WITH universities recommending 40 hours of study a week including lectures, we ask you the students if this is realistic or optimistic goal to set, write Natasha Marsh and Sophie Wiggins.

Students have often voiced their concerns on the limited contact hours, but does this mean students are choosing to hit the town rather than undertaking the outside reading lecturers are expecting of them?

According to the Prezzybox survey of 500 students, on average students go out approximately 15 hours a week.

When asking about nights out Steven, a History student, said: “Any time there’s a chance to go out, I will. I only do work if I have a deadline.”

With this carefree attitude it is apparent that studying is the last thing on some students’ minds with spending time  with friends, drinking and procrastinating taking priority.

Benjamin, a masters student, said: “I do no work whatsoever for my degree. I have three deadlines this Friday and I haven’t started yet.”

With some courses doing only nine hours of lectures a week and others doing over 20, some students find this target easier to meet than others.

With the raised fees of £9,000 some students want more from their degree than others, for example Rhian Morgan a second year Media Studies student who told us: “I do 35 to 40 hours of studying a week, I want the best out of my degree.”

With TV, social networking, social events and societies, it is difficult to balance a work and play lifestyle, add this with getting a job and 40 hours becomes a hard goal to achieve.

Others are finding that a 20 hour working week would have to prioritise the money to fund their undergraduate studies.

A third year Criminology student Michael Davey, who works a part time job, said: “I find my studies suffer because of work but I need the money.”

Studying comes second place to earning a wage with many students needing a job to survive in university.

•Are you finding it hard to maintain the expected 40 hours of study with the extra distractions of university life? Email waterfrontfeatures@swansea-union.co.uk with your experiences.