A week in the life of a food science, nutrition and dietetics student
Our food science, nutrition and dietetics courses share the same first year, which provides a solid foundation on which to build the rest of your degree. We asked Jake, a first-year Nutrition and Dietetics student, what it’s like to study at Surrey and what he gets up to in a typical week.
What does a typical week look like?
Studying Nutrition and Dietetics is great fun, but there are certainly a few things I wasn't expecting when I started the course.
The first is that, in your first semester, there's a lot of contact time. In a typical week, I'm at university four or five days, with around 25 hours of teaching. Three of my days are usually pretty full-on, with the remaining one or two having just a couple of sessions. The majority of sessions are lectures, but each week I'll also have a handful of workshops and maybe even a practical or two. The practicals are THE BEST!
One important thing to know is that, as a Nutrition and Dietetics student, your timetable changes every week. This is largely because we spend quite a bit of time in the laboratories and kitchens, meaning the timetable can sometimes seem a little random. I'm a sucker for a routine, so this has probably been the biggest adjustment for me. But a couple of months in, I've definitely got used to it.
My advice would be to make good use of the Library during gaps between sessions and block out time to spend on campus, even when you don't have lectures. I've found that planning to be at university for most of the day makes it much easier to work around the changing timetable. Plus, it means I can get my studying done before heading home.
Step inside a practical in our Food and Nutrition Kitchen Lab
What subjects are you studying in first year?
My current modules include Cell Biology and Biological Chemistry, Principles of Nutrition and Health and Fundamentals in Food Science, Nutrition and Microbiology: A Practical Approach. These provide a good range of the topic areas you'd expect from a nutrition-focused degree.
My favourite is Principles of Nutrition and Health. I think it's safe to say this is because, only last week, I was able to spend four hours in the kitchen cooking and most importantly, eating! The kitchen is such a fun environment where you get to work closely with your classmates.
As well as getting to spend time in the kitchen, the University of Surrey has an amazing science laboratory, the Innovation for Health Learning Lab. Many of our practicals for the Cell Biology and Food Science modules take place here.
I'm by no means an expert, but I'm confident that by the end of the course I'll at least resemble someone who looks like they know what they're doing!
How are you taught and assessed?
The course is split into lectures, seminars, workshops and practicals. The majority of teaching is delivered through lectures, but each week you'll likely have a couple of workshops and a practical or two.
At the time of writing, everything is taught in person on campus. However, all lectures are recorded, so catching up on work or revisiting anything you didn't quite understand is really easy.
In the first semester, there's also quite a lot of group work. I know, group work isn't everyone's favourite thing, but looking on the positive side, it's really helped our cohort get to know each other much better.
Most of our individual coursework deadlines and assessments are in Semester 2 after Christmas, so there’s plenty of time to settle in before things get more serious.
How do you balance university with other commitments?
This is a bit of a challenge! I found that in the first couple of weeks I was having way too much fun and almost forgot why I was at university. There's so much going on with societies, sports and socials that it's easy to get swept up in everything during the first month.
I'm now a couple of months in and have settled into a nice balance between university work and social life. I've made a rule for myself that all university work gets done on campus. So, whenever I'm not in lectures, I head to the Library to catch up on assignments, revise or do some independent study.
I've found this gives me a clear boundary between work and fun. The second I leave campus, I'm officially off duty.
What's life like outside lectures?
Life outside lectures at the University of Surrey is great. I've had experience with other universities and nothing comes close to what Surrey has to offer in terms of sports, societies and social opportunities. They have a society for just about everything.
I'm currently a member of the Surf Society and the Nutrition and Dietetics Society, but I've also made visits to the Hockey and Tennis societies. Everyone is so welcoming.
I like to start my days at Surrey Sports Park. I spend most of my time here in the gym, but they also have an amazing 50-metre swimming pool and lots of other facilities I hope to make use of during my time here.
Whether you're interested in competitive sport, trying something completely new or just meeting people, there's always something going on.
Where are your favourite places to study, eat and unwind?
After the gym, I like to head over to Hillside Café for a coffee and a square of dark chocolate – one of my favourite times of day! Most days I like to sit outside, but on those cold winter days the café itself is really cosy.
When it comes to studying, the Library is my go-to spot. It's a great place to focus between lectures and get everything done before heading home.
Most lunchtimes, you'll find me and my friends in the Hillside Food Court. They offer a great selection of food, with a menu that changes every week, so you don't get bored. We all love the ice cream too… dietitians are allowed to indulge every now and then!
