A day in the life of a summer school student
Hey there 👋
My name is Marco.
Here is a day in the life of me going to Cambridge summer school for 2 weeks in 2023. Hopefully, I can inspire you to take this opportunity and enrol on a summer school - it will change your life and you will enjoy it! I promise.
If you’re a parent, keep on reading. Choosing to enrol your child on a summer school will give them an opportunity to explore their passions, cultivate new skills, and make lifelong memories. Isn’t that great?
Continue reading and find out what to expect from your next summer school experience.
Daily schedule and routine
7.30AM
My alarm goes off. I snooze it - I know I can make it on time for breakfast!
7.45AM
Alright, it’s time to wake up and start my day. I start my morning routine by brushing my teeth and getting dressed, and preparing my bag for the day’s lessons.
8.30AM
I made it to the dining hall. 8.30AM to 9.30AM is breakfast time before classes start for the day.
I saw my friend Michael reading his book while munching on some eggs and bacon, and I go over to him. We start chatting about yesterday’s lesson in Biology and Anatomy. We’re both in the same class, studying Medicine at Sutton Trust Summer School.
A perk about going to a summer school is that you find like-minded individuals who have the same interests as you. It’s pretty refreshing to make lifelong friends in a different environment other than your school at home.
9.30AM until 12.30PM
Each summer school has different times and duration for each module and the classes within it.
Today I had Anatomy in the morning, where we dissected and learnt about the human body. It was really interesting as this was an introduction course to ‘Functional Architecture of the Body’, taught at Cambridge as part of the official curriculum.
I’m very grateful that I get a real taste of what they actually teach at Cambridge University - it makes it easier to picture myself taking the course at degree level, helping me to decide that this is something I am interested in and really want to pursue!
12.30PM
It’s lunch time! We get an hour to ourselves to eat, socialise and catch up on any last minute work before our afternoon classes start.
1.30PM until 3PM
During the second period at summer school, we did Molecular Science. It was part of the foundation course so it wasn’t too hard to follow along and understand the concepts, but it wasn’t super easy either. I enjoy having to work my brain during class, it helps me feel engaged and involved, as well as making it easier to remember the course content.
I will definitely need to study this a bit more in the evening!
3.30PM
BREAK. I find Michael and my other friends that I met on my induction day, Sally and Veronica.
We make plans to quickly do our homework after the walking tour we’ve joined around Cambridge, with the rest of our classmates.
4PM until 5:30PM
The walking tour of Cambridge was great! We got to learn about the history, the architecture and culture of Cambridge city as well as of the university. It was very interesting learning more about this historical place and the location of our summer school program.
5:30PM - 6PM
Once we returned from the walking tour around Cambridge we had time to grab some food from the cafeteria to refuel before we resumed our studying.
6PM
We arrived back at campus in time for some independent study and completing some preparation for my 7PM lecture. I managed to get some of the homework I was given in earlier classes done, which was great as now I won't have to work on it later!
7PM - 8PM
Time for an evening lecture on biomedical research through pathology, which I learnt is the study of how illness and disease work and impact people. I find the lectures fascinating. I never thought I would be able to understand complex subjects as well as I can after learning about them in this way.
8PM - 10:30PM
Once the pathology lecture was complete, I returned to my dorm room to relax with my flatmates, unwind and talk about our experiences of the day. It's always great to hear other people’s perspectives and the things they have learnt throughout their day. I have found it provides me with even more insight as to whether there are other things I could also enjoy studying.
10:30PM
At around 10:30 PM we tend to all disappear back to our rooms to get ready for bed. A proper night's sleep is essential for optimal learning! And after a busy day of being stimulated and in new surroundings, sleep tends to come easily before the next day which will also be jam-packed with fun activities, new friends and knowledge that I know will stick with me.
Did you enjoy Marco’s brief diary entry of the day?
If you think summer school sounds like an experience you would enjoy and benefit from, contact us today. We can help you find the best course and university location aligning with your personal interests and skill set, to help you get the most from the summer school experience.
