Being a master’s student is an enriching and adrenaline filled experience (more likely to be induced by deadlines than bungee jumping). No, we do not spend all day in the library crying over assignments and research articles.

Each day is unique and there is no such thing as monotony when you are doing your postgraduate studies. I am doing my Masters in Nutrition and Behaviour. We have classes just one day per week. Before you rush to sign up for the course over the joy of no classes for 6 days of the week, let me tell you that there is a lot of independent work to be done. This is expected at master’s level. Below is an idea of how my day goes when I have classes vs when I don’t have classes.

Class day

7:30 am: I wake up, wash up, meditate, have breakfast (coffee + banana + protein/breakfast bar), and get dressed. I don’t like to be rushed in the morning, so I wake up early and leisurely prepare for the busy day ahead.

9:30 am-11:30 am: Class time

11:30 am-12 noon: short coffee break to catch up with friends

12 noon-2 pm: Class time

2 pm-3 pm: Well-deserved lunch break to calm the hunger pangs. My friends and I like to try out lunch deals in different restaurants during our lunch break.

3 pm-5 pm: Class time

5 pm: Done for day! I am usually drained out of energy but my brain is enriched with all the fascinating things I learnt in my classes.

5:30 pm-6:30 pm: I cook dinner which is usually pasta with veggies and chicken or pilaf with beans and veggies, followed by a relaxing shower.

7:00 pm: I have my dinner and catch up on Netflix

9:00 pm: I go through my planner to see what I have coming up for the week. (PSA: Not having a planner as a student can be hazardous to life). I usually don’t work on university assignments on class days. Instead, I work on other projects such as making lesson plans for my student ambassador job, doing my placement assignments or personal projects. I also use this time to prep for the next day.

11:30 pm: I generally cannot keep my eyes open beyond this time. I doze off looking forward to the next day

Non-class days

The best thing about non-class days is that each day brings something new. I would either be on placement or mentoring kids as a school liaison officer or working on my dissertation or partaking in ResLife BU activities or spending the day with friends exploring towns and cities (I visited Swanage last week and it was absolutely beautiful!). Some days are more stressful than others, but they surely add to the whole student experience.  It is entirely possible and manageable to do well in your studies and enjoy life as a postgraduate student, all you need is discipline and a planner.