A Week in the Life with Setthanan, UCL Mathematics

UCL Mathematics Digital Student Ambassador Setthanan writes about a typical week for a BSc Mathematics with Economics student, including tips for changing up studying locations around London.

Greetings! Welcome to my “A Week in My Life” blog where I will be describing what my typical week as a UCL Mathematics student looks like. Along with that, I will be inserting some useful tips and tricks so keep a look out for that! If you are ready, let’s begin the week!

Monday

Monday may not be the day we are all looking forward to, especially after an exceptionally relaxing weekend. But why not start the week with a gym session instead of going straight to the lecture? That is exactly what I always do. It is such a good way to boost my productivity and keep the engine going for the rest of the week. After my gym session, I head to my Economics lecture which is scheduled from 11am to 1pm. I personally like this lecture as the lecturer often uses Mentimeter to engage us, making sure we don’t fall asleep in the lecture. I then usually go to the Student Centre and sit at the seat I booked 2 days beforehand. Remember that all the study spaces, especially at the Student Centre, tend to be very busy in the afternoon, so you can guarantee a seat for yourself by booking it online beforehand! By doing this, you also get to plan a study session for yourself and be mentally prepared for it.

Tuesday

I only have 2 hours of lectures on Tuesday but it is a 9am lecture. While it may seem dreadful (especially for a night owl like me), I try to think of it as a potentially productive day, as I get to start my day early rather than staying in bed till noon. After I finish my lecture, I usually have lunch with my friends on campus (Print Room Café is always my go to café although it might be a little crowded during meal times!) then go to the Main Library for the rest of the day. I would say Tuesday is my most productive day as I spend the most amount of time doing work compared to other days. I usually head home at about 6pm for a simple homecooked meal. That day I made scrambled eggs, spam, and spinach to have with some rice.  

Wednesday

Like Monday, I only have a 2-hour lecture on Wednesday. After finishing my lecture, I usually meet up with my friends and we head to the library together. While I usually head to the Cruciform Library, I sometimes opt to change the surroundings by going to KCL’s Maughan Library or the LSE Library. I find changing my study spot a good strategy to maintain my productivity, and it just feels great when I make use of other libraries in London! Are you wondering how you can access KCL, LSE, or in fact many more libraries in the University of London? It is easy: Just search up the name of the library or university you would like to visit and fill in the application form. You'll usually get a response from them within a week, so be sure to plan ahead!

Thursday

Thursday is the busiest day for me as I have 4 hours of classes consecutively from 11am to 3pm. I always try my best to wake up early to eat something before 11am to avoid starving until 3pm! After my lecture, I always immediately head to a pastry to shop to find myself some snacks before heading to an office hour. If you feel overwhelmed, the office hours are there for you! It is a good chance to ask the lecturer anything you wish, to clarify your doubts and increase your confidence! I usually end my day right after the office hour, as I know my brain will need a break. I usually walk past the main quad on my way to the tube station, and seeing the colorful Portico just heals my day. We all know it is a UCL pride! Since I was craving Asian food that day, I decided to cook shrimp fried rice which was so satisfying!

Friday

It is finally Friyay!

After my lecture finishes at 11am, I usually go to the Student Center for a few hours before heading to the gym or playing a sport like volleyball or badminton. We all know Friday evening is the perfect time to party, so I usually cook a special dinner with my friends to celebrate our hard work throughout the week. On this day, we made fried chicken and carbonara pasta which perfectly wrapped up the hectic week.

Weekend

The long-awaited weekend is here! I would say my activities during the weekends always vary. I sometimes continue grinding with my studies if I feel the need to. If not, I would hop on a train for a quick getaway from London with my friends, and this is why you should get a railcard; It will help you save lots of money! Since I’ve got some high-school friends in Bath, I always head there for a quick recharge before the following week. Trust me, this is such a good way to recuperate! If I am absolutely in need of vacation during term time, I would catch a flight to nearby cities like Amsterdam or Paris for some good food and scenery. I mean, sometimes we just need a little break from the fast-paced London, don’t we?

That is it! I hope you enjoyed reading how my week looks like. University might be a challenging period as it is quite a high jump from school, but my advice would be to try your best to find a good work-life balance. Remember to study hard, but play even harder to enjoy your university life. Good luck!

Author & Photographs: Setthanan Wangjongrakkul