© Lilli Kalvelage / Universität Bremen
A Day in the Life of Master’s Student Marius
up2date. accompanies student Marius for a day preparing for and writing on his master’s thesis
Marius is 24 years old and enrolled in the University of Bremen’s Urban and Regional Development master’s program. He is now in the final stretch – deep in the writing process of his master’s thesis. After completing a double major BA in political science and geography in Münster in 2022, Marius first opted for a one-year internship in the field of urban development. Motivated by this hands-on experience in his area of interest, he began a master’s degree in Bremen in the 2023/24 winter semester. up2date. accompanied Marius for one day.
9:00 a.m.
Luckily, Marius has a later start today. That is often not the case, especially when he heads to his student job. Twice a week, for a total of 16 hours, he works at the company where he once did his internship. “It’s a lot of fun and really fulfilling, because I can often apply the theory I learned at university directly in practice – and immediately see the results,” he explains. When he is not working, he dedicates his time to working on his master’s thesis.
10:15 a.m.
After a short morning routine and a good breakfast, Marius starts his day working on his master’s thesis. His empirical thesis, entitled Governance Structures in the Development of Municipal Heat Plans, examines how cities create a plan for the transition to sustainable heating. His work includes analyzing relevant structures and stakeholders and classifying them by topic. Today, he is conducting an interview with representatives from two municipalities. He’s spent the last few days preparing intensively for the interview, writing a list of questions to ask so he won’t forget any essential points, and ensuring he has all the necessary data protection clauses and recording equipment ready to go.
12:00 a.m.
The interview went well. Marius got answers to all the questions needed for his research and gained valuable insight into the work of the municipalities. Before transcribing the interview, it’s time for a break. He steps out onto his apartment balcony to enjoy the fresh air and a cool drink. Beaks are essential.
© Lilli Kalvelage / Universität Bremen
12:15 p.m.
Just after noon, Marius heads to campus. The weather is gorgeous today, so he takes his bike. After riding a stretch along the banks of the Weser River and through Bürgerpark, he arrives at the central campus area.
12:45 p.m.
At University Boulevard, he meets his girlfriend, who is also a student at the University of Bremen, for lunch at the Mensa dining hall. First, though, he needs to top up his Mensa card. Marius’ Mensa hack is to use the top-up machine further away from the main entrance – it’s usually a lot less busy, so you don’t have to queue. Today he’s opted for something from the Kombinierbar section. At the Kombinierbar, you can choose from a variety of small dishes to create your own meal. “It’s a great alternative if none of the set menus appeal to you,” he says.
1:30 p.m.
Energized and ready for round two, Marius heads to the State and University Library Bremen (SuUB), located right on the Boulevard, across from the GW2 Cafeteria. Before heading to the geography section, he checks his belongings into the cloakroom. “When you go into the SuUB,” Marius explains, “you have to leave things like bags, food, or open drinks at the front desk.” If you’d rather not do that, he suggests staying in the foyer of the library, where all those items are allowed – along with conversations (at a reasonable volume, of course). There’s even a vending machine with snacks and two with drinks for a quick boost. By the way, if you forgot something at home, the SuUB has you covered – right at the entrance is a vending machine stocked with pens, notepads, and index cards.
1:45 p.m.
Up in the geography section, Marius gathers the books he needs and finds a sunny window spot overlooking the Boulevard. While most of his main sources are available digital via the SuUB’s online portals, according to Marius, some printed reference books are indispensable. For the next few hours, it’s time to buckle down and read. Since absolute quiet is expected on these floors, we’ll leave him in peace to get through his materials.
6:00 p.m.
“I lost track of time,” Marius admits, “but that happens quickly in the library.” Having reviewed the specialist literature and collected fresh insights from several books, he now has a solid foundation to build on in the coming days. Before heading out, he picks up his things from the cloakroom. The day feels complete. “I love that feeling after a productive day in the library – you feel good, kind of liberated, and you can look forward to a free evening,” he says. Today is one of those days. After a quick stop at the supermarket, Marius heads home to enjoy his well-earned evening off.