Have you ever wondered what life as a postgrad student at the University of Glasgow looks like? Well, this is your lucky day as I'm gonna take you with me to show you what a day in the life of a MSc Political Communication student looks like! 

Although most of my classes happen around lunchtime and I could sleep in if I wanted to, I enjoy getting up early-ish. I'm a morning person and I tend to be more productive during the first half of the day, so I usually try to get out of bed by 8. I must admit that being finally able to see the sunlight peek through my window when I wake up makes leaving my duvet a lot easier than it was a couple of weeks ago. 

First things first, breakfast! This is a moment that I like to spend with myself while I enjoy a hot cup of tea and mentally prepare for the day ahead. I then get ready and check my planner (and most importantly, the weather app) to make sure I'm prepared for all of my day activities. Since I don't stay super close to uni I like to pack my bag with everything I might need for the whole day, this usually includes my laptop, gym bag and some packed lunch. My budget-friendly tip is cooking a bigger dinner the night before so that you can have it next day without necessarily having to meal-prep or cook first thing in the morning.

Once I'm ready, I hop on the train which takes me to the West End in just over 10 minutes to then walk to the library. If I wasn't completely awake my now, walking up the hill definitely does the job. My usual library spot is on level 5, did you know that there's an area dedicated to postgraduate students? This is where I do my readings for a couple of hours before I head to my class.

 

I am lucky because my classes are quite spread out throughout the whole week so I only have a couple of hours at a time, which allows me to be flexiblw with the rest of my day. Today's class is in the wonderful Gilbert Scott building. It feels so dreamy every time I walk around here and these flowers are making me even more excited about the arrival of spring.

Lunchtime is one of the highlights of my day. I really appreciate this moment on the days I have class, since I get to spend it with my classmates. The breaks in between classes have allowed to us to get to knonw each other quite well by now, so I get to enjoy my lunch with great company. We usually go to Gilchrist postgraduate cafe or the cafeteria in the library to grab a quick bite and chat a bit before we head upstairs for some more studying. However, there are plenty of lovely cafes around the West End with outdoor tables so I can't wait to try once spring is in full bloom. However, my attention-span gets progressively worse after lunch so I never stay in the library until late. 

This is not an issue though, it actually fits perfectly with my schedule as I leave the library around 5 to head to the Stevenson building, the university gym. This is where I meet up with the rest of the running team to start our "easy miles" sessions. This is my favourite training session of the week, as we jog around the West End at an easy pace. It's the perfect time to catch up and chat with some friends. Today we were also blessed by a beautiful sunset which instantly made every kilometer worth the effort.

At this point in the day I would usually be ready to head back to my flat to enjoy a chill evening hanging with my flatmates or perhaps watching a movie. However, today is a special one because one of my friends is in town so we decided to meet up for some comforting food in Ashton Lane. Is there a better way to refuel for another day than catching up with friends over a warm bowl of ramen?

All photos in this blog are attributed to Noemi Finetti

First published: 5 March 2025

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