Unveiling the Lifestyles of Postgraduate Students Through the Lens of Time Geography: A Pilot Application of Time-Geographic Diaries

Nipam Datta; Piyal Basu Roy; Edwin Penjor Bhutia

doi:10.56201/ijgem.vol.12.no6.2026.pg140.150

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Unveiling the Lifestyles of Postgraduate Students Through the Lens of Time Geography: A Pilot Application of Time-Geographic Diaries

Nipam Datta, Piyal Basu Roy, Edwin Penjor Bhutia

Abstract

Aims: Time geography offers a comprehensive framework that integrates temporal and spatial dimensions, providing insights into how people manage their time and navigate their surroundings. This study applies the time geography principle to analyse the daily lifestyles of postgraduate students, given their distinct schedules and range of responsibilities, including academic commitments, social interactions, and personal activities. Methodology: To explore and understand their lifestyles, this study employs a cross-sectional time-geographic design. A total of 40 postgraduate students, comprising 20 males and 20 females of Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, West Bengal, India, have participated in this study. The time dairies with 30 minutes interval have been used to record the one-day information among the participants. The data have been analysed using time-geographic visualization, including time-space paths, density heat maps, activity timelines, time budgets, and transition networks. An independent sample t-test has been used to examine the gender wise differences in the time allocation of different activities in their daily lives. Result: The results have revealed that the postgraduate students spend 6:20 hours of their daily lives in academic perspectives, which is about 35% of their waking hours. There is significant gender differences observed in time allocation, where female students spend more time in the study than male students (mean differences = 1:24, p=0.013). Male students spend significantly more time commuting (mean differences=1:15, p=0.002). The space-time cube projections have revealed that the library exhibits the highest activity density zone. Conclusion: The findings of this study have implications for university policies, campus planning, and student support services, which are required to improve their overall academic success and development.

Keywords

Time; Postgraduate; Daily routine; Time managementMental Support

References

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Unveiling the Lifestyles of Postgraduate Students Through the Lens of Time Geography: A Pilot Application of Time-Geographic Diaries

Abstract

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