student days; school days
Refers to the period of one's life when one was a student, typically including school and university years. Often used in nostalgic or reflective contexts.
I met a friend from my student days for the first time in a long while.
I studied abroad in America during my student days.
During his school days, he often studied in the library.
I reunited with a friend from my student days after a long time.
Hearing this song reminds me of my student days.
I'm busy every day, so sometimes I wish I could go back to my student days.
学生時代 specifically means the years one spent as a student, while 青春時代 refers more broadly to one's youth, with a poetic nostalgic tone that doesn't require having been a student.
学生時代 emphasizes the time period itself in retrospect, whereas 学生生活 focuses on the day-to-day lifestyle and activities of being a student.
Compound of 学生 (student) and 時代 (era, period). The meaning is transparent from its components.