The following is an article about one of the most normal, boring and gloomy Durham days of my third year at uni so far. The reality of my life at the moment is that most of the time I’m very busy studying, researching for my dissertation, looking for graduate jobs and generally trying to sort out my life, so please do lower your expectations, but also enjoy this realistic insight into the life of a third-year student at Durham University.
I begin the day by waking up at the unusually early hour of 8:45, because today I have a 10:00 am lecture (this is NOT the norm). The first thing I do is turn on my speakers and play some tunes – no morning is complete without a little dance around the room! This morning, I was really into Nai Palm’s new album.
I then go to the bathroom, where I brush my teeth, have a shower and go through my skincare routine.
All prepped, I then go downstairs in my dressing gown to make myself an Aero Press cup of coffee with oat milk and a big bowl of fruit. Today I had mango, banana and blueberries with linseed sprinkled on top for some protein. If I’m not having a big fruit bowl, I sometimes have porridge with cacao powder, cinnamon and honey stirred in. If I just don’t have the time, I grab a banana while running to my lecture.
While having breakfast and coffee in my room, I usually do my makeup. I’m a master at wasting time in the mornings, so I somehow always end up running late no matter how much time I have to get ready. Case in point: here’s me watering my plants, which I definitely could have done later:
Next, I throw on a comfy outfit because, well, this is an uneventful day in the life of a third year and I’ve just sort of given up / I’m too busy to bother with elaborate outfits.
I am, however, wearing a super cute accessory today. Keep a lookout for this hcxo cap in a potential future giveaway hint hint.
The last thing I do before I leave is check my planner, which is so so important to me and basically holds my life together, and pack my bag for the day.
As soon as I get home, I change into my loungewear and put on my glasses. Fluffy socks are essential.
After coming back from my ‘20th Century European Philosophy’ lecture where we covered Sartre in the context of Phenomenology, I sit and metabolise the information a little in my notes, ensuring I don’t forget my immediate response to the material.
Next, I edit two articles that are due to be published the following week on the Her Campus website. Today, I’m also writing a news piece for Frequency21 on one of my favourite musicians, Father John Misty.
As the inevitable third-year anxiety hits in, I decide to completely re-write and update my CV into a more conservative format. I then look for and consider applying to different graduate jobs and opportunities.
The last thing on my to-do list is research for my dissertation, so I read a journal article and do some general research, but it seems to only be leading me further astray from a single approach to the topic.
I decide to give up and make an early dinner. I like to challenge myself to make complex and intricate dishes on the regular, and today is no exception – it’s a bowl of pasta pesto! (My housemates can’t believe it’s not Ramen.)
After dinner, I head out to run some errands and go to a meeting at The Library. Alongside the juice and fruit, I picked up some very delayed parcels for my birthday from my lovely friend in Vienna which completely made my day.
I end the evening by having a drink and a chat with my housemates. Before I go to sleep, I read some articles from the latest issue of TANK, my favourite magazine.
There you have it – the typical day of a final-year in Michaelmas term is quite boring because we actually have work to do. Nevertheless, it does feel good to be getting ahead, even if it doesn’t feel that way most of the time!
Image Credits:
https://unsplash.com/photos/FHnnjk1Yj7Y
Taken by author