Appreciate your time off, Norwegians

In France, a large part of a student's time is devoted to school, leaving little to no time for extracurricular activities. In Norway it’s different, and Norwegian students must appreciate their free time and student associative life.

The number of French students are increasing. Yet, student life is declining. Since the Covid pandemic, student precariousness has been on the rise in France. Loneliness, overloaded schedule and anxiety: French students suffer from a lack of free time.

A survey of the Observatoire de la vie étudiante («Student Life Observatory») concludes that 48% of French students skip meals, almost 3/4 of them due to lack of time or irregular schedules.

Academic constraints are taking up more and more of French students' time, if not too much. With classes going on all day, the pace and curriculum are not adapted to leisure activities.

When I studied in France, there were several occasions when I had classes from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., twice a week. During the exam period, I had to study and eat after my lessons at 8 p.m. This unbearable rhythm was very tiring and difficult to maintain. 

Otherwise, I had shorter days of classes but it was generally from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In general, courses in France are longer than in Norway, and are organized in blocks of three hours each.

Fortunately, Thursday evenings were there for students to decompress and party. Depending on the time of year, weekends are also a time to rest. Nevertheless, it cannot compare to the amount of flexibility and free-time Norwegian students enjoy. 

According to the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the time devoted to courses and self-study is unevenly distributed according to the type and level of study.

The Ministry showed in 2016 that in the most selective and studious studies (called preparatory classes), 21 hours a week are devoted to personal work, in addition to 34 hours of classes.

In comparison, the Norwegian SHOT-survey (national survey of students) from 2022 showed that Norwegian students use an average of 21 hours a week on their studies.

So since I have been Norway, things have been totally different. I am freer to organize my studies and day-to-day life as I want to.

Studying in Norway makes me feel more at ease and allows me to concentrate on other things besides my studies. The Norwegian education system is less anxiety-provoking for students with a more active and dynamic life.

Here, there are several student organizations partaking in all kinds of activities to get involved in. That is not always the case in France.

French students enjoy less autonomy in managing their free time. They are less able to get involved in other activities.

With its flexible system, Norway has understood the importance of socialization and networking through student activity. These organizations play an important role in shaping the future of their students.

This high level of student activity reflects the greater representation and confidence in young people in Norwegian society. According to the OECD, 8% of French parliamentarians are under 40 years old, compared with 36% in Norway.

The trust placed in young people encourages them to contribute to society with new changes and new perspectives.

We have less confidence in young people in France, even though enabling us to get involved today means guaranteeing our involvement in the future.

Norway has a remarkable student work-life balance, and Norwegian students should use their free time to get involved in your student organizations.

Appreciate your time off, Norwegians.