Day in the Life of a Third Year
As we enter Week 4 of First Term, I think we’re all starting to get into the swing of the new academic year. Routines are maybe falling into place, things feel a little bit more normal, and the year is well underway. Having posted a ‘day in the life’ whilst I lived on campus in First Year, life and the daily routine certainly feel a bit different now! For that reason, I’ve put together an example of what the average day might look like for a Third Year.
9am: I start the day with some seminar reading. As a Humanities student, this is not in short supply! I read through the articles for my upcoming seminar, make some notes, and maybe think of some questions I want to clarify later on. This can be quite time-consuming, so I like to set aside a decent chunk of the day to make sure I get it all done and take in as much of the content in as possible!
10:30am: I have some ‘adult life things’ to tick off the to-do list. I put some washing on and tidy up my room (making mum proud).
11am: I’ve compiled a list of quick admin tasks over the last couple of days which I try to get done on block. This might be replying to a few emails, checking assessment deadlines, or doing some filing. Unfortunately not the most exciting part of the day, but it definitely feels better when these little chores are out of the way!
11:30pm: I make some lunch and catch up with my housemates. A nice sociable break after a busy morning, we have a good chat and make plans for the weekend. I wash up and pack my bag for the afternoon.
12:15pm: I head off to get the bus to campus, eating my lunch on the way.
1pm: I have a seminar on campus. For Third Year historians, we have a two-hour seminar for each module per week, rather than the one-hour seminar and one-hour lecture we had in First and Second Year. We discuss the broader context of the week’s topic, examine the readings, and consider some bigger questions as a group.
3pm: I head to the library on campus to get a bit of work done with friends. I start researching an essay I have coming up soon, looking through articles and gathering my ideas. Depending on the floor of the library, you can chat quietly with friends, which is a great option if you want to do some work together. After a bit of an independent working day, this is a nice way to finish. I also like working on campus as a change of scenery from time to time.
4:30pm: I meet some friends at the Sports Hub to go to a weekly rock-up-and-play session with our favourite sports club. This is a great way to meet new people in a relaxed setting, and keep active during term time.
6:15pm: We get the bus back from campus.
6pm: I start cooking dinner (probably a classic student dish requiring low culinary skill). My housemates and I catch up on our days, eat together, and sit to watch something on TV together for the evening.
I hope this has been a helpful insight into the life of a Third Year! (Of course, this is just a typical example of a day at uni — some are more productive than others!)
