Virtual uni life

Day in the life of a final year virtual university student

As a final year student, the changes in recent months have taken a lot of getting used to. Moving back home, away from my friends, has taken the most adjusting for me. At first, I found it difficult to keep myself motivated as I could have never imagined the weeks before graduating looking anything like this. Now I have a routine that works for me and keeps me inspired. I wanted to share it with you, so read on to find out what Monday looks like for me.

8:00am

I wake up at 8am most days. I get out of bed straight away (otherwise it’s never going to happen) and make a cup of green tea.

8:15am

If I’m in a positive frame of mind, I do a short workout, then a quick yoga practice. I don’t feel like I can start working until I've had a good stretch, besides – one of my lockdown goals is to be able to do the splits.

9:00am

I have breakfast, which could be pancakes or porridge, but is usually just a protein shake – the best fuel for a productive day!

If the sun is shining, I take my breakfast outside to read a book. I’m currently reading Sapiens and I can’t recommend it enough.

9:30am

When I’ve finished reading, I’ll catch up on my lectures before my seminar starts. If I don’t have a seminar, I work on upcoming assignments or my dissertation. Currently, I have three interactive sessions per week, but I try to do the preparation on Monday, so that I have more time to work on other engagements.

11.00am

Afterwards, I make myself more tea and get ready for the seminar… which normally just involves putting my hair in a bun to make myself slightly more presentable.

1:30pm

Halfway through the day I have some lunch – usually mushrooms on toast or last night’s leftovers.

After lunch, I like to take a study break to make preparations for when I graduate. I’m in a situation faced by many students who are now unemployed due to Covid-19. As I said, I'm currently living back at home… which feels like a step backwards.

But instead of worrying too much about what will happen, I’m optimistic about making the best of an unfortunate situation by seeking ways to further my skills for the competitive job market which awaits us.

Pitching to write guest posts (like this one) and getting stuck into LinkedIn Learning have been key to maintaining my interest in content creation. I'm fortunate to have spent almost a year working alongside my studies in a PR agency where I had opportunities to write for brands, so I'm collating a portfolio which will showcase my experience when applying for graduate roles.

I also visit MyCareer, as the Careers and Employability often posts opportunities there. Recently I discovered digital internships that have been arranged for students. Some have taken my interest, so I spend this time writing up cover letters to apply.

3:00pm

I start working on my assignments again. Usually I hit an afternoon slump and my productivity drops at around 3:30pm. I either power through (if I have looming deadlines) or take a break… but this usually ends with a nap!

5.00pm

Around this time, I tend to stop working, or wake up from my nap… Usually, the dog needs walking so I’ll take her out and listen to an audiobook or podcast.

6.00pm

When lockdown started, I created a vegan cooking Instagram page (@CulinaryChica_) so most evenings I go through and engage with the community. I also make something delicious to post – past creations have included apple cake, onion chutney and focaccia – much to the delight of my family!

7:30pm

Most nights, my sister and I train. I doubt I would've stayed motivated to workout as much without her, so I suggest enlisting a family member so that you can work to achieve your goals together.

9.00pm

Dinner time! A positive part of lockdown is having home-cooked family meals again. While I do miss cooking with my best friend, it is nice to have dinner on the table after a gym session.

10.00pm

Finally, I watch YouTube in bed until I drift off, ready to start again tomorrow.

I've accepted that the life I had before the lockdown is gone and that staying productive is hard – but maintaining structure and looking forward to the future is helping me to stay sane during these crazy times.