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A Week in the Life: BSDS Student Alka Link
Alka Link is a proud member of the University of Virginia's first B.S. in Data Science (BSDS) cohort. As a double major in data science and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Link plans to merge her passions in both fields to help eliminate bias and create positive social change.
"Data science is the perfect combination of math, problem solving, and real world impact," Link said in her BSDS Student Profile. "I can now use math not just to analyze data, but to also create meaningful change."
Read on for a glimpse into a typical week in Link's life, including how she balances classes with work, cheerleading, and leadership positions across Grounds.
Weekly Academic Schedule
My academic week kicks off with a late start. My classes on Mondays start at 2 p.m. Usually, I try to get onto Grounds earlier in the day to meet some of my friends at the library. This time before my classes allows me to plan out my week. Then, I head to the Data Science building around 1:45 p.m. for my first class, DS 3026 – Principles of Inference and Prediction. On Mondays, our professor lectures on a new topic for the week to prepare us for our labs on Wednesdays. My next class is at 3:30 p.m., just one floor below my first class. This gives me time to head downstairs and take a little break before DS 4320 – Data by Design. This class always gets us up to the white boards, and it’s nice to get up and move later in the day.
On Tuesdays, I usually do work at my house before my classes. I have a course on Intro to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Theory at 12:30 p.m., which is one of the required classes for my second major in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies. After class, I make my way over to the Data Science building, where I have DS 4024 – Value II: Explainable AI at 2 p.m. This class is taught by two data science professors and rotates between lectures and in-class case studies, depending on who is teaching us that day.
My Wednesdays follow the same schedule as my Mondays, and my Thursdays follow the same schedule as my Tuesday classes. On Fridays, I don’t have class, so I get up early and head to the library to get ahead on my work for the weekend. After frontloading my schedule for the past two years, I was able to take less credits this semester and have more free time for extracurriculars and hobbies, which I am really enjoying!
Recreation and Extracurriculars
Outside of academics, my main extracurricular is being on the UVA Cheerleading team! This involves practicing throughout the week, as well as cheering on UVA’s football and basketball teams. Right now, we are cheering for men’s and women’s basketball, which means I’m usually cheering one game during the week and one game on the weekends. I love cheering on the Hoos and am so happy to be a part of this team. Outside of cheerleading, I am the Operation Coordinator for the Kesem at UVA, a Data Science Admissions Ambassador, and a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. I also work at a restaurant on the Downtown Mall on the weekends I don’t have games.
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Personal Time and Hobbies
In my free time, you can usually find me hanging out with my friends. I currently live in my sorority house, so there is always something to do or someone to hang out with. On days I do have class, I like to go to an Orangetheory class or go for a run in the mornings to start my day. Currently, I am training for the Charlottesville Ten Miler at the end of March, and I am really looking forward to it.
Outside of all of this, I am also an avid reader, and I love to listen to new podcasts and go on walks to different coffee shops around Charlottesville. My favorite one is Give and Take on Main Street. If you have the chance, you should go try out their matcha!
