I've been back from Paris for a whole week now - I'm definitely feeling the whole 'holiday blues' thing! I'm pleased I managed to get away for a little while. I saw some amazing places (Versailles - I'm sure the gold could pay for 1,000 master's degrees!), had complete sensory overload and managed to practice my French! It was a heck of a lot of fun, and one day I will have to go back.
Back to reality, the revision has started. I hate revision. I really hate it. I'm a good student, but I defy anyone to sit in a room for over a month, staring at textbooks, notes and highlighters, and say it's fun. Still, in 35 days I'll be done with my degree! I still have a bit more to write on my neuroscience extended essay (I keep changing my mind about the structure - perfectionism gets you great marks but it's a complete pain sometimes... Well, most of the time...), and I'm waiting to hear back from my supervisor about my dissertation draft (gulp!), but I'm well on schedule to get everything done in advance. I can safely say that I'll have earned my summer break this year. Sure, I'll be working, but it won't be coursework and textbooks!
I'm slightly worried about my reaction when my degree will be over. In second year, I remember the weird feeling once my exams were over - quite a few people laughed at how lost I looked. I honestly don't know what I'll feel once everything's done with. Probably shock for a while, then relief. Once my exams are over, it's only a short wait until I get the results. I get far more nervous over results than exams, but this year I'll be off on holiday, so maybe that will help. Time will tell I suppose!
Tomorrow marks five months until I start my MSc! This is incredibly exciting, and I'm happier and happier the closer I'm getting. I'm currently revising some topics which are completely uninteresting, so you can't imagine what it'll be like when I'm reading about brains and neurons again (yeah, I realise how nerdy this sounds)! I still have some more money to raise, and I suspect a lot of my summer will be dedicated to raising the last of the funds. Again, I'll take the opportunity to remind you of my fundraiser - please share and/or donate, as everything will help enormously! I'm getting closer and closer to raising all of the cash (I have well over two thirds of the fee now!), and I can tell you now that a huge weight will be lifted once I know for sure I can pay for everything. First though, I have to get through my degree, graduate and enjoy my summer break. This is definitely the easy part!
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Monday, 7 April 2014
Firsts and Lasts
It's week 24. My last week of my last term at the University of Kent. Tomorrow, I have my last lecture here, and then it's just revision before the end in May. It's kind of scary thought, realising that next month I'll be done with my degree. It's quite a good feeling too, though. It means my hard work will finally be paid off (well, assuming we don't get a marking boycott - see my last post!), and I'll be able to move on to bigger and better things.
Before I get to finish everything though, I still have revision to do. I hate revising. I know, I'm a good student and I spend most of the revision period in front of books and notes, so you'd have thought it was something I didn't mind. Quite the opposite. Revision is boring. Making notes is boring. Especially when it's on topics you don't care about (I'm looking at you, Applying Psychology). Still, it is worth it. My grades this year are the best they've ever been across my degree, and this is something I hope to continue with the final pieces of work. I did figure out that I only need 40-something per cent in my exams this year to end up with a first in my degree, but now my grades are nothing more than a matter of pride. It's reassuring that I should still end up with a great degree, but I want to get the highest grades I possibly can - which means locking myself in my room for a month to pore over books and notes. Ah well, it's just over six weeks until the end, so I'm sure I will cope.
Aside from revision, I have two pieces of work left to complete: my dissertation (currently 69 pages long and with a results section and half a discussion still to write - god help my printer!), and a neuroscience extended essay. The dissertation is, frankly, a pain, as my study hasn't quite gone to plan. Nothing that can't be fixed, it just means I'm using statistics I've never seen before, or resorting to descriptive results (which are very wordy, and difficult with a 6,000 word limit!). The neuroscience essay on the other hand is a piece of cake! It's about hemispatial neglect, a topic on which I have already published a peer-reviewed journal article. How many students write the coursework after they publish the papers? It's great, and it means I'm able to cite my own work (purely out of pride). While this work isn't due in until May, I think I'll be done in a week or two (with time for preening and tidying).
So, apart from the relatively boring coursework/lectures/revision, what else has been going on? I've been tutoring again, and I think I'm helping my student come round to liking biological and cognitive psychology. It's been fun overall, and I'm really happy I could help someone with their studies!
I have lots of things to look forward to as well. This weekend, I'm having a break from everything by taking myself off to Paris! I'm stupidly excited about this, and I'm looking forward to seeing and doing new things. No doubt there will be endless pictures. After my exams finish I'm going to Geneva in June. Again, something I'm stupidly excited about. In July, I'll be graduating, and in September I'll be starting my MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at one of the most prestigious universities in the UK (and Europe. Maybe the world?). No wonder I'm so happy!
Before I get to finish everything though, I still have revision to do. I hate revising. I know, I'm a good student and I spend most of the revision period in front of books and notes, so you'd have thought it was something I didn't mind. Quite the opposite. Revision is boring. Making notes is boring. Especially when it's on topics you don't care about (I'm looking at you, Applying Psychology). Still, it is worth it. My grades this year are the best they've ever been across my degree, and this is something I hope to continue with the final pieces of work. I did figure out that I only need 40-something per cent in my exams this year to end up with a first in my degree, but now my grades are nothing more than a matter of pride. It's reassuring that I should still end up with a great degree, but I want to get the highest grades I possibly can - which means locking myself in my room for a month to pore over books and notes. Ah well, it's just over six weeks until the end, so I'm sure I will cope.
Aside from revision, I have two pieces of work left to complete: my dissertation (currently 69 pages long and with a results section and half a discussion still to write - god help my printer!), and a neuroscience extended essay. The dissertation is, frankly, a pain, as my study hasn't quite gone to plan. Nothing that can't be fixed, it just means I'm using statistics I've never seen before, or resorting to descriptive results (which are very wordy, and difficult with a 6,000 word limit!). The neuroscience essay on the other hand is a piece of cake! It's about hemispatial neglect, a topic on which I have already published a peer-reviewed journal article. How many students write the coursework after they publish the papers? It's great, and it means I'm able to cite my own work (purely out of pride). While this work isn't due in until May, I think I'll be done in a week or two (with time for preening and tidying).
So, apart from the relatively boring coursework/lectures/revision, what else has been going on? I've been tutoring again, and I think I'm helping my student come round to liking biological and cognitive psychology. It's been fun overall, and I'm really happy I could help someone with their studies!
I have lots of things to look forward to as well. This weekend, I'm having a break from everything by taking myself off to Paris! I'm stupidly excited about this, and I'm looking forward to seeing and doing new things. No doubt there will be endless pictures. After my exams finish I'm going to Geneva in June. Again, something I'm stupidly excited about. In July, I'll be graduating, and in September I'll be starting my MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at one of the most prestigious universities in the UK (and Europe. Maybe the world?). No wonder I'm so happy!
Thursday, 3 April 2014
Marking Boycotts
Dear lecturers and members of the University and College Union,
Recently, there has been a lot of news surrounding the proposed marking boycott due to take place from the 28th of April should a deal over pay not be reached by that point. While I have the utmost sympathy for your position (there is of course nothing right over one group of individuals in an institution receiving a pay rise while other workers receive nothing), I implore you all to avoid a marking boycott for the sake of the people who make universities possible: the students.
I am currently in my fourth year of university, and now less than eight weeks away from finishing. In just over three months, I will finally receive my degree at my graduation ceremony. I have worked endlessly, striving to constantly improve and learn and work towards a career that will (hopefully) help many others in the future. When I started college, I never wanted to go to university. Now I'm here, I can honestly say it's been the best decision I have ever made. I've loved most of my time at uni, but I'm not going to lie: it's been tough.
I'm a good student. I always work to get the highest grades I possibly can, and often I'm my own worst enemy. The standards I set myself often lead to a lot of self-criticism, but it's just a way of getting better and better. The stress and effort are worth it, as I know that soon I'll be graduating and on my way to the next part of my career.
The emotional strain I was under for months while applying for postgraduate places was immense. Similarly, the joy I felt when I finally got the news I wanted was amazing. I'm thrilled that I'm on track to graduating with a first class degree, and that I will soon be starting an MSc at one of the world's best universities.
This is all very good news, and I should be celebrating. However, the anxiety I'm feeling around the marking boycott is growing. I cannot cope with the thought that all of this hard work will be for nothing should you embark on the marking boycott. I am aspiring to become a lecturer myself. I want to produce original research, and help students like me reach their potential too. Why, then, should all of this be threatened over a pay dispute?
If you choose to begin the marking boycott, you would directly affect my grades. My dissertation may go unmarked. My exams may go unmarked. Without these marks, I won't be able to graduate. If I don't get my degree, I can't go to UCL. All of my hard work over four years would be worthless. Because of your arguments.
Why would a marking boycott work? You're not punishing chancellors. You're not punishing the people who set your pay. You're punishing those you should be encouraging. While most students are very supportive of fair pay, you won't receive support from those who are directly affected by the marking boycott. In 2006 when you took similar action, the deal you were offered increased by 0.5%. Is destroying our futures worth this?
I cannot tell you how scared I am that this nightmare scenario will happen. It doesn't seem fair to me that my future is jeopardised. My graduation, the thing I have been looking forwards to for months, might not happen. That is unthinkable with the work I have put into my future. Please, don't let this happen.
Recently, there has been a lot of news surrounding the proposed marking boycott due to take place from the 28th of April should a deal over pay not be reached by that point. While I have the utmost sympathy for your position (there is of course nothing right over one group of individuals in an institution receiving a pay rise while other workers receive nothing), I implore you all to avoid a marking boycott for the sake of the people who make universities possible: the students.
I am currently in my fourth year of university, and now less than eight weeks away from finishing. In just over three months, I will finally receive my degree at my graduation ceremony. I have worked endlessly, striving to constantly improve and learn and work towards a career that will (hopefully) help many others in the future. When I started college, I never wanted to go to university. Now I'm here, I can honestly say it's been the best decision I have ever made. I've loved most of my time at uni, but I'm not going to lie: it's been tough.
I'm a good student. I always work to get the highest grades I possibly can, and often I'm my own worst enemy. The standards I set myself often lead to a lot of self-criticism, but it's just a way of getting better and better. The stress and effort are worth it, as I know that soon I'll be graduating and on my way to the next part of my career.
The emotional strain I was under for months while applying for postgraduate places was immense. Similarly, the joy I felt when I finally got the news I wanted was amazing. I'm thrilled that I'm on track to graduating with a first class degree, and that I will soon be starting an MSc at one of the world's best universities.
This is all very good news, and I should be celebrating. However, the anxiety I'm feeling around the marking boycott is growing. I cannot cope with the thought that all of this hard work will be for nothing should you embark on the marking boycott. I am aspiring to become a lecturer myself. I want to produce original research, and help students like me reach their potential too. Why, then, should all of this be threatened over a pay dispute?
If you choose to begin the marking boycott, you would directly affect my grades. My dissertation may go unmarked. My exams may go unmarked. Without these marks, I won't be able to graduate. If I don't get my degree, I can't go to UCL. All of my hard work over four years would be worthless. Because of your arguments.
Why would a marking boycott work? You're not punishing chancellors. You're not punishing the people who set your pay. You're punishing those you should be encouraging. While most students are very supportive of fair pay, you won't receive support from those who are directly affected by the marking boycott. In 2006 when you took similar action, the deal you were offered increased by 0.5%. Is destroying our futures worth this?
I cannot tell you how scared I am that this nightmare scenario will happen. It doesn't seem fair to me that my future is jeopardised. My graduation, the thing I have been looking forwards to for months, might not happen. That is unthinkable with the work I have put into my future. Please, don't let this happen.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)