Undergraduate Year 2! First Blog Post(kind of)

Hello Everyone,


I'm Megan and I have been lucky enough to have been given the role of Education and Teaching blogger for the second year running.. YAY!


So I thought it would be best to start with an introductory post for those of you who need refreshing and those who are just starting to read.
A bit about me...


I am half way through my second year at The University of Bedfordshire and I am studying Education Studies. It is a three year long degree, which in my first year began with a huge spread of what Education Studies entails; history of education, inclusion in education, social constructions of education and finally, the young child in education. These units were fine, broad but fine for year one, however moving into year two I have seen a huge difference between being a first year and being a second year.


About my course...
I LOVE my course and I really enjoy studying at the uni, my second year has been so much better than my first for so many reasons.
Some of you may know the situation I was in first year, I didn't get on with my flatmates due to being singled out, I was so poor and just in general homesick. So now in my second year, I have moved back home and I commute to university three days of the week(which is when my lectures/seminars fall), I still socialise at uni as my friends are kind enough to let me crash at theirs for student nights and I am just overall enjoying the experience a whole lot more.


Why I chose Bedford?


I chose Bedfordshire for one main reason, it was close to home and after everything that happened I am so glad I did. I really liked the university itself but I probably wasn't ready to move away and that's why all I had in mind was being close to home.
Now that I'm settled at home I can appreciate the actual university so much more, the campus is great and so nice to study in. We've just had a new building open which is incredible, I can't wait to study in there in my breaks, and Bedfordshire is just a really nice place to study.


What I like most?


The people I've met and am still meeting. I have got a really great bunch of friends, most people chat on my course which is lovely. The choices I made this year. I got to choose two options myself this year and I chose Children and Young People in the Digital Age, which is SO interesting and the lecturers are so interesting. I really enjoy those lectures and am definitely going to take it again next year.
I also chose Lifelong Learning because I read it was the best option if you want to do a PGCE course after your degree finishes. This would have been ideal as that's what I thought I wanted to do but recently I have been researching and I think I've changed my mind(I mean recent, literally last and this week)! I won't reveal anything yet as I still need to meet with the careers team to make sure it's definitely possible. But, if you want to take a PGCE I would definitely recommend this unit.


What I'm looking forward to?


I got an A+ in my last exam which I am SOOOO proud of myself for, I was so over the moon. So as geeky as it sounds I think I'm looking forward to getting more grades back so I can see what I am on track to end the year on... I am also looking forward to a few nights out I have planned as I've had a long time off partying due to illness.


So, yeah there's a good update for you all. The posts will be EVERY Friday until the end of July!


M

Christmas Motivation..........

As I had imagined...it is SO SO SO difficult to get myself motivated throughout the Christmas break... I am struggling to say the least.

The problems are that, most of your mates come back from uni too so they want to do stuff with you all the time, you need to see family as well cause you may not have seen much of them since you went off to uni, boyfriends etc. It's all too exciting and happy to be doing work well that's what I think anyway!

I am going to split this blog post into two separate parts.. one for exciting christmassy things like what presents I got and what festivities I have been doing and the second about how far I've come on my assignments that are due in January...Kill me!

Part One

I GOT MY FIRST BLUE BOX!!!

So, as you all have probably guessed my main present came in a blue box!! I got a Tiffany necklace which was something any girl would want, I was so surprised and I am so happy with everything I have received this year as I am ever other year.

Christmas is nearly over... :(

Christmas feels like it's flying by... I decorated this tree by the way ha!
There's been a lot of family and friend meet ups and just in general seeing people and doing things back home. I haven't been working because I didn't fancy working Christmas day and new years eve which I obviously have to work in a pub so i thought I just wouldn't go back and just chill and have a Christmas off! Very nice!










Part Two

For some strange reason, I don't think this part of the post will be that long. Basically I've done one assignment and then not started another...but to be honest at least that's one down, one to go!
But yeah, Christmas holidays are great as per usual and I am just always happy seeing as it's Christmas.

How to deal with being away from home..

I've got something a little bit different this week so I hope you like it. I figured that you didn't all just want work related posts and it will probably be interesting to do a more personal post every now and then because let's face it uni is not all about the studying, all be it a lot of it is, but everyone knows what freshers get up to don't they!

This is going to be a post quite close to my heart as I am not shy about the fact that I have struggled moving away from home and I'm not even that far away!

I think that the fact that I am close enough to get home if I really needed to is perhaps not the best move for me as I am always thinking I could just be at home instead of here living in halls. Perhaps if I had moved further away so that I can't just come home whenever I please would have been a better option as I'd of had to just deal with it and accept that I can't.

I knew I had always been a home girl at heart but I didn't realise just how much until I moved away from all of my home comforts and more importantly my family.

However, I do have some tips for you all about avoiding home sickness and just in general how to forget about the bad and focus on the good things whilst you're at university because there is nothing worse than being away from home and unhappy, probably my worst combination ever!!!

I found this picture online and thought it fitted this post down to a T. If things are getting to much, just start a new page.

1. Surround yourself with people who you actually like and are real friends, you can tell a fake friend a mile off. 
2. If you're unhappy, change what is making you so. I am in the process of moving flats because I am so unhappy with all but one of my current flat mates so I'm removing myself from the negative situation and will never have to even acknowledge my old flat mates ever again.Some people are just plain nasty, and unfortunately there's no changing people like that.
3. Let yourself go. Go out and just have a good time, you'll meet people trust me you won't be sitting alone in the corner. 
4. Budget yourself. Ok this may seem like a weird one, but if you run out of money and can't afford to go out and have a good time you'll probably regret not budgeting because no one wants to miss out do they!!

I think most people probably suffer a little when moving to university as it's such a huge change but once you're settled and you've had a wicked freshers fortnight you'll be back to normal in no time. 

Remember, just ENJOY IT while is lasts because it's going to go quickly I know it.