It has been a while and so much has happened. Highs and lows. Bits of swapping and changing.
I had finally come to the decision that my current degree - Ancient History and Archaeology - is not the one I want to be studying. After a lot of pondering I decided that I should see if I could transfer to another degree course, specifically to Ancient History and History.
So I made an appointment to see my university tutor, I wasn't sure who to see really.
My worries were:
1. No you can't swap
2. You can but you have to repeat the first year
It was an interesting meeting. My university tutor is also an Archaeology professor so it was difficult to answer the questions "Why don't you want to continue Archaeology?" in a way that was honest but not completely horrible to the subject he clearly derives great enjoyment from.
He didn't initially know if it would be possible to swap, normally, he said, they get people on the History degrees wanting to swap onto the Archaeology ones rather than the other round. So I might be the first. Luckily as we were having this conversation the guy who is the link between the History and Ancient History department walked past the door so he joined in the conversation as well.
They thought it would be okay, just depends on what the history department say, apparently there is some kind of "enmity" playful? between the archaeologists and historians. Anyway the email came back saying yes they'll take me on.
The short answer is yes I can swap my degree course and not have to repeat the first year. Score.
Basically I just have to concern myself with passing the first year which will enable me to stay on at the university and then they will transfer me. I think it means I get last pick of modules next year though. The way the electronic system works is that although you are changing degree you have to apply for modules as if you were continuing your current one. Stupid computers. So I think I might get assigned the modules that are left over from the History side.
I am feeling much happier about staying on for my degree now that I have been able to change it though. Archaeology was sometimes interesting but definitely not what I want to continue studying.
Another change. So a well as changing my degree I'm trying to transfer onto the four year degree program which gets you a study year abroad. Yes my uni life is now getting a little complicated. There is only one university I would like to do study abroad with though so I'm hoping this will make the yes/no thing a whole lot easier.
But it's complicated. Why wouldn't it be?
The university I want to do the year abroad at is the University of Western Australia. A few reasons: 1. I've always wanted to go Australia at college I even looked at doing my whole degree there but it was way too expensive, 2. I have family out there so if I'm going to the other side of the world I'd like to be near people I know, 3. I have read their website a lot and the course for history looks so good!
That is the catch though...for history. Which I don't study. Yet.
The history department have a link to UWA, the Ancient History department don't only with Flinders which is in Adelaide - wrong coast.
So to sumarise my university status right now:
I am an undergraduate studying Ancient History and Archaeology but am transferring to Ancient History and History in September. In light of this degree change I'm applying for a History study abroad placement. That is the complicated truth.
I have my interview later this afternoon so let's see how it goes. I didn't put any alternative destinations down, that's because there aren't any. I'm worried it will make me seem arrogant as in "Ha I've only put one down so now you have to give it to me" not the case. I only put one down because there is only one place I want to go to, if I don't get it that's fine I just don't want to substitute it for something else.
It's like when I was applying for universities at college my tutor critiqued me for only applying to two high entry universities and not applying for a low graded one in case my exams went poorly. Well my response was if I go to university I will be going to the one I want to go to. I'm not going to pay £9000 a year to go to a uni that wasn't my first choice simply for the sake of going. I'd rather not go. Same for this, if I don't get UWA then never mind, just no substitute please.
These last few weeks have been really busy, lots of assignment handing in and getting returns.
My Greek source project came back with a mark of 74 which is extremely good! The best mark I've ever had on assignment yet. Disappointingly my archaeology came back with 59. Oops. Having read the above you may be tempted to think that I'm slacking off Archaeology. Not the case. At least not consciously. A comment on the front said something to the effect of 'the question is very broad and your answer very specific'. Well great I can see why that would be an issue
if I hadn't seen my Archaeology tutor before I began writing the essay and said 'The question is very broad and the word count is small can I focus on one area?' to which the reply was 'yes'. So not entirely sure what happened there, but I made an appointment for feedback so hopefully that will shed some light.
My last essay is yet to come back, hopefully we'll get them before the holidays otherwise we will have to wait until May for the results which is like five weeks away.
A few weeks ago the Economics department sent out emails inviting people to participate in some research experiments they were doing. I signed up for it and I've participated in two experiments so far.
So you get paid £2.00 just for showing up on time and then depending on what your answers are you have the potential to earn more money. So like on the first test in part 1 you got 50p for every maths questions you answered right and in part 2 20p etc. The experiment I did today was difficult. It was like a maths exam/verbal reasoning test. They did have a section of anagrams and dingbat type questions though and I liked those.
One I can remember is
"In Ancient Greece a man died at X years. He spent 1/4 of his life as a boy, 1/5 as a youth, a 1/3 as an adult and 13 years as an elder. How old was he when he died?"
My first answer was 56, but then I went with 60. I'm sure there is a simple way to work this out. Any takers?
Don't know how much I earned from this, but I'll find out tomorrow. They are marking them tonight. It felt like being back at high school doing exams. Not a nice feeling.
A big change? It felt it. I went on my first YSA convention a couple of weekends ago. I wasn't keen on going, I mostly showed up because it was in Hull so I'd get to go back North and see all my friends who were going, though not everyone came in the end.
It was an interesting weekend and I spent most of it with Jemima which was good fun. On the Friday we went to an adult-sized play area, think wacky warehouse for grown ups. That was actually awesome and I would love to have a future birthday party there, or just go there again really.
On the saturday we did service in the morning, me Jemima and two of her cousins Rory and Chelsea went out collecting for Marie Curie. We stood outside the petrol station shop at the local Morrisons and we did so well, everyone comes in and out with change so we were very lucky.
After that we did some workshops, a dance one where we learned the Cha-Cha-Cha. Then a stress one. Packed lunches and onto activities. Me and Jemima did the bungee run, it looked easy but the belt around your waist really inhibits easy movement and you have to be quite strong to get anywhere with it.
Then we all went to the cinema to see Big Hero 6. I think they had booked most of the screen out, there were a few members of the public there though, I felt a little sorry for them although we weren't too rowdy. Back to church where they put on a Chinese buffet and then it was the dance.
Sunday we had a short service and then we all disseminated slowly back home.
It was a very long weekend. It was also the weekend I lost my voice and couldn't speak for most of it which made it very difficult to talk to new people.
I have mixed feelings about conventions. They are enjoyable but they are also so long. I think I prefer dances.
The week I was off university with tonsillitis I got a surprise dropped round at my house. I don't know who it's from or why but it was lovely and very much appreciated! Cheered me up and gave me some lovely cookies to eat whilst I wasn't feeling well. Thank you whoever you are!
Solar Eclipse last Friday. On reflection I'm not convinced I actually saw the Eclipse, I think I might have just missed it and simply caught a very bright sun. Well that will have been two I've seen, mum said she showed me the one in 1999 and I might get to see the next one in 2090 to, I'll be 95 then.
I was going to make the pinhole paper thing but reflections seem to work well so I used my laptop screen to look at it.
Couldn't have used my phone or I wouldn't have been able to take a photo. Though as I say you can't see the eclipse in the photo so I think I may have actually just missed it.
I should probably try and write this a little more regularly. Just the rest of this week left then back home on Sunday!
I've already started packing all my room up, so excited to go home and see everybody.
On the minus side, I wont be at my ward here in Leicester for the whole of April which will be a shame, I love teaching my primary kids and I just like attending everybody is so nice. Still it'll be nice to see everyone at Wakefield again.
In preparation for the fact that I will be away from university for five weeks (yes five whole weeks!!!) I have checked out eighteen books from the library to do with Greek History and Archaeology to read over my break as exams are here when I get back.
Five whole weeks though! I have waited so long, since my non-existent February half-term really. So glad that it is finally here.
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