A Day in the Life of a Computer Science Student
8:00 – I start the morning with a long and chatty breakfast with my college husband [a Cambridge tradition in which first years get ‘College married’ and then in their second year, act as ‘parents’ (i.e. mentors) to first years] and anyone else who’s around in my household. This is often followed by mail runs, laundry or food shopping.
9:00 – Head to the Jerwood (the Trinity Hall library) which is luckily only next door to my accommodation block! Mornings are spent watching the day’s lectures (typically two) before working on digital content for a charity I volunteer for.
11:45 – On most weekdays there will be a supervision at this time. As there’s only a few Computer Scientists at Trinity Hall, our supervisions are often partnered with other colleges – most commonly Gonville & Caius. This is great as it allows us to meet and learn with people across Cambridge whilst visiting other colleges.
13:00 – Make lunch and eat out on the benches that overlook the river. This is a beautiful and bustling lunch spot so it’s a great opportunity to meet new people or interact with friends. Lunch is often followed by a walk around town, down by the river or to Grantchester Meadows.
14:00 – In the afternoon I’ll work on my required programming tasks, known as ticks, in a variety of programming languages. If none of these are outstanding, I’ll complete supervision work which typically involves more programming, maths or short essay questions. This study is done with my household for increased motivation and with an endless supply of tea.
16:00 – Go rowing or fencing, attend acting rehearsals or simply catch up with friends and family. There’s a diverse range of clubs and societies in Cambridge so there’s always something new and exciting to try.
17:00 – On Central Site we don’t have ovens or hobs so I’ve become well-versed with microwave cooking for dinner! I prefer cooking for myself but sometimes treat myself to cafeteria food which is greatly priced and never disappoints.
18:00 – Most evenings I’ll host a tutoring session for Oxbridge applicants. It’s a highly rewarding hour which often helps to re-spark my own study motivation.
19:00 – Depending on how much I’ve achieved during the day, I’ll either finish off some work or enjoy some downtime in the form of cards, party games or films. Either way, I always try and spend my evenings in the company of friends.