Meet Niki Gonzalez
NAU Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student
Describe your morning – what time do you get up, what do you do first, next and what is for breakfast?
I usually wake up around 9am. The first thing I do is invite my dog onto the bed and give him some morning scratches before gluing my eyes to my computer. I eat my go-to breakfast of cereal after I finish prepping for the day. If my Nana makes the family some carne con chile colorado, I will always opt in for that with some over medium eggs on the side.
What happens next? What do you do for lunch?
The late morning and afternoon typically consist of class lectures or group meetings to complete assignments. Lunch is usually something left over from the night before. Between my mom working from home and myself being online for classes, one of us will heat up lunch for each of us as soon as we get a break.
What do you do for dinner?
Dinner might be a home cooked meal but depending on how stressful or busy the day was we might get takeout. When we do get take-out, we try our best to support local restaurants. Most nights we eat together as a family and enjoy a movie or TV show, but when my brother has had too much of us for the day, he might eat dinner in his room while he enjoys his favorite shows.
How do you end the day and what time do you go to bed?
After wrapping up dinner and that night’s episode, my mom and I will head outside for some play time with the dogs. Once the pups get tired, we head inside to feed them, and I hop back on my computer to get some more work done. Since moving back home with my family in Tucson due to COVID-19, my sleep routine has changed significantly. Although I regret it most mornings, I typically go to bed around 1-2 in the morning.
What art are you doing and when do you do it?
I have enjoyed many different artistic hobbies like glass etching and string art, but my stepdad introduced me to the hobby that I will finally stick to, and that is leather work. With everyone having to wear masks when they go to work, customized ear savers have been my go-to gifts for most people. My favorite project was making a microphone holster for my dad who is a DJ. I’ve also been learning and practicing drawing my own floral carving designs on my iPad, but I have yet to put one on leather. I want to make sure I take advantage of quality time with my family, so I usually work on these projects after my family goes to bed.
What are you reading?
Unfortunately, I have not prioritized reading for personal interest. My reading consists of learning from textbooks and research articles.
What are you streaming?
My family and I have been sucked into the world of 90-Day Fiancé and All-American throughout this season of social distancing. The only show I’ve completed on my own is Schitt’s Creek and I don’t regret it one bit. I’m also subscribed to a few leatherwork experts on YouTube to learn some new techniques or ideas for projects.
How are you feeling?
I’m feeling grateful for many reasons. I am super close to my family, so I feel lucky to be studying from home and have more opportunities to spend time with them. My parents and I also had COVID-19 in July, and although my stepdad gave us a scare when he was admitted to the hospital, we are very grateful that he came out healthy, that my brother who is immunocompromised didn’t get sick, and that we have anti-bodies to donate for plasma.
What's the first thing you're going to do when the quarantine ends?
Go on vacation! My family had plans to go to California and Disneyland over spring break in March, but prior to everything being shut down we decided to postpone our trip for the sake of my brother’s health. Realistically that’s going to take some planning, so the first thing we’ll do is probably go eat at a restaurant for the first time since this has all happened.