Picking The Right University

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a great week!



I know you'll appreciate this post as you're all going through exam period at the moment and are probably stressed about everything education related. Everyone gets so worried about whether they're picking the right university for some reason (me included), but really is there a right university?
Your choice should be right for you, this won't necessarily be the right choice for your friends. I've made a list of all the things I think everyone should consider when they're choosing their potential universities:

1. Does it have the course you want? This is THE most crucial thing, for me anyway. If the course isn't right, then nothing else will be. You need to realise that you're going to university, you're paying all this money to study a degree and eventually graduate. You cannot pick a university because of where it is and skimp on the course itself. At the end of the day you're there for three-five years on average, you need to enjoy what you're studying more than anything else because essentially this is what you're expecting to get a job in one day.
2. Does it have the facilities you require? Look around the town/city you're visiting, don't just scour the uni, you need to know you can feel comfortable living in its surroundings. 
3. Does it make you excited to start university? There would be nothing worse than turning up at your university choice in September/October and feeling glum. Make sure the university gives you that buzz and happy feeling.
4. Are your potential lecturers friendly and welcoming? Get to know the tutors, find out more about them, ask current students maybe. Just get as much inside information as you possibly can, you're going to want to know the truth.
5. Is the location right for you? Is it close to home or far from home, this is obviously your personal preference, not your parents or partner. Choose what's right for you. 
6. Accommodation. Is it going to be comfortable to live in? Can you spend a year there before moving into a house with your friends, it's a long time to spend somewhere you can't stand. 
7. Money. Can you afford to live in the area? This shouldn't matter too much if you've got the right course as I'm sure if the course is that important you'll work your bum off over summer to pay for a room. BUT, if you don't think you can save money or afford it then simply, rethink. 

My main reasons for picking Bedfordshire were first and foremost, the course. I knew this was the course I wanted to study and luckily for me it is a course that most universities offer. Location was second, I wanted to be close to home, I just wasn't ready to live 100 miles away from my family. This was 100% the right decision for me, I didn't hesitate at all and that's mainly because I gave myself the opportunity by studying close enough to home to commute but far enough to live there at the same time. I lived there for my first year, loved it and then moved home for my last two years. I still have my friends, I still go out on student nights, I'm not missing out at all. In fact I much prefer the way I'm doing university right now. 

However, I will say that I think if I hadn't lived in for the first year I'd probably be lonely. Purely because everyone would have had the time to socialize on student nights and I wouldn't have. I still think I would have friends but I do think I'd miss out on the nights out.

Hope this post gives you some inspiration! 

Until next time,

M

Completing Second Year..

Hi everyone,

So this weeks post is going to be exactly as it states in the title, all about how it feels to have completed another year of university, plans for what's to come (i.e. dissertation thoughts) and placements.

I'll start with my thoughts and feelings on finishing the year....

.... and in a nutshell, that picture sums up how it feels.
I didn't really pay much attention to the fact that I have in fact completed my second year of my three year degree, I am over halfway through my degree, I have one year left before I go out into the big wide world of work and I honestly don't know if I'm ready for it all. One thing I do know is how proud I am of myself for actually making it through this past year, it's been difficult and I had a very big knock back in January when I lost someone extremely close to me and had a heart operation, I ended up needing extensions on my assignments etc, which I never thought I'd have to do. I did feel behind at one point but as soon as I was through the worst of it I picked myself with the help of friends, family and my understanding lecturers and got back on track. You can never plan for things like those to happen and it was my luck that I had a double whammy all in the same week, but it's all down to motivation (self and from peers) to get back into the swing of things and I was and still am so determined to do well at university that nothing will stop me. Sorry, I know this went off on a tangent but basically what I'm trying to say it that despite having those hiccups, I made it through the year and I couldn't be happier with how far I've come since starting this university journey.

Now onto plans, now none of these are set in stone, I haven't completely decided on my dissertation title but I do know that I want it to be something to do with university level education, disability and technology. That's about as far as I've got with dissertation planning, I have done a research proposal already for my final Research methods assignment but I'm not completely happy with it. I may end up using it and tweaking it to make sure its suitable and better quality but who knows! There are SO many options for it and it's quite overwhelming, I do know that I will have decided on a title by July, I'll seek approval from my personal tutor and then I'll make sure I've done at least 1,000 words of my dissertation by the time I start my third year (watch this space). I do not want to be going back to uni with no clue of how I'm going to do my biggest assignment of my university career, I want to and will be planned ahead and feeling ready to tackle it. So, yeah that's what next for me education wise.

Placements are at the top of my mind at the moment, I am currently attending one on Friday's with years 5 and 6 and I love it, however because I'm only doing Friday's I'll have only had a weeks worth of experience with this age before I go away in June and I'd like to have more.So, I'll hopefully be able to return to the school in September and rack up a good couple more weeks there before starting back at uni in October. I already have key stage 1 and 2, but it would be nice to have more when it comes to applying for teacher training. I enjoy placement so much, I know all the kids really well considering I only go one day a week. I can truly see myself working in a key stage 1 or 2 environment one day, I guess that's when you know you've picked the right career path!

Well, that's it for this week!

Until next time,

M