First Week of Final Term..

Hi everyone, as you may have guessed from the title of this post.. it's basically one of my 'week overviews'.

It's been all go this week on assignments, I handed my second to last essay in yesterday which was my 3,000 word Research Proposal for my dissertation. It took me a long time that's for certain. Over Easter my aims were to do both of the essays I have due in, one for this week and one for next. I did the one for next week which was 2,000 words for my Comparative Education unit all about Japan's history and current education system. I managed this essay in about two days which was impressive for me because I thought this would be the one I'd find the hardest, turns out I was wrong. I did this essay first purely for the reason I thought I'd find it a struggle and would take me a long time, I thought I would find my Research Proposal easier as its on a topic I'm interested in.

However, it turns out the Research Proposal took me a lot longer, I think because the structure of the assignment was very different to a normal university style essay and I was overall more worried about getting a good grade in this one in particular. Having said this, I managed to finish it in time and it's finally submitted and awaiting feedback and a grade. The Japan essay I found a breeze, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but hey ho its done and dusted and just needs to be handed in now.

It's so interesting to learn and research about other countries education systems, everyone does it so differently and I'd highly recommend doing some research even if you aren't doing a particular assignment just to get your knowledge up about different countries.

As for un-uni related things this week, it's been an expensive one. I've booked a holiday to Rome with my cousin, bought a new laptop that isn't arriving for another four to six weeks (depressing) and a few holiday clothing bits. It's less than two months untill my summer holidays start (as in go on a plane, abroad) and I'm healthy eating and gymming crazily at the moment. I've got a running programme that finishes in two weeks when I'll be up to five k and a resistance training app which finishes the week before I go to Turkey! This may not be interesting to some of you but I'm really into fitness at the moment and I'm feeling really good about myself (for once)!

So, yeah that's an overview... I've got a more chilled week next week with a night out back at uni, a poster presentation to complete and my Comparative Education essay due which I need to read over and add a conclusion too.

Look out for another update like this one next week!

Until next time,

M.

Birthday Celebrations and Another Holiday on the Cards?!

As you may have already guessed it was my birthday on Thursday! I had a wonderful day and got spoilt rotten! I have been celebrating, I went out last weekend and last night I went to BBQ with some uni friends which was nice to catch up and see them, it ended up to be a really good night!
I turned 19 which is a boring age I suppose, I had my big 18 last year which was a very big celebration and to be quite honest I didn't want to stop being 18 ha never mind!

Some more exciting summer news, my cousin and I might be booking a last minute holiday at the end of August. We had always planned to go away together and we both really want to go on holiday so fingers crossed that all comes together and we actually go!

I've started my reading for next year, and by started I mean very briefly, but still it's not just sitting there! I can't really give you an insight into what I'm going to be learning about be the books are about a lot of things. However, if I do get to study the two options I've picked I can tell you that I will not have any exams next year, well none that involve sitting in a cold hall for two hours writing non-stop and coming out with a cramped hand and a rumbling stomach... Yeah, none of that kind!
As you all know I've done that deliberately because I am the world's biggest exam hater and I can't bear to sit another endless exam next year, I'd much prefer to have coursework and assignments as it means I can work on them for a long period of time and don't have to use my useless memory to do well!

I hope all of your summers are going well, I bet you're all off on party holidays(I was in Magaluf this time last year) celebrating the end of A-Levels before you all separate and head to university for your new adventures!

Well, have fun doing whatever you're doing and I shall speak to you next week in my video blog... Exciting!!!

I can't wait for you all to see it, I've worked hard on it and hope you all enjoy watching something a bit different on my blog!

Speak to you next week!

Need to get motivated!!!

I have got plans to do some university work soon as I am feeling like I have neglected it a little up until now, so I shall tell you all about those!

Now, I don't want you all to think that I'm being lazy and not doing anything...I just haven't had time. We got our reading lists through for second year a couple of weeks back but I've barely had the time to even look at it I've been working so much! However, it's not as though I've left it months and months to start planning for my second year, I'm very dedicated to university and that is why I am working so much, so that I can save my money for petrol as I am commuting next year.

I got a new job about a month ago and even though it's only a small contract I have been given hours nearly every day which is great, I can't complain about extra money especially as I would hate to be sitting around at home all summer.

My plan is to get all of my reading done before I go back to university because we have been given the reading list for next year so I definitely think I should get a good head start and be ready for university this time. I honestly did not feel ready for uni last year and I don't know whether that's something that all freshers feel but anyway.. I did!
So, I'm going to get my head into the books and hopefully then I will feel ready to start my second year and as I have most probably mentioned before do better than I did last year, because although I was happy with my results last year I do still think if I hadn't been as wrapped up in nights out I would have done that bit better, even though they weren't every night I admit I got talked into going out sometimes when I really didn't want to!

I doubt you'll get to hear about what I'm going to by studying next year as I'm not sure if the blogging will be carrying on. I will let you all know as I would love to carry on posting as much for you guys as for myself.
At first I didn't think doing this blog would benefit me that much however, I was very wrong. As much as I hope it gives you all a good idea of university life and studying teaching etc, it allows me to reflect back on my weeks at university and I am really excited to finish my blogs for the year and then read back over them all, I have stopped myself from doing so and I have mainly been posting and not looking back because I want to leave it all for afterwards so I can look back and remember my first year.

I will let you know before I finish blogging if I will be carrying on next year, fingers crossed!

That's all for now, next week you will have my video post so look out for that!

Summer update!

So, I haven't really got much 'degree' related to post about this week, so I thought I would tell you all about how my summer is going... which is very well!

The one great thing about being a student at university is the LONG summer..

So:

• I've been on holiday to Spain which was amazing but a week is soooo not long enough!
• I have managed to bag myself two new jobs and I have been able to leave my old one which is great because I was not enjoying it anymore.
• It's my birthday this month..19th which I suppose is quite a boring birthday but I have loads planned, not thing necessarily to do with my birthday, some obviously, but I just have good plans in general at the moment.
• I may be planning a last minute holiday..maybe if I can afford it...I guess student shouldn't go on holiday twice a year should they...save save save! 
• I'm getting bored sometimes...long summers are good but not so good when everyone else is still at work/school.

One thing I can tell you all about is that I keep getting notifications about resits in the summer which I don't have to worry about but it's quite interesting because I can tell you all what it would be like if you did have to resit and whether you'd feel all alone because it's the summer and maybe the lecturers don't work in the summer....

WELL...
that's definitely not the case. The resit process is extremely good, lecturers have scheduled dates that they will be available throughout the summer so that students can meet with them and have revision classes which I think is really good, the tutors really care about their students and want them to do well so they give up some of their summers to help and guide those who didn't quite meet the requirements to go through to their second years but are so determined still to achieve their degrees.

There are notifications all the time on Breo about what to revise, the exam questions have been put up and it just seems like they are getting all the help they can get which is really reassuring to me and hopefully will be to all of you guys as well.

So, don't panic you wont be alone if you don't quite make it through.

I hope all of your summers are going well..

BYE! 

Exams are next week!!!

I have just realised that my exams are next week, and that has given me a lot to think about...for a quite a few reasons.




1. I feel like I need more time to prepare even though I am all revised out I still want more time, but I suppose that's always how it goes. I cannot believe I have turned my whole revising attitude around, all those years at school I had such a laid back attitude towards revision and generally always decided that going out for lunch or anything other than revision was more worth my time.. But from doing a-levels and now am at university level I have realised that achieving a first does not come without some hard work.




2. I will no longer be a fresher. This I'm not so scared about because I realise that I'm only two years away from gaining a degree and that's the one and only reason I am at university, to get my all important degree to put me in the right direction to having my dream job and career. So I guess I'm glad I wont be a fresher anymore, and to be honest I don't think I could cope with another fresher's fortnight again..non-stop partying takes it out of you!




3. My summer holiday is less than five weeks away! This time in five weeks I will be laying by the pool in the sun, without any kind of exam thought in my head.. BLISS!




4. My birthday is soon...ish! That's always a good thing.




5. I have the whole summer of no uni work, this is such a nice feeling. Summer is my absolute favourite time of the year, I am so excited to catch up with friends and just have a brilliant summer with everyone I love!



Those are all of the current thoughts that are going through my mind right now, first and foremost revision but after next week it will be the thought of a relaxed and enjoyable summer at home.

Third Term!

Ok, so I guess it's time to start thinking about my 3rd and final term as a first year at the University of Bedfordshire. It's not much of a term to be honest for me because we have one final week of revision lectures and that's it. Most people will probably stay in Bedford until their exams are finished but I've made the decision to go home after the last teaching week and then drive to Bedford for my two exams.
As for preparation, I think I am as prepared as I can be at this stage, I feel a little skeptical about my exams at this point but I think after I have attended the revision lectures I will feel a lot more comfortable and ready to sit my exams in May.

My Easter break has been jam-packed! I have actually managed to bag myself a job back home which is great as I have a lot planned over the summer and therefore need money! I feel like I have been at home for absolutely ages so goodness knows what I'm going to do with myself all summer. Work , work and work I suppose..oh and go on holiday..

I have been asked to talk about when I applied for university in this blog post which has actually proved quite interesting for me because it snow feels like a lifetime ago! My decision was pretty easy when it came to narrowing down to my firm and insurance choices. I knew I wanted to stay close to home and all of my university choices were within an hour away from where my family and I live. I picked all of the same courses 'Education Studies' for each university and therefore all I had to decide on was the university and halls of residence. I chose Bedford for a few reasons, 1: the halls are so nice and clean, 2: the university is also very nice and small which I liked, 3: the lecturers I met where all so friendly and welcoming and 4: it was my all round favourite university that I had visited. I wasn't fussed whether I got my firm or insurance choice purely because they were both as good as each other and meant I would be doing the exact course that I wanted to do.

The inside of my accommodation in Bedford, and yes it actually does look like this! 

The entrance to Liberty Park. 

I want to stress that it's not all about the stats and figures(it is partly) but you have to like the university you are looking at, one thing I think every applicant should remember is to not settle for second best. Aim high and do not be afraid to come out with your insurance choice, so choose wisely everyone!

Good luck with your UCAS applications and Happy Easter to you all!

New Year!

So as you can all tell by the title of this post it is officially 2014 and I am looking forward to this year for a number of reasons:

1. A fresh start in my new flat at uni. I don't know if I've already mentioned to you all that I have moved flats due to nastiness in my old one and I am so excited to live with nice people after having to live with a flat full of girls who talk nothing but horrible things about each other. Plus I'm moving to the complete opposite side to where my old flat was so I will hopefully not have to bump into those girls again, or not very often anyway! 

   

   This image shows where I used to live and where I live now, couldn't be further away from the bad flat which is so good!
2. I have a lot of exciting things planned in terms of summer holidays etc.I know the summer is far away but at least it's 2014 now so my holiday doesn't 'seem' as far as it did when it was still 2013. Oh how the mind works haha!  

   

   Hopefully somewhere like this...Probably not though, student problems!

   3.  I am looking forward to being exam free after April, and I am also really excited for post exam celebrations back home with my friends!
   4.  I am excited to see what October brings in terms of starting my second year and getting a bit more stuck into teaching with placements and being able to choose subjects for myself rather than having them chosen for you, which is what happened in my first year. Second year sounds exciting although I can't quite believe how quick first year is going! I need more time to revise for my exams ahhhhh!

Until next week!