A day in the life of a Mathematics master’s student
Sydney, an Operational Research with Risk MSc student, takes you through what her average day looked like during the semester.
By Sydney Trilling
8:00 AM: Start of the day
I usually wake up about an hour and a half before class with my first class of the day being at 9 or 10 am. Class schedules can vary; however, one will have about one to three classes a day during the typical five-day work week. I make coffee and breakfast before heading to classes.
My classes were on the King’s Buildings campus, so I typically walk to main campus to catch the free shuttle to King’s. If I’m running really late, the public buses are a good alternative, although they are not free if you are over 21!
10:00 AM: First class of the day – Simulation Workshop
This was a review of some practice problems given to us the week before. We had the opportunity to ask very specific questions about class content one-on-one with the professor and work through any difficult points with the teaching assistants.
11:30 AM: Lunch!
There is a café in most of the King’s buildings and I like to stop by them for a quick lunch (usually a sandwich, wrap, or soup). It is very convenient to be able to grab food in-between classes. I usually sit with some other course mates as our schedule can be similar.
12:10 PM: Operational Research in the Energy Industry lecture
My second class of the day was a lecture, which means it’s focused on new content. I did lots of note-taking and asked clarifying questions.
2:00 PM: Project meeting
After my classes finished, I worked with my group on an upcoming project for one of our classes. We checked in about the status of our code and then delegated work for the upcoming week. Our projects can be group or solo, it depends on the scope of each assignment and the professor’s preferences!
4:00 PM: Return home
I shuttled back to main campus and then walked back to my flat. On a sunny day, I will walk through the Meadows and read, however, this day was rainy, so I returned to my flat to relax.
6:00 PM: Dinner and a walk
On weekdays, I cook dinner for myself, and today was fried rice and dumplings. The rain cleared for a bit, so I took a walk around old town to get some fresh air. Edinburgh is extremely walkable and it’s super easy to walk to all the main attractions throughout the city.
8:30 PM: Review notes and upcoming assignments
Nights vary based on the intensity of the class schedule and due dates of assignment, but I usually leave time to review my notes for the classes I have the next day and come in prepared with questions. This night, I tried to make some progress on my coding assignment and then watch an episode of a show to wind down for bed.
During the summer period, our schedules are far looser, as classes have been completed and the focus shifts to our dissertations. There is typically one to two meetings a week with your professor who is overseeing your thesis to discuss your status and progress. Otherwise, you set your own schedule, so I highly recommend creating a routine that works best for you to make process throughout the summer.
Remember to think about your work-life balance and enjoy your time in Scotland! Explore different study spaces and capitalize on your down times to get the most of your experience.
