Emily - Week at a glance

Geography is a continually active and dynamic course to study, so each week looks different to every geographer. In the first year, everyone gets to do the same things, so that’s both physical and human geography, and really get to understand the links between the two sides – so you never really know what to expect each week, which is actually quite exciting because it’s something different to always experience. My week is constantly changing and very crazy so strap in for the ride and let me tell you my journey of a week.

I begin my week by organising all my notes and making sure that I know what lecturers and where they are, that I have that week – just to become extra prepared. The next thing that I do is get a good night’s sleep on Sunday, just so that I feel extra prepared for that long Monday morning and knowing what the rest of the week has in store for me. Every morning, I make sure to stick to a strict routine. I wake up at the same time every morning – usually around 06:30 so that I have enough time to have an easy morning to get ready. I shower and make sure I’m looking... semi-presentable, and then have some breakfast to give me some energy, especially with those nine arms. I go to all my lectures, seminars, workshops, and practicals are just so that I get the most out of my education and to fully immerse myself in the University experience. Of these classes, I usually go back to my room and compile all my notes, organise my work and make sure that my room and all my work is tidy and in order because a tidy workspace is a tidy mind 😊

In my course, I tend to go to a lot of extracurricular activities that the School of Life and Medical Sciences and the Geography Department Organise. Despite all of the weekly field trips that we go on and our fortnightly trips to the ecology field station, I attend their spontaneous TEDx talks on climate change, academic support sessions, attend regular meetings with all of my lecturers to catch up with them, and utilise my role/responsibility as a course representative and student buddy with the University and Geography department

Apart from attending all my lecturers, some other things that I do at university is just going out with friends. My friends and I, all love to just go into each other’s flats and sit and talk. We watch movies, listen to music, and spend a lot of time in spoons. I do love spending time with my friends, but I also love spending time myself. I love just sitting and relaxing in my room, listening to music, and watching Netflix, just getting to be me and be more comfortable in the University environment. One of the best and most important parts of my week is getting to speak with my family every night because I can unload any stress onto them and tell them about all the crazy stuff that I’ve been up to 😊

During my week, I make sure to have a clear balance between University life and University work. I manage my time around sorting out myself and my work, attending wellbeing classes and making use of the Universities facilities, going to talks and extra activities with my course, doing my weekly shopping and eating out with my friends, going swimming as my exercise and spending time focusing and developing on myself. Apart from studying, I work a part-time job as a Senior Student Ambassador at the University, working around my crazy timetable, allowing myself to both work and study at the same time, being incredibly helpful to me so I can still support myself, take time for me, study, learn and learn to live.