A day in the life of an American and Canadian Studies student

9am: Hallward Library

Firstly, I needed to bring a magazine that stands out to me to my first American Studies seminar, so I stopped by Hallward Library to browse the periodicals collection.

Whilst I was there, I caught up on some readings in my favourite spot overlooking the Hugh Stewart gardens. 

10am: Dissertation meeting and coffee catch-up

I then walked back across campus to have a quick meeting with my dissertation supervisor in the beautiful Trent Building. It’s really nice to have some one-on-one guidance, and afterwards I went to coffee with a friend in Trent Café. It has to be my favourite coffee shop on campus and has lots of tasty treats. The rocky road is my guilty pleasure! 

11am: Digital Transformations Hub

Next, I walked through the Millennium Gardens on my way to the Humanities Building, where I volunteer in the Digital Transformations Hub scanning and digitising archaeological records.

This is a great way to expand your tech skills and get stuck in with the Nottingham community. 

12pm: Magazine seminar

I headed over to the Monica Partridge Building for my first seminar, ‘American Magazine Culture’. This week we looked at editions of Vogue, the role of advertising within artistic expression, and had some really interesting discussions.  

1pm: Lunch

My parents stopped by for lunch, so I took them to my favourite deli in Beeston. The town centre is only a short walk from Highfields Park, and it’s great to see so many new and exciting businesses opening in the area. 

3pm: Lakeside Arts

I then walked along the lakeside path until I reached the Lakeside Arts Centre. I caught up on some work for my position as arts administration trainee, prepping some music for the University Choir and responding to some emails in the office.

Everyone who works at Lakeside is lovely and it’s so nice to have an internship right on campus!  

4pm: Lecture

I headed to Highfields House for an afternoon lecture for my module called ‘Recent Queer Writing’. After class, I found a bench overlooking the courtyard and started reading this week’s book, Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s one of the most peaceful spots on campus and I love hiding away here with a good book. 

6pm: Yoga class

I then went over to Portland Building and was lucky enough to catch a beautiful pink sunset. I was just in time to meet up with friends and head upstairs for our yoga class and wind down from the day. 

7pm: Home

I spotted a few rabbits on my way back from yoga and reached home to cook dinner and prepare for a board game night with my housemates!