A day in the life of a Materials Science and Engineering student
Join current student Caitlin for a day in the life of a Materials Science and Engineering student at Birmingham.
No two days can look the same for an engineering student. Here is my busiest day but also one of the most rewarding.
Morning
My morning normally starts by waking up and eating my breakfast before heading off to campus. I always find having a relaxing start to my mornings means I’m more productive throughout the day.
Our first session is our Computer Practical in the CTL computer rooms. We are currently learning how to code in MatLab which is linked to some of the maths we study throughout the semesters. There are different activities to work through throughout the session, and it bridges the gap if you have not studied computer science before.
Before my next lecture, me and my friend normally head to one of the many cafes on campus to grab a coffee. The staff are so friendly and it’s nice to have a little treat in your day. I also scan my Food Fellows app to get some points to spend later in the term.
Next, we have our Electrical and Magnetic Engineering lecture. We are currently learning about batteries and the chemistry behind them – one of my favourite parts of the course. If you do not like chemistry then do not worry, the lecturers are very good at explaining it, and there plenty of the other sciences in other modules.
Afternoon
Then, its lunchtime. I normally bring in food that I have cooked the night before as it stops me from buying lunch on campus. It’s also a perfect time to catch up with your course mates or complete some work.
After lunch, its labs. In first year, you have weekly labs to help embed knowledge and become hands on with learning. In the second half of Semester Two, there is also a group project which really helps with becoming close with your lab partners. Some labs take longer than others, but you have a few free weeks during the terms where you don’t have labs.
Evening
I then go back to my flat (Tennis Court halls are very close to the Met and Mat building!) and make my dinner whilst chilling with my flatmates. I may sometimes do some work or some of our fortnightly quizzes but I normally just chill! Sometimes an evening off is just what you need after such a busy day.