A week in the life of a student

Juggling full-TIME employment while studying for a degree is something that many of us would find difficult. But this is just normal life for one inspirational, young Emirati woman.

May isa Al-Abasi is doing a Bachelor of Business Administration and double-majoring in Management and Human Resources Management. In addition to this, she has been the president of the Students’ Union for a year now.

“As president I help to organise and co-ordinate many different events such as Global Day. Global Day was a celebration of the many different cultures and backgrounds that we have here in this university. We had a fantastic variety of traditional food, music, dance and handmade crafts from all over the world.”

May enjoys her time at Abu Dhabi University so much that she’s reluctant to say ‘goodbye’ and is considering continuing her studies by enrolling on a master’s programme.

“I love the friendly staff here and I find that my course has equipped me with many useful skills, I have developed excellent communication skills for example. In society we have so many different types of people and in ADU I have learned how to deal with people from all walks of life.

Also, I took part in a scholarship this summer and I visited Scotland and London. It was about exchanging cultures and I really loved it, I had such a great time.”

Here’s what a typical week looks like for May:

Sunday

• 7am- 2pm: Remarkably, May fits in a day’s work before she goes to university. “I get up at 7am. My lectures are not on until the afternoon and I go to work beforehand. I leave work at 2pm and go directly to university.
  I’m a HR manager and a recruitment manager. I deal with Emiratisation which is an initiative started by the government to hire locals in the private sector.
  Actually we have a department here in the university that specialises in this area, motivating local people to take courses and get good jobs.
  Our lecturers encourage us to gain work experience outside of university. Most of my friends have jobs. When you graduate you will need further training so that’s why I started this job and I’m happy to stay with the same company after I graduate.”
• 3.30pm to 5.45pm: May arrives at the lecture hall for her first lesson of the day along with 48 classmates. “My first lesson of the week is Managerial Finance. I specialise in management and HR and I don’t really like finance but I must take it anyway, along with managerial accounting.
  During the lectures we don’t just listen to the lecturer explaining theory, usually there’s a mixture of practical and theory. I take notes and solve problems in my text book. This book has 1,500 pages so I am building muscles carrying it daily!”
• 5.45pm to 6pm: Time for a quick break between classes. “I run to the onsite Starbucks to get my mocha frappuccino before the next lecture.”
• 6pm to 8.45pm: “My second lecture is Labour Economics. It’s about labour, supply and demand, micro and macro, and that type of thing. This lecture is also a mixture of practical and theory.
  We finish at 8.45pm. You should see me when I’m walking to my car to go home. It takes me thirty minutes maybe, because I’m walking very slowly as I am so tired” she says with a laugh.
• 9pm to 12pm: May fits in some study time before bed. “I have some homework, assignments and projects to do when I get home from university. I don’t have enough time during the day to complete all of my work and I find that these three hours are my best time to study. I prefer to study at night. Normally I go to bed at 12am.”

Monday

• 4.30pm to 9pm university classes

Tuesday

• No class. “I have no class on Tuesdays which gives me time to do my coursework.

Wednesday

• 3.30pm to 9pm university classes

Thursday

• 11am to 12pm and 3.30pm to 8.45pm - The busiest day of the week for May. “Every second week on a Thursday, I
  attend a student council meeting. Work excuses me for one hour so that I can attend this meeting in my role as the president of the Student Council. I am graduating this term so another student will replace me as president this year.
  During this time we meet with the upper management to discuss university life and any new issues. I take any problems that need to be solved to the upper management to discuss and to find solutions. Also, if we have new creative ideas we can share them with the chancellor during this meeting.
  After the meeting I go back to work for a couple of hours and then return to the university for evening lectures.”

Friday and Saturday

• May spends her weekends visiting her family, friends and studying. “On the weekends I love to rest. Sometimes I go to Dubai shopping with my friends, you know women - we love to shop! Or else I will go out for dinner or to the cinema.
  One day of the weekend is spent with my family, that’s usually a Friday. Here in the UAE our culture and traditions are very important, so often the whole family will sit together on this day.
  During the weekend I need to find time for my homework because I don’t always have time mid-week. Usually I will do three hours on a Friday and the same on a Saturday.”

Final Thoughts

“University life is so rewarding. Two days ago I completed my final exam and I’m upset. I feel that this place is like a home because I’m here daily, spending time with my friends, the other students and the instructors.

If I do the masters programme then I may only have to attend once a week. I wish it was daily because I love the environment here.

The upper management and the faculty staff are really friendly and that’s why I love to deal with them.

I’ve learned a lot during my time at ADU; knowledge, experience, communication skills and leadership skills.  My friends who have graduated and ask if I’m bored studying yet but I always tell them that I’m not, I’m happy and proud that I’m here in university.”

Catriona Doherty