Hello! I’m Belle, a second year Archaeology and Heritage student here at the University of York. Life at university can be varied but my day goes something like this:
Morning
This term I only have one 9am. I would happily treat myself to a lie in everyday, but this usually leads to a full pyjama day. Instead I try to set an 8am or 9am alarm to make sure I get up to be productive.
To wake myself up I begin by looking at my timetable to plan my day. As an archaeology student I have 1-2 contact hours per day throughout the week. This independence makes my personal organisation more important. Early each week I like to create a digital list of tasks for each module. Breaking it down makes it more manageable and gives me the satisfaction of ticking things off.
In the mornings I try to complete my notes from lectures and seminars. Most of my lectures are recorded on lecture capture so I can go back and re-watch them to consolidate the content and fill in any gaps.
Afternoon
This term most of our lectures and seminars are in the early afternoon. Lectures are usually one hour with the same lecturer for each module with everyone taking that module. In contrast, seminars are two hours of a smaller group of 8 to 15 students led by a seminar leader. These are usually structured around the lecture, content from the set reading list and further research. As a smaller course group and, having bonded on excavation in first year, we usually already know everyone in our seminar groups which means everyone gets involved and feels comfortable.
If I’m in town, I try to take full advantage of what York has to offer, exploring the independent shops and enjoying how the city changes with the seasons. Make sure to use your student card for discounts across the city!
This term I am also taking an elective module ‘The English Country House, 1550-1900’ with History of Art. Elective modules are a module in another subject which you can take in place of a non-compulsory module on your course. This is a great opportunity to widen your learning or focus on something you have a particular interest in.
Evening
Most days after dinner I try to do some reading. This is usually a mixture of hard copies from the library and those provided online. Usually I structure my reading so I do it after lectures to further what was covered and before my seminars so I can contribute to the debates about the content of the reading.
If I have already had a full day studying and need a break I cheat and watch an archaeological or architectural history TV programme or film, so I feel like I’m still being productive. Time Team definitely counts as revision! Make sure to check out the Box of Broadcasts service, a free service as a York student. It’s an online platform with a whole range of recorded shows from major television broadcasters. Generally, my evenings range from doing assignments, facetiming friends further away, extra-curricular activities or going out into York to completely crashing asleep after dinner. At university there is so much you can do outside of your studies so have an explore.
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