Hi! My name is Nadejda and I am a Master's student currently following the programme of Media Creation and Innovation, here at the University of Groningen. Personally, I find this study to be rather contemporary since it looks into situations and phenomena from the field of media that easily apply to our day-to-day lives as media consumers. And by media, I mean not only social media but any other means of communication that we get to encounter daily. In my study, we learn a whole lot of theoretical perspectives on media effects, media production and media use, and we get to put into practice everything we learned through small-scale research projects that we conduct every block. What drew me towards this particular programme was precisely its practical side where theory and practice are equally distributed throughout the blocks. 

Since Media Creation and Innovation is part of the Faculty of Arts, my classes take place mainly in the Harmonie building so the busiest parts of my weeks happen in the centre of Groningen. My time is mainly occupied either with classes, preparation for those classes or with my part-time job. While each week has its own flow and some might be busier than others, I would love to share with you what the past week of my student life looked like in pictures.

Monday: Class and Work

Last Monday marked the beginning of the second block and while I had no early Monday morning classes in the previous one, this block starts immediately at 9 AM. Despite that, Mondays just hit differently when I pass by this favourite view of mine. Starting at 9 has its perks as I finally get to appreciate the morning look of the canal between Hoge en Lage der A. I have a soft spot for city views so stopping for a moment to enjoy this one, puts my mind to peace before jumping into the day. 

I only have that one morning class so the rest of the day was devoted to my job. I work as a Student Assistant for the Social Media Team of the University of Groningen and one of the best parts of that job is the hours flexibility which allows me to combine it perfectly well with my study. Working for half a day when I have classes means I’m having a busy day, therefore I try to plan my study time in advance. That Monday I had to prepare for the class on the following day, that’s why I spent an extra hour and a half reading after work. Even though I try to ‘call it a day’ around 6 PM, sometimes I need to spend a few extra hours here and there so I can hopefully enjoy a longer weekend or just have a peaceful mind that I feel prepared for the upcoming class.

Tuesday: Work and Class

Another day of both class and work. Starting once again at 9 AM, the first half of my day this time is occupied with going to work. The main task of my position is to create content for the Instagram page of the university and this includes both the ideation process behind it and the actual creation of the posts. It’s a job that requires creative input as well as good knowledge of who constitutes the audience for the created content. 

Last Tuesday I had to finish my weekly tasks and prepare for the following day of work which would consist of filming on location. I was at work until noon because afterwards, I had to attend an event for all MA Media Studies tracks about learning important aspects of how to conduct research. Once the event ended, it was time to go to class. From 3 PM until 5 PM, I had my only class of the day, after which I went back home and took some rest before starting with dinner.

Wednesday: All Day Work

Because I had to record a couple of videos as a part of a collaboration between a particular faculty and the social media team, my working day began outside of the office. I had to go to UMCG where I met with the colleagues of that faculty who helped with the arrangements of the video. The filming process was relatively quick but the results made it truly rewarding. Afterwards, I came back to the office and began the editing work together with another colleague of the social media team. A fantastic aspect of the job is the fact that I get to work with incredible people. I, myself, feel much more inspired and productive when working with others, so collaboration at work is something that helps me get better at my tasks. 

Once the work day was at its end, I went back home, had a quick coffee and spent another hour revising the readings for the following day.

Thursday: All Day Class

Thursdays seem to be the ‘heaviest’ day in terms of classes. On that day I have a seminar and a lecture one after another. This leaves no room for a longer break, that’s why meal prep is essential. As I already mentioned, this was the first week of the second block so every class consists of an introduction and some general information, therefore the “real studying” hasn’t started yet. On a day like this, I get to see a big part of my classmates which is always nice. Most of us are balancing a job with our studies so sometimes it can be slightly difficult to maintain a busy social life outside of university. That’s why seeing everyone and catching up is important when we get the chance. After the classes, I stayed in the canteen for a bit as it is my go-to study spot for most of the weeks. I looked into what I need to finish before the weekend and tried to do a bit of work so Friday is not too occupied with studying. I ended the day with a lovely dinner with a couple of friends.

Friday: REST DAY (right?)

While Mondays start in the morning, Fridays are now completely free! Such a nice switch from the previous block where I had classes from 9AM until 5PM. 

I started the day with a cup of coffee, followed by a quick clean-up of my study space. As people say – a clean space is a clean mind and I like to think that by making my study environment clean, I get more productive in my assignments. I studied for a few hours, then I took a break for lunch and continued for another two hours. It might be seen as a lot of studying, which in a way is, but having such a free day in which I could go over the material from the past week or prepare for the next, leads to a less study load over the weekend.

Saturday: A Day to Enjoy

Saturday is perhaps my favourite day! I love the market on Saturdays and how full and lively the city centre gets. Now with this weather, there is something extra cosy about going out and just walking around (as long as it’s not raining sideways due to the wind). Getting an oat cookie from the bakery stand is also a must (definitely try the white chocolate one)! After a quick grocery shopping at the market, I managed to meet with a friend of mine. 

If I had a busy week with not much time to read or study, Saturdays are usually my days to go to the library for a couple of hours in the morning, which can be pretty calm and relaxing especially when it’s out of the exam period.

Sunday: An Attempt to Sleep In

Sundays are the days when I like to get a bit more sleep (although this is not always possible), bake something or take a walk in the park while daydreaming about having my own small dog… The past Sunday morning I went to the gym, made some nice lunch afterwards and looked through the readings for the following day. Thankfully, I also managed to take a small walk in the Noorderplantstoen on my way to the grocery store. Since this was the very first week of the second block, there wasn’t too much to do apart from familiarizing myself with the required readings for some of the subjects I follow – a nice small quiet moment before the block reaches its peak in only a few weeks.