The education system in the UK is a wee bit different from the education system in the USA.  I have found that my life is structured differently as I transition from an undergraduate institution in the US to a postgraduate program in the UK. Whereas undergraduate classes in the US typically meet 2-3 times a week, my master’s level classes meet one time a week. However, even though I am in class for less time, I find that I am busier than ever!

I am no expert and I understand that every master’s degree program is different, and people might be in class more or less often than I am, however, today I am going to walk you through a typical Thursday in the life of an MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice Student.

Thursday October 6, 2022

There are so many photogenic spots on campus

9:30AM: Wake Up

My class meets at 2:00 PM, so I typically have time to sleep in. However, I can’t sleep the day away since there is so much, I have to do!

10:30AM: Walk to Queen’s

After getting ready and eating breakfast I am on my way to school. Living in Queen’s accommodation (Elms BT1) is nice since it is about a 20–30-minute walk to campus. Although you can take a bus, I enjoy the nice weather so I decided to walk today.

11:00AM: McClay Library

The first stop when arriving at university is the McClay Library. The library is an awesome place to study (both by myself and with a group) and offers different venues for group discussions, individual study, and whisper free zones. Additionally, there are computers that can be used by Queens’ students and librarians who are great resources for finding books and answering questions.

^{Get stuck into the books at the McClay}

1:00PM: Lunch

Queen’s offers some really yummy places to eat on campus. Today, I decided to grab a coffee and barbecued pulled pork with Mexican rice and corn from Junction (located inside of the Main Site Tower, School of Law). It was delicious!

^{Junction is a great place to grab lunch right on campus}

2:00PM: Lecture and 3PM Tutorial

Today, I had my Conflict Transformation and Social Justice class. The class has two parts: the lecture and the tutorial. The lecture involves the entire class, whereas in the tutorial you are split into smaller groups where you have discussions about the material from class/readings.

4PM: Studying at One Elmwood

Another great place to study One Elmwood Student Centre and Students’ Union. There are three levels of this building and houses the Student Union, Union Bar, and loads more including support and finance services. The brand new building is stunning and has lots of natural light which makes it a favorite place to study!

^{One Elmwood is right across from the Lanyon building}

5PM: Going to the Union Bar and Graduate School Building

Within the first couple of weeks there have been a lot of meet and greet events. Today, there was an event at the Union Bar, as well as the Graduate School building to meet other graduate students while eating pizza. It was tons of fun and I met so many cool people!

^{Inside the Graduate School - a great place for studying and meeting people}

7PM: Going to a friend’s place

Although there are many activities within student clubs and organizations, none of the organizations meet Thursday nights, so I ended up going over to a friend’s place for a movie night!

10PM: Laundry

As Thursdays are typically my laundry night, I decided to throw a load in before going to bed. Within the accommodations, doing laundry is a breeze with the Circuit app.  The app allows you to load money to pay laundry costs and to see how much time is remaining on the washer/dryer.  You can buy a laundry card for £2, however, you will not be able to monitor the time without the app.

Between cycles, I do some readings for my class in addition to writing postcards to friends back in the states.

12AM: Bed!

After folding my clothing and putting everything away, I jump into a quick shower, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed! The end of a busy day!

Find out more

MA Conflict Transformation and Social Justice

Queen's Accommodation

Life in Belfast

Sami Koitz Conflict Transformation & Social Justice | Postgraduate Student | Maryland USA I've always been interested in the Middle East, specifically the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and non-profits that work towards building bridges between divided societies. I am from Maryland, USA (about a nine-hour flight from Queens) and graduated in 2022 from Susquehanna University with a double major in Communication Studies & International Studies. Outside of academics, I am a member of the equestrian team, Jewish Society, and wakeboarding club. I love meeting new people and I look forward to chatting with you.