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How often are university students entitled to a break?

On my timetable, it says I have 5 hours straight lectures and seminars with no breaks but surely that can’t be okay? Even high school students are given a break like every 4 hours or less. Is this normal and should I just have to deal with it or should I question it? I think it’d really drain me of motivation and energy to go that long without a break & will also mean I don’t get a lunch. I’m really hoping that they make some last minute changes.
Reply 1
Avatar for cm2211
cm2211
6
Depends on the length of your lectures. If they are over an hour long then they will give you a ten minute break in the middle. Otherwise, no breaks. Im sure its possible to swap classes though
Original post by ahirusaru
On my timetable, it says I have 5 hours straight lectures and seminars with no breaks but surely that can’t be okay? Even high school students are given a break like every 4 hours or less. Is this normal and should I just have to deal with it or should I question it? I think it’d really drain me of motivation and energy to go that long without a break & will also mean I don’t get a lunch. I’m really hoping that they make some last minute changes.


Sometimes that’s just the way it is. However, every time I’ve had a day like that, I find that the lecturers always give us a 5-15 minute break.
are u allowed to eat light snacks during lecture?
You will get breaks. Lecturers do not start and end on the hour. They are usually 50 mins long to allow for room moving.
Reply 5
Avatar for cm2211
cm2211
6
No one will stop you. Can get away with it in seminars depending on professor and if you’re willing to share lol
Original post by cm2211
No one will stop you. Can get away with it in seminars depending on professor and if you’re willing to share lol


only if ur nice to me😁
Reply 7
Avatar for ahirusaru
ahirusaru
OP
8
Original post by Andrew97
You will get breaks. Lecturers do not start and end on the hour. They are usually 50 mins long to allow for room moving.

I do know that there will sometimes be 10 mins in between but that’s not enough time to get lunch, eat it and get to another lecture though. Last year there was always a lunch break which is why I’m surprised that’s been taken away this year.
Reply 8
Avatar for ahirusaru
ahirusaru
OP
8
Original post by Anonymous
are u allowed to eat light snacks during lecture?

Sometimes I do but it’s really awkward when you’re opening a snack and it makes noise and everyone just turns to you😂
Are you sure you have to go to all the seminars? Typically a computer generated timetable will produce a block of seminars for the same module but any student only need to go to one of them.
Original post by ahirusaru
Sometimes I do but it’s really awkward when you’re opening a snack and it makes noise and everyone just turns to you😂


just open them before the start of the lecture or put them in a bag that doesnt make loud noise😁
Reply 11
Avatar for ahirusaru
ahirusaru
OP
8
Original post by Joinedup
Are you sure you have to go to all the seminars? Typically a computer generated timetable will produce a block of seminars for the same module but any student only need to go to one of them.

They’re not for the same module so yes, they’ve just crammed 3 different modules of classes into one day sadly.
This was the case for one of my friends in our last year of uni. 3 two-hour blocks. We would normally get about a 10-15 minute break for every 2-hour block that we had and then the session would finish before the hour was up with enough time to nip to the shop or have a wee or whatever. We did have one lecturer who seemed to not believe in breaks, but I think that was more a case of her preferring to finish early having worked through. (We had her for one of the classes finishing at 7pm, so I think we'd all rather finish early in that case!) In our last year, we used to have the final lesson in that chunk as "snack time" where those of us who were only in for 4/6 hours would take it in turns bringing snacks to the class. And yes, we did bring enough for everyone.

You won't have a free hour or whatever but you'll be fine.
Original post by ahirusaru
On my timetable, it says I have 5 hours straight lectures and seminars with no breaks but surely that can’t be okay? Even high school students are given a break like every 4 hours or less. Is this normal and should I just have to deal with it or should I question it? I think it’d really drain me of motivation and energy to go that long without a break & will also mean I don’t get a lunch. I’m really hoping that they make some last minute changes.

Maybe you could talk to your class rep or the department?
Is this just you because of scheduling or everyone.
Is this every day?

You do know in the real world people manage to do more than 5 hours actual hard work without a break?

You have the 5-10mins between lectures to nip to the loo or snack on something.
You have the whole of the day before to prepare?
Would it be possible to eat breakfast beforehand so you dont starve?

Go and see the student advisor and check the human rights position plus uni welfare policy.

Personally I would just take some food that I could snack on and probably some caffeine or a flask of coffee to keep me awake.
You should highlight this to your course office or director, or via student rep, and politely ask if a timetable change is possible. It may just be a case of you swapping seminar groups which would be a simple change.Timetabling is often done centrally and the people who run your course may not even be aware of your situation. While 5 hours in a row is doable, no-one would think this is an ideal situation or that it will lead to the best learning experience.

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