Welcome back all, I am Nasha, a first year student studying Law with Business LLB at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus down in Penryn. You may wonder by the title “well a day in the life at university isn’t that interesting – isn’t it just repetitive every day?”. However, that is not the case! I look forward to each day at university since it is unique. As a result, in this blog, I will explain a day in the life of a university student on the Penryn Campus; believe me, my days may be extremely interesting, as the simple but meaningful acts in life can also bring joy to your life, trust me.
7AM Morning jog
My morning began with a 40-minute jog through Penryn’s pedestrian trail. As the sun rose it cast a soft golden shimmer through the trees, and as the birds chirped in the background, my heartbeat began to pick up at a steady pace. With every step I stared at the vibrant trees and gazed at the blue sky as the sun rose. The fresh air swept across my face, refreshing me within every breath. I looked at the greenery surrounding me and thoughts crossed my mind about how lucky I am to live in such an incredible environment rather than a congested city full of fumes and lacking in fresh air. Every step made me appreciate the lovely surroundings at the campus, taking my mind off any worries.
8:30AM Breakfast
My appetite had returned after my morning jog, making me crave for the scrumptious full English breakfast which the Stannary campus kitchen has to offer. As I am a student on the catered meal plan, I get my meals included in the price of my accommodation and I look forward to the University’s freshly made breakfast (served from 8:30-10:30) everyday. However, if you’re not on the catered meal plan this would typically cost you below £5 and I would assure you it’s worth every penny. My breakfast today consisted of delicious scrambled eggs, golden crispy hashbrowns and steaming hot baked beans, which I paired with a glass of milk to hydrate me after my jog. This dish is a classic British favourite, and I would not be able to eat it back home because I am an international student. This food will provide you plenty of energy for the rest of the morning’s study sessions or lectures, as every bite of it is full of tasty goodness.
10-11:30AM Seminar
After my delicious breakfast, I put on my jacket and began to leave, as I always try to leave five minutes before the start of the seminarso that I don’t wind up in an awkward scenario of arriving late and missing the opening information. I then headed to the Peter Lanyon 09 building for my seminar, which was for my Law module on human rights. Throughout the seminar we had small group discussions on certain questions surrounding this week’s focus point, which was prohibition of torture. This was quite interesting as some of my classmates answers conflicted with each other. I quite like seminars as they encourage discussion, meaning you can learn from others’ ideology and develop a more open minded approach, as people have varied answers. In seminars you can be more involved than in lectures, since they incorporate real-world situations and allow you to engage and share your ideas, whether correct or incorrect.
1-2PM Lunch
After my seminar I had a break in which I decided to make lunch in order to be energised for my next lecture. Lunch is available in the Stannary from 12pm to 2pm and there’s a good variety of global foods (you can check the weekly rolling menus on this site: https://fxplus.ac.uk/food-drink/stannary-kitchen/).
However, as I had a long break I decided to be even more productive by making myself a nice home cooked meal, in which I was craving a warm golden breaded chicken with rice. Whenever I cook, I feel a sense of accomplishment even if it’s a simple meal; it could even be a salad or a stir fry for lunch. Once you begin to cook at university you start to learn that it’s often about practicality not perfection, as even a simple comforting meal can be delicious and nourishing.
3-4PM Lecture
After my meal, I then headed for my next lecture which was at the Old Chapel lecture hall and was for my Law module on legal foundations. This is actually one of my favourite modules as it introduces us to a higher understanding of legal thinking, which is needed in university and the real world. In this lecture, we learnt about the legal profession, ethics, and the diversity of the profession, which was interesting since it makes you consider what job you want to pursue in the future. Conflict of interest, one of the most significant ethical principles and moral dilemmas, struck me as an intriguing topic for ethical challenges in legal practice.
4-5PM Coffee time
After my lecture, I felt like taking a stroll into Penryn town which lead me to a lively cafe called the Stargazy cafe, where as I walked in I could smell the scent of fresh coffee beans being poured into the machine ready to make the best comfort drink during this winter season. As I sipped on my coffee, I could hear a light keyboard typing in the background from the students in there doing work, which is a great idea if you want a change of environment to study while having a hot drink or a snack. The coffee was rich in taste and the environment was relaxing; after a busy afternoon it calmed my mind.
6PM Dinner
As I am on a catered accommodation contract, I headed to the Stannary for supper with a few of my friends, as it’s good to have a daily catch up with them outside of lectures and classes. Today I ate rice with a turkey curry. It was warm and delicious. I got so distracted by my friends’ catch up session I even forgot to take a picture!
8-9:30PM Library + reading
After my lovely dinner, I wanted to make more out of the day and increase my productivity by completing some reading in the library. I started off with doing some required reading for my modules. Then I sank into the book I’d chosen for myself, which was “The Affluent Society”, which made me understand the economics of the harsh reality of poverty and ideas around adapting to reality and needs. As my course also includes business studies, this was a useful way to boost my economics knowledge. The library was peaceful at this time, as the other students there were either working hard to finish assignments or maximising on some quiet time by doing some reading .
9:30 – 10:30PM Tea time ready for sleep
As the cold winter approaches, the nights are getting colder and cold air gusts rushed through my hair as I walk back from the library. I was glad to get back to my warm room and get ready for bed after a long but productive day. To help me sleep I normally make a peppermint tea to relax my body and my mind and mentally prepare for my next day. As my day comes to an end, I often reflect in my mind on what I have learnt, and if any questions appear I make a note to ask the lecturer. As I set my alarm, I looked forward to waking up fresh the next day. And there you have it – a day in the life at university!