Before I arrived in London, I wondered how I would balance my academics while taking advantage of being abroad and how it would impact my day-to-day balance. I am happy to report that I have had no issues and that I have quite a bit of free time on my hands. That said, I thought I’d walk you through a typical day in my life here at University College London (UCL) during the week.
9:00-10:00 am: I typically wake up around this time and get ready for the day before walking 10-15 minutes to get to my lectures.
10:00-1:00 pm: Most of my lectures are within this time period. A typical lecture is 1 or 2 hours weekly, but because of the UCL hour system, you subtract 10 minutes from the allotted time to allow students to get to their next class. I quite enjoy the overall reduced time in classes throughout the week, as I have more time for other things I might want to do.
1:00-5:00 pm: Depending on the day, I spend my time differently in the afternoon. For one of my classes this term, I am taking a research project to gain experience working in a lab. I generally spend two days at the lab, whether that be for our weekly lab meeting, scoring tests, or inputting data into the system. On the days I’m not working in the lab, I go to the library or student center and get my readings and any other work I have that day done.
5:00-6:00 pm: Recently, my flatmates and I have been spending this time running errands or taking a walk together. Our favorite places to walk right now are Regent’s Park and Oxford Street because they are not far. However, we sometimes take a random walk and explore the surrounding area of our accommodation hall.
6:00-8:00 pm: Dinner time! I live in a self-catered hall so I have a full kitchen in my flat and have to make all of my meals. My flatmates and I have been enjoying making new dishes this past month and have had different meal nights (e.g., mac and cheese night, curry night, salad night, etc.) where we invite our friends from surrounding flats. On other nights, it can be hard to figure out a dinner plan, but we have a few grocery stores within walking distance of our hall that help.
8:00-12:00 am: Some nights, my flatmates and I stay in and hangout with each other either in one of our rooms or in the kitchen. Our friends from neighboring flats often stop in throughout the night, which always leaves a bit of a surprise on what the night holds. On Tuesday nights there is a jazz night at the student union bar, Phinneas, where the members of the jaz society perform. Other nights, we walk down the road to a pub near campus and hangout with friends.
There really is so much to do and explore in London, so my week is never a dull one. So far, I have had a great experience here at UCL and I hope that my day in the life helps!
Olivia Merritt
Fall 2024
GW Exchange - University College London
Columbian College of Arts and Science
Psychological and Brain Sciences Major