My alarm goes off at 6:00 a.m., marking the start of my day. The house is quiet for a few precious minutes—no questions, no toys on the floor, no tiny feet running down the hallway. This is my time. Some mornings I study and review notes; other days I head to the gym to clear my head before the day begins. Either way, I’m preparing—not just for exams, but for everything that comes after.
By the time I’m showered and dressed, the house begins to come alive. Breakfast is quick, backpacks appear, and my wife and I divide up school drop-off. She takes our eldest, Ayana, who is in third grade, while I drive my daughter Ayah to Pre-K each morning. Our car rides are filled with conversations that range from thoughtful questions to completely random observations, and they’ve become one of the highlights of my day.
After drop-off, I settle in for a 40-minute drive to Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. I usually arrive before 10:00 a.m., ready to take on the demands of the second year. My days are filled with lectures, workshops, studying, and exams—there’s a steady pace and very little room to fall behind. When I stay on campus all day, I make a point to stay focused so that when I get home, I can give my full attention to my family.
Some days, I manage to leave early enough to pick up my kids from school. Those afternoons feel like a win. Other days, I pull into the driveway just in time for dinner. Either way, evenings are sacred in our house. Dinner is loud and filled with stories, laughter, with my three little girls—ages eight, four, and two—who remind me why I’m doing all of this.
After dinner, I play with the kids until bedtime. Once the house quiets down again, my wife and I sit with a cup of coffee and talk about our days. We’ve been married for ten years, and those conversations ground me more than any study session ever could.
If I didn’t make it to the gym earlier, I go late. Then it’s back home to study until around 11:00 p.m. Notes, flashcards, repetition. Rinse and repeat.
Balancing podiatry school with family life isn’t easy—but it’s meaningful. Being a dad and a husband doesn’t compete with being a podiatry student; it fuels it. Every early morning and late night has a purpose. And tomorrow morning, at 6:00 a.m., we do it all again.
Omar Hasan is a second year podiatric medical student at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (Class of 2028) where he is President of Muslim Student Association.
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