lots of other adventures too, but it’s the more simple things like these that make Rennes feel like home. Overall, there are many differences between my life back home and my life here, like being in a bigger city and living with a host family, but those differences are part of the reason this experience is so meaningful: they give me the chance to build a new routine and make the most of my time here, both academically and socially. Even something as simple as watching a favorite TV show in French instead of in English is a good way to practice and to spend time with my host family!

Kaitlin Scott
St. Olaf College