Student LifeStudy

A day in the life of a Creative Writing student

8.00am: I like to take my time waking up before my lectures, and I usually make room for some yoga or a cardio workout after I’ve done some reading in bed. Then I’ll make myself some breakfast, get dressed and head out for my morning lecture. I like to grab a pastry on my way in, it’s a great mood boost knowing I have a tasty snack in my bag.

10:20am: I arrive a little early for my lecture so I have time to get a drink or meet some of my friends. The lectures usually introduce the text for the week as well as they key points we may dip further into during our seminars. I like to make notes on my laptop but I do have a notebook for doodling so I can keep my hands busy while I’m concentrating. I find it really helps focus, even if I’m just repeatedly drawing pictures of trees everywhere!

11:00pm: I have my seminar. Sometimes it can feel quite busy having everything so close together, but I make sure I’m hydrated and have had a snack during the break so that I can come to the seminar prepared. I also like to do my reading in advance so I don’t have to rush through the work. This definitely helps me to feel prepared during discussions and allows me to have lots of things to say.

1:30pm: I love having lunch at the canteen, mostly because of the jacket potatoes. I recommend the cheese and tuna combination. This is my time to take a break from work, chat with friends, chill out and recharge. I try to make the most of lunch on busy days so that it’s easier to separate the work from the breaks.

5:00pm: I finish another seminar, and then it’s time to either go into town and pick up essentials that I need, or go home to rest. The switch off between work and home time can be really hard for me, so I try to change into something comfy and unpack my bags as soon as I get in so that I can transition to the rest part properly. I’ll do some pre reading by my window with a cup of tea and get everything prepared for the next day as soon as I can. Then I’ll make my dinner.

6:30pm: If it’s a Monday, then it’s time for Dead Poets Society! I get a taxi back to university for accessibility and spend some time setting up the session. I absolutely love being on the committee for such an amazing society and we always have so much fun with our community, doing lots of literature things!

9:00pm: The evening time I use for reading, cleaning my flat, taking a shower and having friends over. I also love to have a little video game session to calm me down; at the moment I’m playing lots of the Sims, Gwent and Fallout 4.

11:00pm: This is when I aim to be in bed and getting to sleep, although it varies based on what I have been doing that day. I like to to put a little lavender oil on my temples and wrists and do some calming meditation to get me in the right space to have a restful sleep.”

Amelie, Creative Writing and Literature

Find out more about our Creative Writing subject area and courses here.
Explore what a typical day in the life looks like for students studying subjects like history and law.

Student

Everything you need to know about YSJ