University of Aberdeen Blog

Happy New Year! It’s a New Year and a new start for me, as I have just joined the Team as a Town House Student Ambassador so I guess I better introduce myself. I’m Jenny, and I’m in my 3^rd year studying History and International Relations. My first week here has consisted of clearing out the backlog from Christmas and New Year, mainly by posting five hundred thousand prospectuses and replying to about a million emails. So sorry if we kept you waiting, but I promise they are all now on their way!

Anyway, the holidays are well are truly over for us students, with exams commencing on the 16^th January. I’m actually looking forward to them, I like the sense of satisfaction after you put down your pen, after a whole semester of information has departed my brain and landed on my exam page, I feel great. So the sooner they come, the happier I am.

It’s no rest for the wicked though as we then have Re-Freshers Week and start new classes immediately after exams finish. Though, this is one of the best times of year, it is really exciting to meet all the new students and embark on my new courses. I’m sure though, that I’ll manage to fit in plenty of celebrations for the end of exams!

Off to study…. Jenny

As mentioned in previous blog posts, its Exam time again! I had only one exam this time and I had it last Thursday, and as this is my final year, that was my last ever exam. Unless of course I decide to return to University life in a few years to get my postgraduate degree which is probably likely. But this does mean that I am leaving for now and that this will be my final blog post.

At the moment I am anxiously awaiting my exam and dissertation results. It seems like an age to wait for them especially my dissertation. But I suppose I would rather wait longer than have them rush and not mark it properly. Especially if I got a better grade out of it!! Once that is over, I then have the excitement of Graduation to look forward to. I will be graduating on the 5^th of July (hopefully!) and my parents will be making the trip up to see me as well as my grandparents! That does also mean getting taken out for a celebration dinner. And with the fabulous selection of restaurants in Aberdeen, I’m having a hard time choosing where! As well as the celebration dinner, they will be here for a few days and so we will be going exploring. One of my favourite places to visit, Stonehaven, will be at the top of the list. Its home to a beautiful ruined castle (Dunottar), has the most amazing ice-cream shop that sells fabulous flavours such as tablet and irn bru and above all, it is the birth place of the deep-fried mars-bar, which I recommend everyone try at least once!!

Not long after I graduate, I will be moving into a new flat (which I have not yet found) which will be paid for by my new job (which I have not yet got). But it is all change for me, but the one constant is that I plan to stay in Aberdeen. I think Aberdeen is a wonderful city in which to live and I really cannot imagine leaving at this point. Aberdeen has become my home which is just one of the reasons that I will be forever indebted to the University of Aberdeen.

Is it really the end of the year?! Well… I’m, as many other students at the University of Aberdeen, spending most of my time in the library, which can only mean that it’s exam time! As always, nice weather and sunny days making it all a little bit harder for us to stay inside and study. But I do have faith in me and my friends; it looks like we work much better under pressure, typical students J Ahhh exams, scary times! Lucky for us the Queen Mary Library has extended opening hours during May – June examination period. You can check opening hours on the library website: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/hours-exams.shtml 

So with help of many cups of coffee we can revise until 2am!

I’m glad I can get a little bit distracted during work at the Old Townhouse. In the past few months we have had many visitors. I have met many of you who have applied to study here and came to visit the university. Actually I’ve realised for many of you this summer is quite stressful too, waiting for your results. But it is also an exciting time! In September you’ll be joining us! YES!!! It is may be slightly early to get excited, but I cannot wait until Freshers week, busy city streets with new and very excited students J I’m sure you are all looking forward to September too! Good luck with the results!

I am saying goodbye for now, time to get back to my revision.

Kristina

Well first of all let me wish you all a Happy New Year. This is my first day back at work since before Christmas and I must say I am finding it a little strange. However it is a more than welcome break from my revision. Exams began on the 17^th, which is when my first exam took place. My next exam isn’t for a week so in my head that leaves plenty of time to face my revision, although I do know that the day before I will be running around panicking like crazy. But I am looking forward to my exams being over. The day after my last exam I will be heading down to Glasgow to celebrate one of my friend’s ‘hen do’ which will be her last mad evening before we all head back to Glasgow to see her married later on in February.

I am really looking forward to both the ‘hen do’ and the wedding as it will give me a chance to catch up with friends that I haven’t really seen since they graduated last year. The week following my first trip to Glasgow also sees the start of the new semester. This means the start of classes again. This coming semester is a very exciting one for me as it my final one at the University. (Unless I decide to do post grad here as well, which is what I would ideally do if I can secure funding.) This semester also sees me having to write my dissertation.

My dissertation is on the Dissolution of Monasteries in Northern England during the Reformation. At the moment this is a vague thing, but we only have 2 weeks to finalise our titles and I must say that I am not looking forward to it. The days before the deadline I can see being fraught with last minute research I probably should have done over Christmas whilst I was actually in Northern England! As I am set to write about 10,000 words on the subject, I will have to do lots of research which is what will take the most time. My plan includes several research trips to places like York, Durham and Lancaster, which means I actually have an excuse to go and stay at home for a while (my parents live in Lancashire) and get spoiled and pampered.

But as for now, I should probably finish up my work and then get home and hit the books!

Aberdeen is currently basking in glorious sunshine and almost everyone you meet has a smile on their face and a spring in their step. I say almost everyone, as it is revision week and some people are worrying about exams, which start next week. As a PhD student I do not have exams, but I still remember what it was like as an undergraduate student. I was never a fan of exams, but nowadays I occasionally wish I still had exams. Because if I had exams I might have three weeks of stress and revision and worrying and all that jazz, but afterwards I would be free for the whole summer and able to relax and unwind. As it is I will spend the whole summer in Aberdeen trying my best to write at least a page and a half per day. Still, it is not all bad, as I will not be totally alone. As I have mentioned on this blog before, I have an amazing circle of friends here at the University of Aberdeen. Some are people I have only met this year; some are people dating back from my first year in Aberdeen. The best thing about being at university is definitely the people you meet and the friendships you make. Of course, not all of them will be in Aberdeen over the summer, but there will be enough left to have BBQs and coffee breaks with. Unfortunately, some friends will not be coming back after the summer. My best friend for the past seven years has recently joined the Navy and now resides down in Dartmouth, while one of my fellow PhD students and close friends is moving back home to the States to finish writing up his thesis. I am not very happy about this, but such is life and I wish them all the best. And just because they are leaving Aberdeen does not mean that the friendships will end. I am still in regular contact with people I met on campus all the way back in 2002 when I started out in Aberdeen. Staying in touch is fairly easy these days, and I am certain we will see each other again.

I’ve just been asked to be Senior Student Ambassador again for this year’s Open Day which will be held on Tuesday 31^st August – I will have mixed emotions however as I love the Open Day and the buzz round the campus but it will be my last at the University L

Anyways, I think that is enough from me for now. The sunshine and a farewell dinner are calling. I hope that those of you joining us this September will make the same amazing friendships that I made. Who knows, maybe I will be one of those friends J

Until the next time, be well in all things

David

Today marks the last day of classes for this semester. I have to say I could not be happier. I have 2 weeks for revision and then just one exam. I think most people feel the same way after the mad rush at the end of term. This past week has been a tough one as I attempted (and failed) to finish 2 essays before the joint birthday party of 3 friends. There is only so much reading you can do before your brain starts to fry!

As I failed in my attempts to finish before the party, I had to leave after an hour in order to go home and write. However, I only have myself and my poor planning to blame.

This past week we also held the AGM for our society. I have been the treasurer for the Catholic Society for the past two years and I am happily standing down and taking a break. I very happy to know that I am passing on the baton to somebody with much greater mathematical skill than I! Coming in the middle of my stressed out week of essays, I was not looking forward to the AGM. I admit to being rather panicked that nobody would stand for the committee, but I think it was my caffeine induced paranoia talking!

Now that it is all over, well until 1^st June, I have some time to myself and luckily the weather seems to be cooperating. First on the list is a nice relaxing walk to the beach and the largest ice-cream I can find. There is nothing better when the weather is this nice. We really do have to make the most of the sun while we have it. This weekend is also the Word Festival, a literary festival held by the University every year. One of the events that I am most interested in attending is a talk by Pauline McLynn, or Mrs. Doyle as she is better known. Few people know that as well as making a lovely cup of tea, she also is an accomplished novelist!

Good luck to everyone who is receiving their exam results today! Woohoo!

We’re sure all those hours of studying and hard work will have paid off, but just incase you don’t get the results you’d hoped for, or your results were better than you expected, we can still help you find a place on a range of our degree programmes for a September 07 start. Visit www.abdn.ac.uk/clearing or call us on + 44 (0)1224 273504 to find out more!

See you in September!

We just wanted to wish those of you awaiting exam results the best of luck - sure you’ve all done great! But, just in case you don’t get the results you hoped for, or are now thinking of applying to uni a year early, don’t worry! At Aberdeen we can still help you find a place on a range of our degree programmes for a September 07 start, and there’s even scholarships on offer for new students. Hurray!

During the week of the exam results, we will be manning a bespoke Clearing Information Centre on our campus, for those that would like to pop in and speak individually to one of our academic selectors, support staff or our current students.

You can also ring us on 01224 273504 to chat through your options, or visit www.abdn.ac.uk/clearing to see what vacancies are available and to find out more about what the University of Aberdeen has to offer you.

Good luck, and remember, there’s still room at the top!

Hey there blog readers!!

My name is Nick and over the past 4 years here at uni I have undergone all the usual ups and downs of student life, which I will proceed to write about (hopefully to some level of amusement) in the future. The past few weeks of campus life have unfortunately been largely filled with the downs. Why is that? Well, it’s the time of year all students dread and there is simply no getting away from. Exams.

The streets are quiet, the bars largely empty. The libraries are lined with yawning, hoodie clad, shaking students, clutching bottles of water, iPods and highlighters and with that familiar sense of impending doom, they sit. Reading the books and journals they should have read 4 months ago, trying to reorder their largely unreadable lecture notes, highlighting each and every word on the page. Staring blankly at the walls, hoping that some ghostly apparition will appear, present them their exams papers (complete with answers) and leave in a puff of smoke.*

*Note - this has never happened to me while at uni despite many attempts.

I can remember arriving at uni and thinking that exams simply didn’t happen any more. One simply turned up, sat in a lecture, drank some coffee, drank some alcohol, wrote an essay and graduated. Easy.

Not so much. There are exams - in fact lots of them - twice a year in fact, and regardless of how many you have sat at school they never get any less frightening.

It’s a fairly standard thing really. Turn up at the room, sit down, fill in your paper and wait to start (after the compulsory seat and table check to ensure neither wobble).

Then you turn over the paper, see the questions, inhale loudly, then begin (this period of 5 minutes is the most important of the exam as one can usually sum up if you will pass or fail before the pen has hit the page).

Luckily I have only had two exams this term. One 2 hour paper and my last a 3 hour - yes, 3 hours. Alternatively view it as watching any of the Lord of the Rings Films. That is ages.

Exam period is always stressful. Even the most intellectual of students get stressed out. What you have to remember, despite how many times you scream their names in vain, is that the staff want you to pass. They don’t have secret desires to make you fail. They, like students (most of them) honestly want you to succeed.

Just remember this when you’re being lectured for two hours on some obscure aspect of European Legal systems.

Trust me. It helps.

Nick