A decent course is thought generally to require at least two hours of study time for each credit hour, so a three-hour course will take up nine to twelve hours of time each week--three hours in the classroom and another six to nine hours outside of it, not including research or exam time. A full-time course load sufficient to qualify for any student aid (grants, scholarships, work-study programs, or loans) is five courses, so you're looking at 45-60 hours per week devoted to classwork and studying. The load is going to be heavier if you're taking science courses and have to put in time in the lab, write papers, etc. Much depends on the intellectual standard of the institution.
Anyway, a full-time student is doing a full-time job of studying if he is in a serious degree area like science or engineering. He'll spend time working and time commuting to classes and job, and devote a certain amount of time to the necessities of life--shopping, cooking, laundry, whatever. But it doesn't leave a huge amount of time for lying around playing games.
No, I did the math based on the BS spewed in the article as in the quote I copied. I didn’t bother with the variables.
I had a full time job, was in university band and held down 16-18 hours a semester for my first two years. And did some partying! lol
But as you pointed out there are so many variables this idiot author can’t even fathom them enough before just whining.