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

Guest Speaker

This week during one of my lectures we had a guest speaker come in and chat to us about his line of work which is to do with working with people with disabilities.

It was an absolutely brilliant presentation and speech, he came in and was so open about his own life choices and that really moved everyone in the room. It made me feel a whole different level of respect for him.

One of the many things university offers is the opportunity to attend different presentations, guest speakers etc even if it's not solely to do with your particular subject. It doesn't necessarily matter if it doesn't entirely match the degree your studying it's all about giving students the option to hear other people's stories and learn things that you may have never even heard about.

I enjoy hearing and learning about things I have never come across before so this is the type of thing I would enjoy and it doesn't matter if it's not of interest to you I'm just giving you as much information as I know and can think of about what being a part of the University of Bedfordshire is like. That involves benefits, negatives, all kinds of things.

One thing I would like to clear up if any of you think like this, is that when you go to university it's not at all in any way, shape or form like being at school. It's a whole different ball game, it's a gigantic step in a persons life. Everyone grows up in different ways and whether you decide to wait and go travelling or go straight into university after school, it's your choice but university will still allow you to mature the same way other university students do. It's like you're almost teaching yourself sometimes, lecturers don't call your parents if you miss one lecture, however if it becomes an excessive amount they will consider your place on the course. You don't have to write down everything your lecturers says and it does not have to be word for word, its however you learn best.

It's so hard to explain how different university is compared to school but I hope my blog is able to give those who aren't at university a good insight into what it's like to an extent.
Basically, you're going to have to grow up when you start university, you're going to have to motivate yourself and then you will achieve but until you realise you've got to put hard work in, it's not going to be an easy ride.

This saying is so so fitting to university.