So the end of my second year at university is fast approaching. As are exams, but I'm trying not to dwell on that - I'm trying to make the possibility of revising as fun as possible with my study guide, post-its and brand new fine liners for mind maps.
Anyway, they weren't joking when they said second year was the hardest. By "they," I mean everyone. However, it's been quite a learning experience for me too. Here's just a few of the things I've learned during my second year:
1. I've discovered what little tolerance I have of certain people - I won't go into specifics, as I'm not one for plastering hatred all over the internet (at least, not towards people I know...), but yes, there are certain people whom I have lost all patience with. And it's not just people I've worked with, it's general people who pass me by - like the guy who sat right next to me in a lecture when there were 50 other empty seats, and the girl on the bus who moved my bag from the seat next to me so she could sit there.
2. If you tell a tutor that you missed a 9am lecture because you were ill, no one will believe you. Fact. In my counselling class there are two types of ill - "actually ill" and "9 o'clock ill."
3. Attendance, no matter what the bigwigs say...it's optional. Last year I made every effort to go to all my classes despite how miserable it made me. This year, not so much.
4. If you drive to campus anytime after 9am, you have more chance of winning the lottery than you would finding a parking space. If you want a space, get there before 9.
5. Cognitive psychology is genuinely the worst area of psychology one could ever study. It's dull, boring, and seriously, all you cognitive researchers have either wasted your time, or come up with a way to seriously piss off students.
6. In addition to certain people, I have zero tolerance for the following driving related items: cyclists, motorcyclists, school children crossing the road as you're about to drive into it, school children crossing the road on a 30mph road with two lanes without using the crossings, speed cameras, people who don't keep a reasonable distance, traffic lights, buses, basically anything that delays my drive home from uni.
7. No matter what time you get on it, the buses WILL be packed, and the ratio of elderly to students on the university bus service is not how it should be. All for giving up my seat for them, but when the bus drives right past me and I miss a lecture because there's several old people taking up seats, I get a bit lairy.
8. People who run modules and dictate assessments and exams don't believe in Christmas, Easter, spending time with loved ones, having a job outside of uni or having a social life. They clearly don't otherwise we wouldn't have been given 3 2500 word essays over Christmas...
9. Group work is the be-all and end-all of university. And it sucks. Yes, I know it's to get me used to "working with others in future careers" but I'm more willing to work with others in 'future careers' because I'll be getting paid. When I'm the one paying to rely on other people to ultimately get my degree, I'm not so willing.
10. Sleep is just...awesome.
Despite this big ball of WAH about my second year as per usual, I'm actually reasonably excited about my third year. Mainly because this time next year I won't be having deal with the likes of Student Finance England, and also because I will be well on my way to getting out of the place. And dissertation...a project where it's just me. Mwahaha.
