It seems sensible to start at the beginning.
The Subject
I applied for history because I loved the subject, had an amazing teacher (who I owe an awful lot to) and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had friends who knew exactly what career they wanted but I was clueless... and I still am! I think that's one of the best pieces of advice I was given whilst doing my A Levels, just do the subject you love. If you love it you'll enjoy it and do ten times better than in a subject that you think might make you more employable or some other bullshit. So if like me, you don't know what you want to do, but know you want to go to Uni, apply for something you love. I can honestly say I love history as much today as I did as an 18 year old doing my A Levels.
The University
I am first and foremost a country bumpkin from South Wales but I wanted that to all change and to go to a University in a big city. Other than that I didn't really have any other major requirements. I remember everyone obsessing over the league tables of the Universities but frankly that couldn't matter less. If you are applying to one of the top Unis in the country then (as sad as some may think) you are always going to be seen as a cut above the rest. But, if like me, you were applying to Russel Groups (or Red Brick Universities) then there is very very little between them all. (I can't really comment on non-Russel Group unis because I am not in one!)
Choosing a Uni is very very personal. But I think the best advice I can give is this:
- Go to prospective universities open days - getting a feel for the city is important. This is somewhere you are going to spend 3 or more years of your life.
- Aim high but have an insurance - I was lucky to have a teacher who encouraged us to apply for one (or two) universities which were asking for grades higher than you were likely to achieve. You never know they might just accept!! But this advice works in reverse too, so apply for one "safe" option that you feel very comfortable in achieving the grades.
- Don't be afraid to go far away from home and to a Uni no one else is applying too - this is a once (or not if you go on in academia) in a life time opportunity to live away from home in somewhere new. You will always meet new people so going to the same Uni as half your year isn't important. BUT it's up to you... If you want to be close to home then do that! This your choice.
For me I applied to Sheffield, Bristol, Reading, Birmingham and Liverpool. I got rejected from Sheffield and Bristol but offers from the other three. I attended open days for those three and for me Liverpool came out on top. Reading was my "firm" or "safe" option as I liked the Uni and felt like I could more than reasonably achieve the grades.
Getting to Uni
So after sitting my exams and getting my results, I got into Liverpool. I then had a really amazing Summer holiday before making the move up to Liverpool.
We definitely went over-board on stuff, I had sooooo much crap!! There will be an upcoming blog post in this series on what you really need to take to Uni with you.
For me I struggled with friends who weren't going to Uni who did not "get" me wanting to move away and they made me feel almost bad for getting into Uni. Now I know that those aren't people that should be in my life, people should be happy for you, getting into Uni is an amazing achievement.
Heading up to Liverpool on the day of moving in was incredibly emotional. My parents moved me in and it's safe to say I was an emotional mess. I had never been away from home without my parents for more than a week or so and that first night in Uni was tougher than I thought.
Moving in and "Freshers"
Moving in and saying goodbye to my parents was pretty shit. There's no two ways about it, it was scary, new, emotional and exciting. I initially moved into Halls of Residence which were a shit hole. I hated my time there. It was so so loud with everyone partying every night. And yes I thought I would be one of those people but I just couldn't muster up the courage or enthusiasm for "freshers week". No I didn't want to go and get drunk every night with a group of complete strangers. I mean when you think about it, it is a really strange concept!
So for the first 2 weeks of being in Liverpool I pretty much lived in my room and made a couple of friends, who happened to be like-minded about going out, but nonetheless it was a pretty tough time. I was terrified to ring home because I knew I'd cry and I really didn't want to upset my parents and make it seem like I was ungrateful for all the money they had spent on me going to Uni. I didn't really go out, except for the first night and it was cheesy and just awful!
I was upset in these first halls from the time I moved in until the time I moved out...which was 3 weeks later. Luckily Liverpool uni are really accommodating (punny I know) about moving halls and I moved in a day from my single bed, out of town, catered and shared bathroom halls, to a double bed, ensuite, wireless internet and catered on campus - it couldn't have been more different. It was like a huge weight had been immediately lifted and it just felt right.
For the rest of first year, other than the occasional (and very normal) bouts of homesickness I was actually super happy. I made life-long friends and met some totally strange and unlikely people who opened my eyes if nothing else! I had fun and took the classic first year approach of "I only need to get 40% to pass". But I also tried hard to get into a routine with work and tried to keep on top of my reading. Naturally I didn't always succeed but I learnt more from this than if I had sailed through.
Second and third year
In second year I lived in a huge house with 8 other girls. It was an amazing experience. No I didn't put enough effort in with them and I look back and kick myself because of this, but at the same time I worked my butt off in uni and got into better habits with reading and essays. The only real low was getting the flu and attempting to write 3 essays and sit one exam in a week long period. As you might imagine that didn't go so well... But this is a vital moment to sing the University of Liverpool's praises as they helped me through the whole faff of not sitting an exam and organising re-sits and what not.
Then came third year. Nothing could prepare you for the workload. The three years really is all working towards this third and final year. It's so much work whilst the looming prospect of a 10,000 dissertation constantly at the back of your mind. But that all being said I've made more amazing friends on my course and found like-minded people who have made the whole experience so so fun.
In terms of housing I didn't choose right this year. I thought going back into Halls of Residence would mean I'd make more friends but also have somewhere safe and warm which required no phonecalls in the middle of the night to a landlord to get them out in an emergency. In that respect Halls have been amazing. But they've also been very restrictive and suffocating. I haven't made any friends here and therefore do all my socialising elsewhere. That is tiring shit. I love my friends and boyfriend being just down or up a hill but that means that I feel as though I am never home. The room I'm currently sitting in in my Halls still doesn't feel like mine, despite being mine for 6/7 months. It's weird.
So that is the story so far. I feel I can safely say that I've kind of done it with uni. I'm ready for the next step. Going from exam season to essay season and back again isn't fun after 5 consecutive years. I want to go out of this student bubble and see life-after-uni for myself. But University is an experience I would urge anyone to do. If you have a passion for a subject then the rest will fall into place.
I hope this has set the tone for this series. I know this was a long one but I felt it was important for some context.
Thank you for making it to the end!!
Lots of love, C xxx
I was upset in these first halls from the time I moved in until the time I moved out...which was 3 weeks later. Luckily Liverpool uni are really accommodating (punny I know) about moving halls and I moved in a day from my single bed, out of town, catered and shared bathroom halls, to a double bed, ensuite, wireless internet and catered on campus - it couldn't have been more different. It was like a huge weight had been immediately lifted and it just felt right.
For the rest of first year, other than the occasional (and very normal) bouts of homesickness I was actually super happy. I made life-long friends and met some totally strange and unlikely people who opened my eyes if nothing else! I had fun and took the classic first year approach of "I only need to get 40% to pass". But I also tried hard to get into a routine with work and tried to keep on top of my reading. Naturally I didn't always succeed but I learnt more from this than if I had sailed through.
Second and third year
In second year I lived in a huge house with 8 other girls. It was an amazing experience. No I didn't put enough effort in with them and I look back and kick myself because of this, but at the same time I worked my butt off in uni and got into better habits with reading and essays. The only real low was getting the flu and attempting to write 3 essays and sit one exam in a week long period. As you might imagine that didn't go so well... But this is a vital moment to sing the University of Liverpool's praises as they helped me through the whole faff of not sitting an exam and organising re-sits and what not.
Then came third year. Nothing could prepare you for the workload. The three years really is all working towards this third and final year. It's so much work whilst the looming prospect of a 10,000 dissertation constantly at the back of your mind. But that all being said I've made more amazing friends on my course and found like-minded people who have made the whole experience so so fun.
In terms of housing I didn't choose right this year. I thought going back into Halls of Residence would mean I'd make more friends but also have somewhere safe and warm which required no phonecalls in the middle of the night to a landlord to get them out in an emergency. In that respect Halls have been amazing. But they've also been very restrictive and suffocating. I haven't made any friends here and therefore do all my socialising elsewhere. That is tiring shit. I love my friends and boyfriend being just down or up a hill but that means that I feel as though I am never home. The room I'm currently sitting in in my Halls still doesn't feel like mine, despite being mine for 6/7 months. It's weird.
So that is the story so far. I feel I can safely say that I've kind of done it with uni. I'm ready for the next step. Going from exam season to essay season and back again isn't fun after 5 consecutive years. I want to go out of this student bubble and see life-after-uni for myself. But University is an experience I would urge anyone to do. If you have a passion for a subject then the rest will fall into place.
I hope this has set the tone for this series. I know this was a long one but I felt it was important for some context.
Thank you for making it to the end!!
Lots of love, C xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment