A day in the life of a law student
Want to follow in the footsteps of lawyers like Nelson Mandela, Amal Clooney and Ruth Bader Ginsburg? An ACU law degree focusing on justice, equality, and the dignity of all human beings may be the way for you to make an impact. But what does the day-to-day of being a law student really look like?
We sat down with ACU Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Global Studies student Michael Benson to chat about an average day.
5.30am
“I always start my day with a prayer. You need some good luck when you are studying a dual law degree. Then I’ll have a stretch and start to program my mind to cope with the fact I have an 8am lecture on campus. After that, I begin the ritual frantic search for my public transport card, buried under all the notes that I prepared for the tutorial the night before.”
8 – 10am
“In some magical way, I have made it to my lecture room at 8.03am. I take out my textbook, pen and paper (actually pen and paper are only for first year, by second year, you forget your ability to write –resorting to a laptop). By 9am, my body is calling for coffee, so I’ll take a 10-minute break to grab one. Let’s face it – after that late-night Netflix binge my attention span needs a boost.”
10 – 11am
“I’ve finished my first class feeling good – I’ve taken quite comprehensive notes. After our first class, we get a mid-morning break. Usually I’ll grab another coffee at the café and catch up with some friends at uni.”
11am – 1pm
"This is an intense class – it’s fast-paced. I immediately begin writing notes, as the lecturer is sweeping through the slides. I need to pay attention to make sure I don’t miss anything.”
1 – 5pm
“It’s the end of the lecture and I’m immediately off to start on the next thing. After class, I’ll do some review and figure out how I can put all this content to use. I spend some time going through my notes and making sure I understand everything that has been said.”
5 – 7pm
“It’s been a long day and I’m tired, so I decide that after a quick stop at Hungry Jacks, I’m officially ready to make the journey back home. I spend the public transport trip relaxing – scrolling through my phone, maybe catching up on social media.”
7 – 8.30pm
“Now I like to do an activity to process the events of the day. For some it might be the gym, but for me, I’m all about food. I get home, get changed and I’m straight into the kitchen. Since the second class today was quite intense, I’ll put myself into a food coma and return to thinking about that much later.”
8.30pm – (whenever I close my eyes)
“Usually I’ll spend some time studying or working on assignments. For me, the best part about uni is there is no ‘set homework’. It is up to me to prepare for my tutorials and have questions ready for the next class. If I had any advice, it would be to make sure you read your textbook (the section you went over in class) and be assured that you have covered the course content to a substantial level each day.
Eventually, it’s time for bed. Thankfully, I don’t have an 8am class tomorrow.”
Interested in a study experience like Michael’s? Explore law at ACU.
Republished 2026