Tips for long days on campus?

Hello all! I'm going into my second year, and I've just been working out my timetable for this year and, dear oh dear, I'll probably end up being on campus from 9am to 9pm every Monday, as my student house is 45mins commute away from campus, so there's no point in me going home between lectures, and I then have an evening sign language class at the end of the day. I may also be going to the gym before class if I truly do want to suffer that day!

My point is is that I may end up leaving the house at 7-7:30am and not get back until almost 10pm. Does anyone have any tips for spending so much time at uni every day? I don't want to buy expensive campus food every day, so does anyone have any tips for packing lunch, dinner, and snacks for uni without impossibly weighing down my bag? Any good portable recipes for a vegetarian on the go? A bag I should buy? Anything I should 100% keep packed in my bag to make it a less painful experience? Please let me know!

That's a long time to spend on campus, but it's just once a week like that, right?

I got a job on campus, so that's a great way to make use of your time; getting experience and making money :smile:

(I went to Newman).

T.

Reply 21

Cate1976

13

The thermos looks really good, although my husband has just bought a Judge food flask for when he's doing duty with St John ambulance, not sure what size it is though. Another idea for something hot would be to put a large spud in the microwave for as long as it needs to cook and put that in the flask. Your filling would go in a separate container.

At the moment i have the Ellehammer backpack which Tesco's were selling cheap last summer if you collected stickers. That is really well made but doesn't have a built in cooler section but I think with careful arranging of books, I'll be able to get a small cool bag in on top of books, thinking of getting http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WGBKMVS/ref=twister_B00X9F239O?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 for college in September if there's anywhere indoor that allows students to eat their own food.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 22

Palsied

OP

3

Original post by tanii

That's a long time to spend on campus, but it's just once a week like that, right?

I got a job on campus, so that's a great way to make use of your time; getting experience and making money :smile:

(I went to Newman).

T.

The following day, I have yet another 9am lecture, and will most likely stay on campus until my 5-7pm one to get some work done! Also, I'm hoping to get a job at the local Lush, but that'll probably mainly be weekends, unfortunately!

Original post by Cate1976

Another idea for something hot would be to put a large spud in the microwave for as long as it needs to cook and put that in the flask. Your filling would go in a separate container.

That's such a good idea, thank you!

Reply 23

RibenaRockstar

14

Original post by New- Emperor

Why is your house so far away from uni?

In some uni cities you have very little choice. I study at Bath and most students live in Oldfield Park, which is 30-40 minutes from uni by bus (depending on traffic - you generally have to be at the bus stop an hour before your morning lecture) because that's where the student housing is. There is some in the city centre, but even then you're a 15-25 minute bus ride from the campus.

Reply 24

Palsied

OP

3

Original post by RibenaRockstar

In some uni cities you have very little choice. I study at Bath and most students live in Oldfield Park, which is 30-40 minutes from uni by bus (depending on traffic - you generally have to be at the bus stop an hour before your morning lecture) because that's where the student housing is. There is some in the city centre, but even then you're a 15-25 minute bus ride from the campus.

In my case, my flatmates and I panicked (as we were on the way to see two houses, both of them became unavailable because people got there before us), and foolishly ended up just going for the first good house we found, regardless of location

Reply 25

holly_1994

14

My timetable is pretty similar on Mondays and Tuesdays, but consisting almost of back-to-back lessons. I don't get a lunch break on Mondays, so I'll have to somehow take something I can eat on the move, most likely a (chicken) salad wrap as they are super quick to make (I know you're vegetarian, so ignore the chicken!) and obviously portable. Snack-wise there's always Special K bars or something similar.

I'm only planning to take my core reading folded up in my bag and my laptop - I use my laptop for everything, as it just makes things so much easier, especially as I have a 2 hour commute and don't fancy lugging heavy bag about. I just had a handbag in first year and it worked perfectly -it was big enough to fit things, so not one of those tiny little bags that you can just about fit a penny into! In the bag I'll have for next year, I'll carry a slim laptop, keys, phone, water/small food box, and maybe a pen or two in case I fancy making notes by hand (which hardly ever happens, but still).

Gym-wise, you're going to be running around a lot as it is by the sounds of things, so just slot the gym into the weekend. Don't add any more stress to your longest days in university, as you'll end up knackered and fed up with everything, and probably won't have enough energy to even make the gym anyway!

Really think about your bag, though. I know bags that can fit everything into are handy for carrying more about, but it also means you're carrying a bag that weighs more. If you buy a smaller bag that forces you to carry less, then you learn to prioritise (for example, I no longer carry my make up bag and about a gazillion hairbrushes any more, because I can't fit them!)

Hope this helps!

Reply 26

RibenaRockstar

14

Original post by Cate1976

The thermos looks really good, although my husband has just bought a Judge food flask for when he's doing duty with St John ambulance, not sure what size it is though. Another idea for something hot would be to put a large spud in the microwave for as long as it needs to cook and put that in the flask. Your filling would go in a separate container.

At the moment i have the Ellehammer backpack which Tesco's were selling cheap last summer if you collected stickers. That is really well made but doesn't have a built in cooler section but I think with careful arranging of books, I'll be able to get a small cool bag in on top of books, thinking of getting http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WGBKMVS/ref=twister_B00X9F239O?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 for college in September if there's anywhere indoor that allows students to eat their own food.

I don't bother with a coolbag, personally. I just make sure to put a couple of ice blocks in with my food and go with something that's unlikely to hurt me if it's not cold enough (ie no shellfish, chicken, or rice). I'm a big fan of buying premade quiches, and cutting them into portion slices and freezing them individually. The still-frozen quiche slice just goes into my lunchbox and is defrosted and ready to eat by lunchtime.

I use this box for a 'full lunch': http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16808/Clean-Click-Hygienic-Square-0-85l-Box

And this one for a smaller lunch: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16812/Clean-Click-Hygienic-Rectangular-0-55L-Box

Reply 27

username1060297

21

This thread has to be one of the most helpful I've ever read on TSR. Thanks for the tips guys.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 28

GoingToBurst

16

Original post by Ki Yung Na

This thread has to be one of the most helpful I've ever read on TSR. Thanks for the tips guys.

Glad you're getting some use out of it :smile:

, we're not all stuck up trolls on here haha!

Reply 29

bethy143

2

Original post by Palsied

Hello all! I'm going into my second year, and I've just been working out my timetable for this year and, dear oh dear, I'll probably end up being on campus from 9am to 9pm every Monday, as my student house is 45mins commute away from campus, so there's no point in me going home between lectures, and I then have an evening sign language class at the end of the day. I may also be going to the gym before class if I truly do want to suffer that day!

My point is is that I may end up leaving the house at 7-7:30am and not get back until almost 10pm. Does anyone have any tips for spending so much time at uni every day? I don't want to buy expensive campus food every day, so does anyone have any tips for packing lunch, dinner, and snacks for uni without impossibly weighing down my bag? Any good portable recipes for a vegetarian on the go? A bag I should buy? Anything I should 100% keep packed in my bag to make it a less painful experience? Please let me know!