A Week in the Life of a Biological Sciences Student
Sophie Parmenter
Course: BA Biological Sciences - Final Year (undergraduate three-year course)
From: South Welsh Borders - Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls
Living in: Leoline Jenkins House (College flats)
Monday AM: Oh dear, it seems somewhat ironic that, at the start of the week I've chosen to write this, I've lost my diary - yes, apparently we Oxford students aren't superhuman and infallible after all! I'm hoping I haven't forgotten any of those vitally important coffee appointments that were in it... Monday kicked off the week with a couple of animal behaviour lectures - there's nothing quite like two hours of trying to spot the camouflaged creatures your lecturer insists really are in the lecture photos to start the week. 1 - 0 to the animals. PM: (Foolishly) challenged my friend to a game of squash (and lost - but at least he fed me supper).
Tuesday AM: One of those important coffee dates - this one was to be told the details for the programme I'm designing for a performance of Handel's Messiah in 8th week which some friends of mine are singing in. PM: It's 1 - 0 to me against the fungi this afternoon as I get to grind up some pretty toadstools in liquid nitrogen in order to extract their DNA. Who said Biology doesn't have the exciting experiments of a Chemistry degree? (My fungi duly oblige by forming lots of interestingly coloured mixtures). "Building a Business" course (which the university offers free to students here). Afterwards a few friends and I headed out to the Turf Tavern to toast some marshmallows and wash them down with a pint.
Wednesday AM: This morning consisted of a tute on "Animal Welfare" and then I was back in the lab for the afternoon to run the fungal DNA on gels and to prepare another sample for sequencing. PM: At lunchtime I fed the locusts I'm using for my major project and topped up my own supplies at the JCR Hatch - the best chocolate muffins in the whole of Oxford, I assure you! This evening was the Agapé meal which our lovely Chaplain hosts at her flat once a term for anyone who's involved in choir, chapel, Cathsoc or the Christian Union (or who's just quite hungry really!).
Thursday AM: Reading for tomorrow's tute. Lunch with a friend at G&D's (American-style ice cream shop). PM: A creative evening in the kitchen with the girlfriend of one of my flatmates (an ex-Jesubite now studying for a law conversion).
Friday AM: A tute with Dr George McGavin (as seen on TV!) about insects (undoubtedly his favourite topic of conversation). PM: This afternoon I find myself organising the catering for a jazz supper to which 160 people are coming. Every day's a little bit different, I suppose!
Saturday: Caught up on my reading from yesterday afternoon and then a friend from home came to visit so we did the usual Oxford tourist thing, spires, river, museums, Harry Potter locations etc, before the JCR Dinner Dance at the Randolph Hotel (see the JCR website for photos!) - a wicked night with great food and a salsa band.
Sunday: An almost-sufficiently long lie-in before heading into town for church (which thankfully has its student "morning" service at 11.30 - I wonder why?!) A chilled afternoon in the flat to catch up on zzzzz for the next week...