The University Thread, AKA The Virtual Blend Student Union Options

[Floss]

We should start a university woes club (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Your wish is my command!


In true support group style....

My name is Fiona, and I'm a final year undergraduate student.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[lilly763]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif)

My (nick)name is Lilly, and I'm a second year undergraduate student studying physics. Or math. Or physics. Or math... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) (Except in particularly desperate moments, when I decide to change to philosophy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)) The only thing I'm sure if is that either way, I need to pass complex analysis, so I'm going to go back to that now... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[lottie]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) My name is Lottie and I'm a University addict!! (I have two Masters degrees and am contemplating an Advanced Diploma in illustration.... or possibly even a PhD (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (although I can't really afford the PhD (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ))


Lilly - second year is tough because the work really kicks in after a gentle first year (usually). Then you have to choose your specialities. But you're also an 'experienced' student now and the first years will think you're really sophisticated!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Floss!!!! Final year is so exciting because you're the 'grown-up' student and there are all those exciting possibilities for what you're going to do next... and yet plenty time still to choose. And your thesis/final project is the opportunity to do some original work!

I hope that doesn't sound patronising - just my experience and although there are tough bits being a student it really is a wonderful experience. I just wish I'd also played in my first Uni orchestra (although my second Uni didn't have one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) )


I also love student discounts!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[pianoeater]

My name is pianoeater and I got my acceptance letter today so I now feel justified in joing this thread.

This sounds like an AA meeting (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
But I wouldn't really know.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Starting my undergrad in March. I'm looking foward to the student discounts ^^^^ and you can all look foward to my woes next year.

[Clarimoo]

My name is pianoeater and I got my acceptance letter today so I now feel justified in joing this thread.

This sounds like an AA meeting (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
But I wouldn't really know.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Starting my undergrad in March. I'm looking foward to the student discounts ^^^^ and you can all look foward to my woes next year.

Congratulations Pianoeater!

[Pixie*Porsche]

I'm starting in February at the University of Sheffield to do a CertHE in Music and hopefully then move onto the second and third years of the B.Mus.

Both excited and nervous ... I've tried uni study before (Motorsport Engineering) but hated studying science / engineering at that level. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Sheffield seem to be very well regarded for music (if the league tables are anything to go on.) So anyone with any experience of Sheffield Uni would be most welcome to comment! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Maizie]

I also love student discounts!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

Me too! Though I don't always use one, given that I work full time and especially for places e.g. like museums where I could in theory get concession rate for special exhibitions. But for big retailers I feel less guilt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

I'm only a pretend student because it's OU and not a 'life stage' but a permanent part of my being, but technically I am an undergraduate, studying towards what is likely to become my, ahem, third bachelors...

[Babybird2]

Umm... my name is Babybird2 and I work at a university... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

I also love student discounts!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

Me too! Though I don't always use one, given that I work full time and especially for places e.g. like museums where I could in theory get concession rate for special exhibitions. But for big retailers I feel less guilt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

I'm only a pretend student because it's OU and not a 'life stage' but a permanent part of my being, but technically I am an undergraduate, studying towards what is likely to become my, ahem, third bachelors...

What in? And what are your other degrees in? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Umm... my name is Babybird2 and I work at a university... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Me too, well sort of! I work part time at Derby Uni doing academic support for disabled students. My study skills are good so really I ought to apply them and get some decent marks on my course (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

What do you do at uni? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I know you did your PhD in some sort of sciencey subject. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Maizie]

What in? And what are your other degrees in? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

My first, and full-time, degree is an MA in biological sciences (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) Which is always fun to explain to people ("Yes, it's an undergraduate degree, although it starts with an M. And yes, it's an A, not an Sc, honestly!").
My next one was with the OU, BA (Hons) Humanities with classical studies.
The current one, I am doing a maths course with a view to further physics/astro courses - I took two astro courses in a "break" from the humanties and would love to do the higher level astro courses but need to get some maths first. This will, with any luck, result in an open BSc (depending on how the transitional funding arrangements work out, and also what life throws in my way, this may have (Hons) or it might not!)

I have a long-term goal for letters in front of my name, as opposed to just a billion after my name, but that may well be a post-retirement plan (an OU course colleague has just started her PhD at the age of 69, so I consider there to be plenty of time left for me to work out what I might like to do [even which subject...])

[Pixie*Porsche]

Maizie - all such different subjects (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Do you think you'll go onto postgrad?

My university experience first time round was horrible (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I realised loving cars did not equate to loving Motorsport Engineering - some of it was more about computers than cars (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Fact is, I wanted a degree and didn't know what to pick. Well, infact I sort of did - I wanted to do music but doubted I'd be good enough for a good uni to do classical music (not interested in popular music Motorsport as I love cars. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Now, because of that I only have 2 years undergrad funding left and the tuition fees are now too high for me to self fund so, if they (Sheffield) decide I can't transfer onto the 2nd year I'm going to have to try to get onto Nottingham's part-time programme and self fund (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (Can't really move from Derbyshire) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Babybird2]

What do you do at uni? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I know you did your PhD in some sort of sciencey subject. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Researching more sciencey stuff (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Only for 6 months though, sadly (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Tortellini]

Hello everyone.

My name is....Tortellini (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) and I am a "mature" student i.e. old!

I have a BA in Languages, an MA in Applied Linguistics and am currently studying for a PhD in Linguistics. I am in my third year but have been doing it for ages as I took a year off to have twins - not really recommended study-wise but great fun! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I work from home as I am about 1000 miles away from campus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) so my biggest problems are procrastination and isolation..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

[lilly763]

An article someone recently showed me that I think every student should read...

[Dugazon]

I want to join, because I am contemplating going back to Uni - again! Maybe this will stop the procrastinating. I could start in January, but I think I'll give that a miss - deadline too soon to get the funding in place, which will only be roughly a third anyway, so cost is a huge factor in whether to go for it or not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I thought about the Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities at the OU, with an outlook to make this the MA in Music further down the line, but I'm not sure yet if it's the right thing for me. I already have very similar qualifications, it's more about keeping my braincells working. Therefore, considering the cost is all the more important.

I acquired my "important" qualifications in Germany: a postgraduate one, quite similar to a Masters, in Musicology, Theatre Studies and Geography, and a parallel postgraduate Diploma in Classical Voice. Later on, a PDA style qualification in Musical Theatre Performance.

Since I moved to the UK, a bit of professional development in Drama and Teaching (Diploma and PDA). And now I'm getting restless again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)