A week in the life of a law student
First year LLB (Hons) Law with International Relations student Akshaya Mohan tells us a bit about what it’s like to study at Surrey – from her typical timetable, to her experiences as part of societies.
A typical week
Monday
Considering I have two tutorials on a Monday, I would’ve ideally spent the Sunday before doing any required reading, as all tutorials on this course require prior reading! Depending on whether I’ve had a productive weekend, I spend my Monday mornings either doing some last minute prep for my tutorials, or relaxing. At 1:30pm, I leave my student accommodation to go to my 2:00pm tutorial – if you’re living at Manor Park, it’s best to leave 30 minutes before to ensure you reach your lecture on time! I then have another two-hour tutorial at 4:00pm, before heading home to chill and to try and cook something edible (hopefully!) After I eat, I spend a while preparing for Tuesday’s lecture and tutorial, then take some time to relax and watch TV before going to bed.
Tuesday
My Tuesdays start with a two-hour tutorial at 10:00am, then an international relations lecture after lunch. The one hour break between the lectures is a great time to settle down on the lawn near the lake and hang-out with friends! Closer to exam season, this becomes essential group-study or library time. With my contact hours done for the day, I prefer to head back to my room and catch some zzzs… But some use this time to socialise and chill with friends as well!
At 6:30pm, I head back to campus for my Model United Nations society (MUNSoc) meeting. I find that attending society meetings is great for stress-busting! You come home feeling refreshed and ready to prep for a wild night out with friends at Rubix (Surrey’s on-campus nightclub), or you might choose to have a quiet night indoors with some TV and popcorn!
Wednesday
I have no contact hours on a Wednesday – this is the case for a lot of courses as Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to sporting activities. However, if you don’t want to take part in the sport, you could spend the day doing your pre-reading for the rest of the week!
Thursday
I am in University from 1:00pm on a Thursday – first in a lecture, and then in a tutorial from 5:00pm until 6:00pm. I then have my second society meeting of the week: LawSoc. If I were you, I would definitely get involved with the LawSoc! There’s nothing more rewarding to a law student than to be able to test out our knowledge practically through mock trials, moots, negotiations and client interviews, which is exactly what Surrey’s law society can offer you.
Friday
I have two lectures on a Friday: one from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, and the other from 4:00pm until 6:00pm. Though this is the day with the most contact hours, the idea of the upcoming weekend makes the day fly by in no time. After that – weekend!
"There’s nothing more rewarding to a law student than to be able to test out our knowledge practically through mock trials, moots, negotiations and client interviews."
Choosing Surrey
"Law is usually considered to be a content-heavy course, and one gears up for a hectic schedule ahead of the year. But the content taught at Surrey is so practical and engaging, and the events so involving, that I’ve been hooked the entire time!
The best thing about studying at Surrey is the student-friendly environment – it’s comforting to find that a lot of the population around the University are students. Being near London and a train away from Gatwick airport is also definitely a motivation for potential weekend getaways! The University offers support for any and all kinds of issues and, though it personally doesn’t appeal to me, there is a great social life here with clubs, pubs and events across the town."
Discover more about life at Surrey and our courses in law.