We’re thrilled to welcome you back to our Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN): Day in the Life series! This series is part of our innovative UF/FSHN Careers Advancement Project (CAP), which captures what it’s really like to earn degrees in food science, nutritional sciences, and dietetics. This project can help you discover your career passion through learning about the daily lives of students and professionals in food science and human nutrition.
Today’s topic: experience a day in the life of a second-year nutritional sciences pre-dental student.
Our guest is Yasmeen Mujtaba, a soon-to-be third-year undergraduate student in the nutritional sciences program at the University of Florida. Yasmeen is also a winner of the FSHN Rising Star Award this past April. In this day-in-the-life feature, Yasmeen shares a sample day during the second year of her program and discusses what it’s like to be a pre-dental student dedicated to health and service.
Meet Our UF/FSHN CAP Guest
Name: Yasmeen Mujtaba
Year: Entering third year/Junior year
Major: Nutritional Sciences
Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida
Why I chose my major: As a pre-dental student, I wanted a major that aligned with dental school prerequisites while also deepening my understanding of human health. Nutritional Sciences checked all the boxes, as it covers required coursework and explores how food impacts the body. Learning how nutrition affects overall well-being helps me better understand the human body, which I believe is essential for a future healthcare provider.
Why I chose to come to UF: Most of my family went to UF, so it was naturally a dream of mine from a young age. When it came time to apply, I was drawn to UF’s strong support for pre-health students and the number of opportunities available. That, combined with UF’s school spirit, made my decision easy!
Hobbies: Henna, drawing, ceramics, baking, reading.
Future plans: I plan to apply to dental school next summer while continuing to volunteer at local clinics and schools. Gaining hands-on experience in the community is important to me as I prepare for the next step in my journey toward becoming a dentist.
Final thoughts: During my first two years at UF, the most important lesson I learned was not to rush through life and academics. It’s easy to feel pressured to follow a strict timeline, especially as a young student eager to stay on track. However, that mindset can make it hard to be present and truly enjoy the moment. In my first year, I often felt overwhelmed trying to stick to a plan. Through my own experiences, I’ve realized that everyone moves at their own pace, and that’s completely okay. My advice to other students is to slow down and enjoy the journey. Adopting this new mindset has allowed me to fully embrace the opportunities around me. I’ve had many meaningful experiences at UF and in my community, and I’m looking forward to continuing that growth in the years ahead.
Day in the Life: Yasmeen Mujtaba, Pre-dental Nutritional Sciences Student
Note: Sample day is a typical Thursday during Yasmeen’s Spring 2025 semester
| Time: AM | MORNING ACTIVITIES |
| 8:00 |
Wake up and get ready
The beginning of the day is the most pivotal for me, so I try not to rush with getting ready. I always check my Google Calendar to see what tasks I have to complete for the day, such as homework and meetings. |
| 8:30 |
Breakfast
For breakfast, if I have time, I like to make sunny side up eggs on avocado toast. Most days, however, I have cereal or oatmeal. |
| 9:10 |
Walk to campus I really enjoy my walks to campus as it’s usually the perfect weather at this time of day! |
| 9:35 |
TA discussion I am an undergraduate TA for Chem 2, which has been a great experience. During discussion, I help students with their weekly worksheets and occasionally proctor quizzes. |
| 10:40 |
Learn about Nutrition Thru the Life Cycle with Dr. Sarah Brunnig This has been one of my favorite classes at UF. We learn about nutritional needs and concerns throughout each stage of the life cycle, which makes the content feel especially relevant to my own life. My favorite section was learning about the nutritional needs of infants—it was a lot more complex than I expected and gave me a new appreciation for how nutrition supports development from the very beginning. |
| 11:45 |
Lead my SI session or go to research lab One of my responsibilities as a TA for Chem 2 is leading study sessions. I teach the same group of students weekly and guide them throughout their time in the class. If this is a Tuesday, I spend the rest of my day in the research lab at the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at Shands. Lately, I’ve been learning a new experiment involving human blood, specifically focusing on isolating monocytes, which has been both challenging and exciting! |
| Time: PM | AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES |
| 12:45 |
Lunch I eat my lunch, which usually consists of fruit, a protein bar, and a sandwich. During this short break, I also try to send the annotated PowerPoint from my SI session to my students via GroupMe. |
| 1:00 |
Drive to the Caring and Sharing Learning School At the Caring and Sharing Learning School, I participate in a program called ReadingPals where I mentor VPK-3rd grade students to help improve their social-emotional development and early literacy skills. |
| 1:20-4:30 | Read and spend time with kids!
This part of my day is why Thursdays are my favorite day of the week. Seeing the kids light up when they see me and get excited to read fills me with pride and joy! |
| 5:00 | Orgo 2 office hours
I try to go to office hours for organic chemistry as much as I can. When I see the professor and TAs do practice problems, it helps me retain the information better. |
| 6:30 |
ASDA social I am part of the Pre-Dental ASDA club at UF, so I try to go to a couple events a week. At this event, we made flowers out of pipe cleaners, which was definitely a challenge for me! |
| 7:30 |
Home, tidy up, make dinner Once I get home, I take a shower before eating dinner. After dinner, I brush my teeth and do my skincare routine. |
| 8:30 |
Do homework and study if needed Besides the small breaks I get during the day, this is the only time I have to complete any homework and study for my classes. I also like to plan my tasks for the next few days on Google Calendar, as it keeps me organized. |
| 11:00 | Relax with a book, hobby, or TV show
If time allows, I try to unwind before bed by doing things I enjoy. Recently, I’ve gotten back into pottery, which has been a fun way to relax and get creative. Currently, I’m reading the new Hunger Games book—it’s been nostalgic since the series was one of my favorites in middle school! |
| 11:30 | Bedtime |
Interested in learning more about careers in Food Science and Human Nutrition? Check out our UF/FSHN CAP series:
(1) What Can I Do with My Degree?
(2) Day in the Life
(3) Letters to Myself: Words of Advice and Encouragement
Learn more about FSHN’s renowned programs below!
Undergraduate Programs:
Dietetics
Food Science
Nutritional Sciences
Graduate Programs:
M.S. Dietetic Internship Program
M.S. Food Science and Human Nutrition
Ph.D. Food Science
Ph.D. Nutritional Sciences
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