Chad Kritzberger ’06, an outdoorsman and a devout Catholic from Hudson, Ohio, has spent the past several weeks cramming for the MCAT this Saturday so he can attend medical school. When he is not studying, this Pierson College molecular, cellular and developmental biology major attends mass, goes to the gym, works in a lab and plays Xbox.

Wednesday, April 6, 7:30 a.m. Mass at the Church of St. Mary’s:

Since the MCAT is at 8 a.m., Kritzberger has been attending early-morning mass to practice waking up early.

“My Catholic faith is extremely important to me,” he said. “Even just being pre-med, there are a lot of questions now about how I’m going to integrate my career in medicine with my faith.”

10 a.m. An attempt to study:

Kritzberger falls asleep while studying for the MCAT in the Kline Science Library. Another student joins him for a nap on the comfortable leather couches. The five textbooks Kritzberger must read for a Kaplan test-preparation class will have to wait.

“You’re surrounded by, like, science journals, so there’s no stimulation to stay awake,” he said.

12:45 p.m. Lunch With a Professor:

Boa-teh Chu, a retired Yale engineering professor, takes Kritzberger to lunch at China King Buffet. The two met at St. Mary’s last semester, and they eat lunch together every other Wednesday.

“It’s a good chance to get off campus,” Kritzberger said.

7:30 p.m. NBA game on TV:

The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing the Indiana Pacers, and Kritzberger watches intently. He has bet five of his suitemates that the Cavaliers will make the NBA playoffs. If they do, he can hang the team’s red neon logo on the wall. Kritzberger’s sixth suitemate, is the only one rooting for the Cavaliers with him.

11 p.m. Pizza and Xbox:

Krtizberger picks up two pizzas — one sausage, one cheese — at Yorkside Pizza and Restaurant and returns to the suite to play Halo 2, a popular Xbox game, with his suitemates.

“It’s single-handedly lowered the grade-point average in our suite,” Kritzberger said.