You wake up to sunlight peeking through the blinds. It's a gentle reminder that you’ve overslept. But panic doesn’t set in—it’s Monday, and your schedule is clear until the afternoon. The weekend was a blur of socialising, work, and a half-hearted attempt at studying, so you're grateful for the extra hours of rest.

The morning is yours and you revel in the slow start. Breakfast is leisurely, accompanied by the hum of your coffee maker. But your agenda looms: an assignment to get started, an online lecture to catch up, and a practical class on campus.

You dive into the online lecture first, headphones on, jotting notes as you go. It's good to be able to skip the slow parts, and to listen back when things don't make sense.

You quickly pack your bag, double-checking for notebooks, pens, and the ever-essential charger. Then you grab a quick sandwich in the kitchen then step outside for the journey from home to campus. As the familiar buildings and streets glide by, you feel a mix of anticipation and routine.

Arriving on campus, the can feel the shift in atmosphere. There's always a buzz of energy with so many students around. Some people race to class, whilst others chill with guitars or books in the courtyard. There are conversations happening everywhere.

You hurry across campus to your practical class, arriving in time for a quick chat with friends before the doors open. Then your class is divided into groups and you're handed a set of instructions for the day’s experiment.

Your group hesitates a little at first, with no one very keen to take charge, but then divides up the tasks. Once you get working, some people are more active and interested than others. But your group successfully gets through the experiment, which is satisfying. The tutor checks your results and you're free to go.

Class concludes, and you head for the library. One of your assignments, due later in the semester, requires some independent research. You find a librarian who shows you to a computer where you can search for the academic journals you need. Journals are like independent, specialist magazines, full of articles on research and ideas. Each academic area has journals, so you find a couple that are relevant to your assignment and download some articles.

Happy you've made an early start on the assignment (which isn't always the case!) you decide to hit the gym as a reward. It's a swift session, but enough to reenergise.

The day transitions once more as you board the bus to the shops. Might as well grab your groceries for the week ahead on the way home. It'll save a trip out later.

Once home, you read a couple of pages of a textbook to prep for tomorrow's class. Dinner is simple pasta, a necessary pause.

After messaging friends and catching up on some videos, you jump on Netflix for half an hour before heading to bed. It's been a busy day, but a good one. You've made some progress on some of your "to dos", but also enjoyed the day. It's been a nice balance of freedom and responsibility.